Resident Evil Movie: The Blueprint for Game Adaptations?

Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie proves that original stories can succeed where 1:1 adaptations fail. Here's why it should be the new template for video game films.

Did you ever think a Resident Evil movie without Leon, Claire, or Jill could actually work? Well, Zach Cregger's new adaptation proves it can—and it might just change how Hollywood handles video game movies forever.

Instead of cramming in every fan-favorite character, Cregger tells an original story set on the periphery of Resident Evil 2, on the day the t-Virus outbreak hits Raccoon City. You follow Bryan, a medical courier who's way out of his depth against unkillable zombies and gnarly mutants. His mission? Get the basis of an antidote from point A to point B. That's it. No convoluted lore dumps, no cosplay versions of game heroes—just a tight, 95-minute shot of t-Virus adrenaline that captures the tone, atmosphere, and absurdity of the games better than any of the previous seven movies.

Now, this approach caused some backlash before release. Cregger even went on a self-professed "apology tour" during interviews. But here's the thing: he was right. More filmmakers need to be brave enough to tell their own stories when adapting games, while staying true to the source material in other ways. The six Milla Jovovich-led movies gave us daft fan-fiction scenarios that sort of looked like the games if you squinted. And 2021's Welcome to Raccoon City tried so hard to please fans—it even included originally cut character Lisa Trevor—that it ended up the worst of the lot.

Cregger, a passionate Resident Evil fan and one of the most exciting contemporary filmmakers, understood something crucial: most games simply aren't suited for a 1:1 translation to film. Resident Evil 2 might be an all-time classic, but watching Leon or Claire run laps around the RPD to avoid Mr. X? Not exactly compelling cinema. If you want to experience Resident Evil 4, the best way will always be to play the game. So instead, Cregger translated the you-know-it-if-you-see-it feel of the games to film in a way that feels practically groundbreaking.

This isn't just a win for Resident Evil—it's a sign of where game adaptations are heading. We're living through a golden age, similar to where superhero cinema was in the early MCU days. Filmmakers who grew up playing games are now in positions of power, and their approach is far more sophisticated. On TV, we've already seen successes like Fallout and Arcane, neither of which adapts specific game stories but still stays true to their worlds. Resident Evil is the first true success story on film from a major studio.

Of course, this approach can fail. 2016's Assassin's Creed used a new cast in a familiar setting, but director Justin Kurzel probably didn't understand the series the way Cregger understands Resident Evil—and it showed. The difference is passion and vision. Cregger's film honors the legacy of the games while crafting something new, and that's exactly why it works.

As a long-serving fan, it's been a bummer to see the discourse tear down a movie that finally gets it. We shouldn't want the same thing we've already played. We should want filmmakers who respect the source enough to reinvent it. So, will you be picking up Resident Evil when it hits theaters? Or are you still hoping for that 1:1 adaptation? Let us know in the comments!