A Blink-and-You’ll-Miss-It Easter Egg — Iconic Game Reference Spotted in the Resident Evil Movie Trailer

Director Zach Cregger has revealed new details about the upcoming Resident Evil film adaptation, drawing attention to hidden references in the debut trailer. While one of the franchise’s main characters — Leon S. Kennedy — is absent from the footage, eagle-eyed fans might have noticed some familiar elements from the games.

In his trailer breakdown, Cregger pointed out that an iconic plant — the green herb, well-known to fans as a staple healing item — was deliberately hidden in one of the shots. According to the director, he didn’t just add a recognizable prop, but went out of his way to faithfully recreate its look.

Cregger emphasized that, even though the movie’s timeline aligns more closely with Resident Evil 2, he intentionally included elements from the fourth installment, which he considers his favorite. He teased that viewers can expect to find similar details sprinkled throughout various scenes in the film.

The director also highlighted gameplay mechanics brought to the big screen. For example, scenes involving rifling through drawers and searching for ammo are meant to capture a core mechanic from the original games — the constant balancing act between scarce resources and the need to survive. Cregger noted that keeping this element was crucial to preserving the spirit of the source material.

The film’s structure also draws inspiration from Resident Evil 4. Rather than being confined to a single mansion, the story unfolds across multiple locations, alternating between tense moments and larger-scale set pieces. According to Cregger, this approach better conveys the feeling of journeying through a dangerous, ever-changing world.

The movie’s plot takes place on the first day of the Raccoon City disaster — just as the virus begins to spread and Leon starts his first day as a rookie cop. Chronologically, the film’s events line up with late September 1998, though attentive fans have already spotted some discrepancies, such as the presence of snow — something not seen in the original game.

We previously published a roundup of the first reactions to the Resident Evil movie teaser trailer.

Did you spot the green herb Easter egg when you watched the teaser?