Resident Evil Director Zach Cregger Reacts to Fan Backlash: “I Should Have Known Better”

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot has surpassed $400 million at the global box office and earned strong reviews, but it also sparked backlash from hardcore fans because it does not adapt any storylines or characters from the video games. Cregger, who intentionally created an original story set in the Resident Evil world, addressed the criticism on The Town podcast, saying he became “frustrated at the conversation” because it “didn’t have anything to do with the movie.” He admitted, “I should have known better,” acknowledging that intense gaming communities often react strongly to changes, though he remains proud of the film. Despite previously saying he would never make another franchise movie, Cregger now adopts a “never say never” attitude, feeling he is “playing with house money” after the success of Barbarian and Weapons. His next project is the sci-fi film The Flood starring Jennifer Lawrence, his biggest-budget movie yet, surpassing Resident Evil’s reported $75 million. Cregger believes lower budgets force creativity, and he plans to “swing for the f**king fences” on every project, accepting that each could be his last. The Resident Evil franchise is produced by Constantin Films, which has held the rights since the 1990s and revived the series after Welcome to Raccoon City flopped when Cregger pitched his vision. As Cregger moves forward, the question remains whether his original approach can satisfy both new audiences and longtime fans of the games.