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Resident Evil 21 Sept 2026, 19:00

Resident Evil: Zach Cregger changed the ending and filmed a backup

Resident Evil: Zach Cregger changed the ending and filmed a backup

Zach Cregger confirmed his Resident Evil film originally had a different ending and that he filmed an alternate backup version.

  • In the earlier version, the cure would have been lost sooner, sending Bryan straight into a violent final stretch.
  • The released version keeps the cure in the story longer, preserving Bryan’s motivation until the end.

What happened

Zach Cregger has confirmed that the ending of his Resident Evil film did not stay the same as in the original script. In an interview with IGN, he said the movie initially had a nearly completely different ending, but that he also filmed a contingency plan, or plan B, in case the first version did not work.

According to Cregger, the biggest difference was the moment when the cure leaves the story. In the earlier version, that would have happened sooner, after a scientist pulled the needle from the syringe and Bryan grabbed the woman by the face. The film would then have moved directly into a violent final sequence.

In the version that ultimately reached theaters, Bryan stays connected to the cure for longer, and that payoff is delayed until later in the ending. That keeps his drive to protect the cure central for longer, according to the source description.

The Collider Interviews video with Cregger and Austin Abrams adds extra context: it explicitly refers to an interview about monster design and an alternate ending, while the description discusses Bryan carrying the cure to the final location and taking out scientists along the way.

Timeline

  • 2026-09-18: Resident Evil opens in theaters on this date.

  • 2026-09-18: Collider Interviews publishes a video with Zach Cregger and Austin Abrams about, among other things, monster design and an alternate ending.

  • 2026-09-20: IGN publishes the interview in which Cregger explains that the ending was originally different and that he filmed a backup version.

  • 2026-09-21: Discussion of the altered ending continues to circulate in coverage of Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil film.

Background

Resident Evil is Zach Cregger’s film starring Austin Abrams as Bryan. The provided sources describe part of the finale as Bryan continuing to transport the cure while taking out scientists who try to stop him.

The sources make clear that at least one alternate ending was considered and filmed, but not whether that alternative was fully completed or ever released to the public. Based on the material provided, it also remains unclear why the change was made, beyond the later version keeping the tension around Bryan and the cure alive for longer.

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