Stranded traveler gets more than he bargained for inResident Evilteaser

The iconic Resident Evil film series, which has amassed over $1.2 billion in global earnings since its inception in 2002, is set to make another comeback. After a previous reboot attempt fell short of expectations, Sony Pictures is enlisting Zach Cregger—known for his work on the acclaimed horror film Weapons—to lead the project. Recently, the studio unveiled the first teaser for Cregger’s take on Resident Evil during CinemaCon, generating significant buzz among fans. The original Resident Evil video game debuted in 1996 and was an instant sensation, leading to a plethora of sequels, comics, novels, and a hugely successful film franchise spearheaded by Paul W.S. Anderson and featuring Milla Jovovich. However, while these films enjoyed commercial success, they only loosely adhered to the game’s narrative, featuring a few familiar faces and the overarching premise, but diverging significantly in plot. Critics were often divided on the films, despite their box office triumphs. In an attempt to breathe new life into the franchise, the first reboot was initiated in 2017, culminating in the release of Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City in 2021. Directed by Johannes Roberts, this film aimed to capture the essence of the original games, recreating iconic settings like the Spencer Mansion with a fresh lens. Unfortunately, Welcome to Raccoon City was met with negative reviews and struggled at the box office, netting only $42 million against a $25 million production budget. Consequently, plans for a sequel were shelved, and a Netflix series launched in 2022 was also cancelled after a disappointing first season.