Horror and gaming fans, take note: Sony Pictures has released the new trailer for Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil, sending Austin Abrams into what may be the worst night of his life.
Abrams stars as Bryan, a medical courier who begins the trailer by delivering much-needed organs to a hospital before being sent back out with a mysterious package for Raccoon City General. His journey quickly falls apart when he hits what appears to be an infected person while arguing on the phone, leaving him stranded in the middle of a rapidly growing nightmare.
The footage follows Bryan into a seemingly abandoned house, where he discovers a double-barrelled shotgun and attempts to defend himself from the horrors waiting in the darkness inside. Fans of the games may spot a few familiar details, including a box of Heavy Field Buckshot shells matching those found in Resident Evil 4 and 5. It is a small reference, but a promising sign that there may be more for longtime players to spot.
Rather than directly adapting one of Capcom’s games or continuing the previous film series, Cregger’s new take introduces an original story set within the Resident Evil universe. The filmmaker has previously said that he wants to capture the experience of playing the games, with Mad Max: Fury Road and Evil Dead II among his inspirations for the fast-paced, monster-filled journey.
Cregger directs from a screenplay written with John Wick writer Shay Hatten. The cast also includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser, with Abrams reuniting with Cregger after appearing in Weapons.
For CultureCues, this looks like exactly the kind of fresh start the Resident Evil films needed. Abrams is immediately likeable as the extremely unlucky Bryan, while the relentless pace, creature horror and nods to the games point towards a proper survival horror experience. Cregger has already proved what he can do with Barbarian and Weapons, and this may be his wildest nightmare yet.
Resident Evil arrives in UK cinemas on 18 September 2026.
CultureCues Editorial is the house byline for short-form entertainment news, trailer updates, release announcements and industry coverage. All CultureCues content is overseen by founder and editor Nikki Murray.