Resident Evil by Zach Cregger scores 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic
Zach Cregger's new Resident Evil film is at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic. GameSpot gave it an 8/10.
- On Metacritic, the film has a Metascore of 80, while GameSpot gave it an 8/10.
- The theatrical release is set for 18 September 2026; Austin Abrams is named in the source as part of the cast.
What happened
The new Resident Evil film from director Zach Cregger, known for Barbarian and Weapons, has landed unusually strong early reviews. GameSpot reported that reviews went live on publication day and that the film was immediately well received.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film sits at 96%, based on 71 reviews. Metacritic currently lists it with a Metascore of 80. GameSpot also gave the film an 8/10, writing that Cregger captures the games' suffocating, breathless sense of dread well.
The same reporting describes Resident Evil as the highest-rated video game adaptation so far. That claim is tied to the current Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores, with the film said to be ahead of previous game adaptations.
The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on 18 September 2026. In the provided context, Austin Abrams is also mentioned as part of the cast, while Constantin is said to have agreed to Cregger's original take after earlier Resident Evil films.
Timeline
1990s: Constantin acquires the film rights to Resident Evil.
2016: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter reaches 49% on Metacritic, the highest score in Paul W.S. Anderson's earlier film series.
2021: Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City scores 44% on Metacritic.
16 September 2026: The first reviews for Zach Cregger's Resident Evil go live.
18 September 2026: The film is scheduled for theatrical release.
Background
Paul W.S. Anderson made six Resident Evil films, but according to the source they never earned particularly strong critical reception. The reboot Welcome to Raccoon City by Johannes Roberts also fell short of the earlier films in the series with a 44% Metacritic score.
Cregger then pitched an original take on Resident Evil to Constantin. According to the source, that pitch was convincing enough to move the film into production. The franchise is now getting another big-screen adaptation, this time from a director who previously found success with Barbarian and Weapons.
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- Zach Cregger's Resident Evil film logs at least $9 million in U.S. previews
Sources
- GameSpot: Resident Evil Is Now The Highest-Rated Gaming Movie Ever
- IGN: Zach Cregger's Resident Evil surpasses Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to become highest-rated video game movie of all time
- YouTube: ‘Resident Evil’ and the Tightrope of Relaunching Old IP
- YouTube: RESIDENT EVIL – Official Trailer (4K)