The official full-length trailer for Zach Cregger’s (Barbarian, Weapons) highly anticipated Resident Evil film reboot has officially dropped, giving fans a deeper look at the survival-horror nightmare hitting theaters on September 18, 2026.
Rather than retelling a story gamers already know, Cregger’s film tells a brand-new, original story set right on the outskirts of Raccoon City during the events of Resident Evil 2. The film stars Austin Abrams as Bryan—a completely inept, everyday medical courier taking on a double-pay delivery job to “Raccoon City General” on the worst night in history.
While it skips established protagonists like Leon or Jill, Cregger has promised that the film acts as an “everyman” horror journey through the game’s mechanics—and eagle-eyed gamers have already spotted a metric ton of classic survival-horror Easter eggs scattered throughout the trailer.
The Big Resident Evil Game Easter Eggs in the Trailer
- The Classic Safe Room Setup: Early in the trailer, Bryan stumbles into a quiet room inside a creepy farmhouse that screams classic PS1/GameCube RE. On the table sits a traditional typewriter alongside a green box of shotgun shell ammo.
- Weapon Progression: In true game fashion, Bryan finds a shotgun mounted on a wall holster—a direct nod to the iconic shotgun puzzle in the original 1996 Resident Evil mansion. Cregger confirmed the film’s structure follows game progression: starting with a pistol, scrambling for a shotgun, and eventually finding heavier firepower.
- The First-Aid Spray & Medical Pack: Bryan’s delivery bag features first-aid supplies styled similarly to the series’ iconic First-Aid Sprays and green herbs.
- Inventory Anxiety: Multiple shots show Bryan desperately searching desk drawers and cabinets while hiding, perfectly capturing the frantic, low-ammo inventory management that defines early survival-horror games.
- Classic Creature Mutations: While the trailer keeps plot specifics under wraps, we get glimpses of a multi-limbed creature crawling out of a house, zombies raining from rooftops in Raccoon City, and a hulking, trench-coat-wearing figure lurking in the sewers reminiscent of Mr. X.
“Like Frodo Going into Mordor”
Speaking on the unique approach to the film, Cregger explained that adapting a game directly often feels redundant for fans. Instead, he wanted to craft a movie that feels like playing an early Resident Evil game for the first time.
“Bryan is an everyday guy with zero combat skills—completely inept at survival… He’s burdened with this sacred mission taking him right into the heart of everything. It’s kind of like Frodo going into Mordor.”
— Zach Cregger, Director
Resident Evil hits theaters on September 18, 2026.
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