The Resident Evil Reboot Lands Director Zach Cregger

Popular zombie outbreak horror game Resident Evil, which spawned a film franchise starring Milla Jovovich as well as various other adaptations, is getting another go-around with one of the minds behind Barbarian. That film has also had a video game adaptation in the pipeline, so it works both ways it seems.

Zach Cregger has been tapped to helm a new Resident Evil reboot after the success of Barbarian, revealed the Hollywood Reporter. Add to that the excitement behind his upcoming Weapons, which stars Josh Brolin and Julia Garner; it has drummed up quite a bidding war, according to the trade, as it’s tested very well. Warner Brothers, which is distributing Weapons through New Line, is in the running to acquire Creggers’ Resident Evil which he will be writing and directing. Competitors include Netflix, which has had its own television adaptation of the franchise.

Sources told THR that Cregger’s adaptation is “a revamp that will take the title to its horror roots and be more faithful to the initial games.” The original story of Capcom’s PlayStation series released in 1996 centered on a motley crew of characters going up against the Umbrella Corporation after it developed and released a deadly zombie virus. Constantin Films has held the rights to the IP since the ’90s, and will return to produce alongside PlayStation Productions.

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