Chandler Riggs’ ‘Resident Evil’ Fan Film ‘Biohazard’ Outscores Zach Cregger’s Movie on IMDb

Live-action ‘Resident Evil’ has never had an easy time. For years, the series was defined by action-heavy films that borrowed names and locations from the games but rarely captured their dread, and fans have long argued about what a faithful adaptation would look like. That makes the current ‘Resident Evil’ moment feel like a real shift.

Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ opened on September 18 and became the franchise’s biggest hit. It debuted with $60 million domestically and $108.3 million worldwide, and it has grossed $361 million on a $75 million budget, making it the highest-grossing film in the series. Critics loved it too, with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score from 296 reviews and a B+ from CinemaScore.

Now an unexpected challenger has appeared. ‘Biohazard’, a roughly 19-minute fan film adapting ‘Resident Evil 7’, has reached an average IMDb user rating of 8.3 out of 10, the highest in the live-action series. Cregger’s film sits second at 7.6, followed by the 2002 ‘Resident Evil’ at 6.6.

That ranking puts a free fan project ahead of a studio blockbuster and a franchise that spans decades. It’s worth keeping in mind that user ratings for a newly released short can move as more votes come in. Still, it’s a striking result and a major talking point for fans.

Chandler Riggs’ RE7 Biohazard now officially has a higher rating than Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil and the entire franchise • #1: Biohazard – 8.3/10 • #2 Resident Evil (2026) – 7.6/10 • #3 Resident Evil (2002) – 6.6/10 (via @IMDb) https://t.co/VuCID8r4Tz

— CoveredGeekly (@CoveredGeekly) October 21, 2026

The film comes from Chandler Riggs, best known as Carl Grimes on ‘The Walking Dead’. He wrote, directed, edited and stars as Ethan Winters, with fellow ‘The Walking Dead’ alum Jason Douglas playing Jack Baker, the patriarch of the infected Baker family. Greg Nicotero supplied special effects equipment.

𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐇𝐀𝐙𝐀𝐑𝐃 | 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞-𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝟕 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖 – https://t.co/DPRJYpVo3v Ethan Winters, while searching for his missing wife, finds himself trapped by the Baker family – a deadly, unstoppable force driven to violence under the influence of a mysterious infection…

— chandler riggs (@chandlerriggs) October 14, 2026

The short recreates Ethan’s garage confrontation with Jack and the terror surrounding it, with the dining room and hallway sets drawing praise for looking lifted from the game. It was shot with Tampa-based Spooky Feet Films, with support from Film Tampa Bay, and the crew transformed a former cigar factory into the Baker estate. According to its YouTube description, it relied on practical sets, stunts and effects, with minimal VFX and no AI.

It debuted free on YouTube on October 14. It’s a non-commercial project with no official link to the franchise’s owners.

What sets ‘Biohazard’ apart is how closely it follows the source material. Where Cregger’s film tells an original story about a medical courier in Raccoon City, ‘Biohazard’ pulls its beats directly from the game, with many scenes mirroring their counterparts. The one big change is that Ethan’s face is shown on screen, and the story is told from a third-person perspective, a necessary break from the game’s first-person view.

Riggs has said he wanted to see a good, true-to-the-game live-action adaptation. He was already in pre-production when news broke that Cregger was making a movie, and the team had hoped to release first before the timing fell apart. He also said he understands that no adaptation can please everyone, and that he respects Cregger’s decision to go his own way.

There’s a fun coincidence here too. Austin Abrams, who stars in Cregger’s film, played Ron Anderson on ‘The Walking Dead’, and his character shot Riggs’ Carl in the eye. Now both actors have starred in the two highest-rated ‘Resident Evil’ live-action entries.

It’s also worth noting that the two projects aren’t really competing. Cregger’s film has already won over critics and audiences, and the fan short is a labor of love. Riggs has said he’d like to make a feature-length version of ‘Resident Evil 7’ someday and would happily work with Cregger if the director returns to the series.

The first trailer for Zach Cregger’s ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ has been released. In theaters on September 18. https://t.co/eeVCAGzy6M

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2026

For now, the 8.3 rating is mostly a sign of enthusiasm. Fans have been hungry for a faithful take on the games, and ‘Biohazard’ delivers a taste of it in under 20 minutes. Whether it leads to a feature is unknown, but the attention certainly helps.

Meanwhile, Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ is still performing strongly, and it’s been called one of the highest-rated horror movies of the year.

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