Zach Cregger Reveals Exactly How Deep His ‘Resident Evil’ Movie Goes Into Video Game Territory

Video game adaptations have a rocky reputation in Hollywood, but the ‘Resident Evil’ franchise has always occupied a strange middle ground between beloved and maligned. Milla Jovovich’s action-heavy run defined the series for nearly two decades, even as purists complained it barely resembled the survival horror games that inspired it.

That history makes Zach Cregger’s upcoming take on the material feel like a genuine swing in a different direction. The ‘Weapons’ director has been vocal about wanting his film to feel less like another loose adaptation and more like an authentic translation of what it actually feels like to play one of these games, set piece by set piece.

Now Cregger is getting specific about exactly which elements of the games made the jump to the screen, and it’s clear he’s leaning all the way in. Speaking about the film’s design, Cregger explained that his protagonist is constantly blocked by padlocks that stop him from progressing, a deliberate nod to one of the franchise’s most recognizable gameplay mechanics.

He didn’t stop there either. Cregger confirmed that the film features healing spray cans and green herbs pulled directly from the games, right down to visual details fans will recognize instantly, along with typewriters scattered throughout the world that longtime players will immediately clock as save-point references.

According to Cregger, the film isn’t adapting a specific ‘Resident Evil’ title so much as recreating the rhythm of playing one. That means new environments roughly every seven or eight minutes, locked areas that force detours, collectible items scattered through the world, and weapons that upgrade as the danger escalates, mirroring the traditional gameplay loop players have known for decades.

Cregger has been candid that locks and padlocks specifically play a major role in the story, telling Deadline that his protagonist is constantly getting stopped by them throughout the film. He added that beyond the one-to-one object references, the real connective tissue between the movie and the games is that same set-piece-driven pacing, something he called a naturally cinematic rhythm baked into how the games are structured.

The film follows a new protagonist named Bryan as he attempts to deliver medical supplies through a world overrun by viral monstrosities, deliberately steering clear of the events and characters central to the mainline games. Cregger has been firm that he isn’t interested in retelling Leon Kennedy’s story, given that players already experienced that narrative firsthand through the games themselves.

Instead, the movie is designed to exist on the periphery of ‘Resident Evil 2,’ unfolding in parallel to Raccoon City’s infamous night without directly crossing paths with its most iconic characters. That approach gives Cregger room to build an original story while still honoring the world players already know intimately.

The attention to detail extends to production as well, with massive physical sets built in Prague, including a skyscraper hospital inspired by London’s Guy’s Tower. Cregger has also said he prefers the biological horror of the franchise’s earlier entries over the more supernatural elements introduced in later games, a preference that appears to be shaping the tone of this adaptation.

For a franchise that’s struggled for years to satisfy both casual moviegoers and diehard gamers at once, Cregger’s approach suggests he understands exactly what separates the two audiences, and he’s betting that leaning into authentic gameplay DNA is the way to finally bridge that gap.

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