New ‘Resident Evil’ Image Shows Austin Abrams Facing off Against One of the Film’s Twisted New Creatures

Zach Cregger has spent this entire promotional cycle proving he understands exactly what made the ‘Resident Evil’ games so beloved, and every new image released so far has only reinforced that reputation. Fresh off critical and commercial success with ‘Weapons,’ the director has turned his attention toward reinventing one of gaming’s most iconic horror franchises for the big screen.

That reinvention has been rolling out steadily through a series of exclusive looks from Empire, each one offering fans another piece of the puzzle ahead of the film’s theatrical release. The latest image continues that pattern, giving audiences their newest glimpse yet at just how far Cregger is willing to push the creature design beyond the franchise’s classic zombie roots.

The image centers on Austin Abrams’ character Bryan, a medical courier who finds himself thrust into a nightmarish situation over the course of a single chaotic night. Cregger has been candid about wanting his central protagonist to feel distinctly unlike a typical video game hero, describing Bryan as someone with no combat skills whatsoever, completely inept at survival, and burdened with a mission far bigger than he ever expected.

That characterization has shaped much of the marketing rollout so far, with Cregger repeatedly emphasizing that Bryan functions as an audience surrogate dropped straight into the horror rather than a capable action hero. He has compared the setup to Frodo heading into Mordor, someone thrust into a mission entirely beyond his own capabilities.

Cregger has also been upfront about steering his version of the story away from a traditional zombie movie despite the franchise’s reputation. According to the director, there are really only two or three scenes in the entire film involving classic zombie encounters, with the rest of the runtime instead built around a much wider variety of mutated, T-virus born threats.

That approach lines up with comments Cregger has made about wanting to expand what the virus is capable of creating on screen, arguing that limiting the film to standard zombies would waste the creative potential the source material actually offers. Each new image released through this campaign has reinforced that promise, showing off creature designs that push well past the shambling undead audiences might expect.

The film reunites Cregger with his ‘Weapons’ star Abrams, who plays Bryan opposite a supporting cast that includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser as Umbrella scientists caught up in the same outbreak. Cregger co-wrote the screenplay alongside Shay Hatten, known for his work on the ‘John Wick’ franchise, giving the project a pedigree in both horror atmosphere and high-stakes action choreography.

Set during an alternate take on the events of ‘Resident Evil 2,’ the story follows Bryan’s delivery route spiraling into chaos as Raccoon City succumbs to the outbreak around him. Cregger has described his overall approach as one continuous, relentless sequence, borrowing directly from the pacing rhythm of the games themselves, where players move from one intense set piece to the next without much room to breathe.

With the film’s IMAX shot production and Cregger’s growing reputation for elevated horror storytelling, anticipation continues building steadily with each new promotional reveal. Fans eager to see how far this reinvention strays from the character-focused, creature-heavy approach Cregger has promised will not have much longer to wait.

‘Resident Evil’ arrives in theaters and IMAX on September 18.

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