The big screen adventure of the Resident Evil series is taken to an original dimension with a new adaptation. The first trailer of the new Resident Evil movie, signed by director Zach Cregger, who proved his talent in horror with Barbarian and Weapons movies, has finally met with the audience.

Unlike the action-oriented old movies, this new production focuses directly on survival fear and is preparing to be released on September 18, 2026.

The movie, which tells a completely original story set on the outskirts of Raccoon City, is shaped around the main character Bryan. Familiar details such as the typewriter, shotgun cartridges and first aid packages in the trailer reveal how faithful the movie remains to the game series.

A New Nightmare on the Outskirts of Raccoon City

The complex relationship between Hollywood and the Resident Evil series opens a brand new page with Zach Cregger taking over the director’s chair. After years of action-packed movies that have been loosely held together, Cregger adopts a completely different approach that is true to the original of the game.

The focus of the film is medical courier Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, who takes a delivery job just outside Raccoon City. But this ordinary delivery task soon turns into a terrible nightmare. Bryan is trapped in an abandoned farm dwelling surrounded by creatures intent on killing him.

Rather than copying the story of the Resident Evil 2 game exactly, the scenario offers a brand new plot that runs parallel to the events outside Raccoon City in the same time period. This promises fans of the series a brand new story experience in a familiar cosmos. In addition, names such as Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry and Kali Reis also appear in the cast as Umbrella company employees and scientists.

Resident Evil Details Hidden in the Trailer

Director Zach Cregger had previously stated that he would fill the film with hidden details for fans of the game series. The newly released trailer proves that this promise has been kept. The references that stand out in the trailer feel like they were placed in a very conscious way, rather than easy details that studios added just to attract attention.

Typewriters and Classic Equipment

The most obvious detail that loyal fans of the game series will quickly notice is the typewriter sitting in the farm dwelling.

The appearance of typewriters, used as recording mechanics in classic Resident Evil games, in a key scene is considered a clear indication of the respect for the roots of the series. Besides this, the shotgun cartridges that players have been searching for in dark corridors since 1996 also attract attention in the same place.

Medical Courier and First Aid Package

Another important reference at the basis of the film’s story is about Bryan’s profession.

It is no coincidence that Bryan is a medical courier and the package he is trying to deliver by risking his life is actually a “first aid package”. This is a direct reference to the health items that keep the characters alive in all games of the series.

The Rebirth of Survival Horror

The strongest aspect of the new Resident Evil adaptation is, of course, the survival horror atmosphere it reflects. Instead of explosions and endless action scenes, the trailer feels quite slow-paced and full of tension. This choice brings the film much closer to that dark and claustrophobic game atmosphere that previous adaptations could not reach.

One of the most chilling scenes in the trailer occurs when Bryan returns to a blood-spattered hospital corridor. Bryan sees a very small hand, possibly of a zombie baby, reaching out from a cot. This single shot alone encapsulates cinema’s horror potential much more neatly than dozens of minutes of creature effects. The director understands very well that Resident Evil’s scariest moments are not just about the monsters, but about a feeling of helplessness that is always felt.

The production, which will be released in theaters on September 18, 2026, aims to give the audience the feeling of playing a real Resident Evil game. Returning to the tight space tension and lack of resources, the cinema draws attention as a very ambitious project for horror cinema enthusiasts.