Another Resident Evil movie is upon us, and this one is helmed by none other than Zach Cregger. The highly anticipated video game adaptation hit theaters this weekend and, so far, it’s really drumming up some buzz. Cregger’s latest flick is earning rave reviews from critics and fans alike. Such a film is right up Cregger’s ally, given his work within the horror genre and, as one might expect, he doesn’t get scared too often. However, he recently revealed that one entry from the Resident franchise did manage to give him chills.
Even with just a few horror titles under his belt as a director, Cregger has managed to delight and frighten audiences with some creepy stories. Barbarian and Weapons alone are enough evidence of the filmmaker’s penchant for giving audiences chills. So, on that note, what scares the man responsible for creating the unsettling mother and the enigmatic Aunt Gladys? Cregger recently spoke to SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend about his 2026 movie schedule offering and revealed that one relatively recent RE game threw him for a loop:
I’m generally not scared by much, but I played Resident Evil 8 [aka Resident Evil Village] with VR on the PlayStation. I did the virtual reality thing and there was a moment where I had to stop because it was too intense for me. So generally I’m not a scaredy-cat, but Resident Evil 8, that got me!
Village is truly a terrifying entry in the iconic video game franchise, and that’s saying a lot. Released in 2021, the game centers on protagonist Ethan Winters who – following a tragedy – is forced to search for his baby daughter in a small and creepy European town. What Ethan finds are various creatures led by lords, and that includes a towering, aristocratic vampire by the name of Lady Dimitrescu, who became something of an icon amongst fans after appearing in the game.
Playing Resident Evil Village at all is one thing, but the mere thought of taking on that entry via Playstation VR makes my skin crawl. So believe me when I say I completely understand Zach Cregger being afraid while taking in the horror and gore of the game that way. When it came to his contribution to the film franchise, Cregger was quite cerebral in how he approached the proceedings, including the gore. He laid out his take while speaking with SFX:
I’m not a big torture porn guy. I don’t really love gore for the sake of gore, but you can’t do a Resident Evil movie and have no gore. That wouldn’t be cool. There are moments of pretty shocking stuff in it. But even if you’re weak-kneed and don’t love gore, I wouldn’t be deterred. You’ll make it. You’ll survive.
I Can’t Get Over The Literal ‘Hot’ Take Zach Cregger Had When Making His Resident Evil Reboot
Viewers had high hopes for Cregger’s Resident Evil, as the previous installments (which have their fair share of fans) aren’t exactly critical darlings. This movie centers around a new hero – medical courier named Bryan (Austin Abrams) – who finds himself dealing with infected creatures in Raccoon City. So far, the movie has received considerable praise for its direction, performances, scares and similarities to the games’ motifs. That acclaim has resulted in the film being the highest-rated installment in the horror movie franchise.
There’s certainly a reason that this movie has been successful and that Zach Cregger’s last two flicks have become pop culture fixtures. It’s because the man knows how to tell a unique and compelling story that offers up spooky thrills but never loses sight of the characters. Also, I appreciate a good scarer who can admit to being scared. On that note, check out Cregger’s Resident Evil and, while you’re at it, read up on upcoming horror movies.
