Not game-related, but genuinely chilling: first trailer for the new Resident Evil movie drops — from the director of Weapons, releasing September 18

Sony has revealed the first trailer for a new Resident Evil adaptation directed by Zach Cregger, known for Barbarian and Weapons. The film is set to release worldwide on September 18, 2026 — and instead of retelling familiar stories with Leon, Claire, or Jill, it presents a completely original narrative within the universe.

The lead role is played by Austin Abrams, known for Euphoria and The Walking Dead. His character is a medical courier who arrives in Raccoon City at the worst possible moment and gradually gets pulled into a nightmare involving infected, mutants, and a corporate conspiracy. Based on the first footage, Zach Cregger moves away from the more action-heavy, comic-book tone of the earlier films by Paul W. S. Anderson, instead focusing on tension, survival, and the feeling of being trapped in a world that actively wants to kill you.

The supporting cast also includes Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry from Severance, Kali Reis from True Detective, and Johnno Wilson. According to insiders, Cherry plays a hospital scientist, while Reis portrays a former military operative.

If previous Resident Evil films leaned heavily into action, this new version seems to steer the franchise back toward its roots: less fan service for the sake of it, more tension, grime, and that suffocating feeling that Raccoon City is once again a trap.