{"id":9135,"date":"2026-09-17T12:53:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T11:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/?p=9135"},"modified":"2026-09-17T12:53:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T11:53:06","slug":"zach-cregger-why-resident-evil-is-true-to-games-despite-removing-main-characters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/2026\/09\/17\/zach-cregger-why-resident-evil-is-true-to-games-despite-removing-main-characters\/","title":{"rendered":"Zach Cregger explains why his movie ‘has to be Resident Evil’ despite ditching its characters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zach Cregger\u2019s new Resident Evil movie might take place in the same world as the video games, but there\u2019s one pretty major thing missing: none of the games\u2019 main characters are actually in it. The director has now explained why his film still deserves the Resident Evil title.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rather than casting Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, Cregger\u2019s adaptation centres on an entirely new character named Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier who must fight for survival amid the outbreak. <\/span><\/p>\n

But the story is connected to the Capcom games<\/a> in a huge way, with its setting being Raccoon City in 1998, running in parallel with the events of Resident Evil 2.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very different approach to previous Resident Evil films<\/a>, which centered largely on Milla Jovovich\u2019s original character Alice, before eventually bringing in familiar faces from the games. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then 2021\u2019s Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City went much more directly into the game lore, featuring Leon, Claire, Chris and Jill. However, Cregger has deliberately decided against simply retelling a story fans have already played.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cregger knows fans wanted Leon Kennedy, but there\u2019s a reason he\u2019s left out<\/h2>\n

Unsurprisingly, the decision has prompted one pretty obvious question: if you\u2019re not going to use the Resident Evil characters, why make a Resident Evil movie at all? Cregger was asked exactly that during a recent interview shared by Variety. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Zach Cregger on not including any of the characters from the video games in his #ResidentEvil<\/a> movie. pic.twitter.com\/xYHaNlVGSJ<\/a><\/p>\n

— Variety (@Variety) September 16, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n