"Barbarian Director to Helm Resident Evil Reboot"

Zach Cregger, renowned for directing the chilling horror film Barbarian and being a key member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U' Know, is now set to helm a reboot of the iconic Resident Evil franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a fierce bidding war is underway for the distribution rights of Cregger's vision of the classic Capcom survival horror series, with Cregger slated to write and direct the project. Four studios, including heavyweights like Netflix and Warner Bros., are currently in the race to secure these rights.

Cregger gained significant acclaim with his 2022 film Barbarian, a gripping tale about a woman uncovering a terrifying secret in a rental house. Following this success, Cregger has completed his next project, Weapons, which has reportedly received overwhelmingly positive feedback from test audiences. For a deeper dive into Barbarian, you can check out our review here.

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This marks the second reboot of the Resident Evil franchise on the big screen. Previously, Paul W.S. Anderson directed a series of six Resident Evil films, starring Milla Jovovich, which, despite deviating from the source material, amassed a staggering $1.2 billion globally. In 2021, Johannes Roberts attempted a more faithful adaptation with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, yet it couldn't quite capture the essence of Capcom's revered game series.

Constantin Film, the producer behind Anderson's films and Welcome to Raccoon City, will once again be at the helm of this new reboot, this time in collaboration with PlayStation Productions. Established by Sony in 2019, PlayStation Productions has been instrumental in bringing video game stories to life on screen, with projects like Uncharted starring Tom Holland, Gran Turismo, the TV series The Last of Us, and Twisted Metal.

Looking ahead, PlayStation Productions has an ambitious lineup including adaptations of Until Dawn, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, Horizon Zero Dawn, and a sequel to Uncharted. Additionally, a God of War TV series and a Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development, promising a rich slate of content for fans of video game adaptations.