Photo Credit – Sony Pictures Releasing
Zach Cregger’s new horror film, Resident Evil, is earning strong reviews ahead of its release. Austin Abrams stars as Bryan, a medical courier who becomes caught in a deadly outbreak in Raccoon City.
The reboot arrives in theaters on September 18, 2026. Its current Rotten Tomatoes is higher than that of every previous live-action adaptation, including the six films led by Milla Jovovich. It also ranks above Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which rebooted the series in 2021.
The new Resident Evil is outpacing every previous live-action adaptation
The new Resident Evil currently holds a 96% Tomatometer score with 80 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. That makes it the best-reviewed live-action film in the franchise so far, as more reviews could still change the score.
The original Resident Evil, released in 2002, currently has a 36% Tomatometer score. Resident Evil: Apocalypse followed with 18%, while Resident Evil: Extinction received 24%. Resident Evil: Afterlife has 21%, and Resident Evil: Retribution stands at 28%. The final installment, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, has a 39% score.
Jovovich played Alice throughout the six-film series, which concluded with The Final Chapter in 2016. The filmmakers created the character specifically for the films rather than adapting her from the video games.
The franchise returned to theaters in 2021 with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Directed by Johannes Roberts, the film featured several characters from Capcom’s games but received a 30% Tomatometer score.
Cregger’s film takes another new approach to the franchise. Abrams leads the story as Bryan, with the film centered on a new outbreak and a survival-focused storyline. Cregger previously directed Barbarian and Weapons, both of which established his work in the horror genre.
The new Resident Evil is also heading toward a notable box-office debut. According to Deadline, current tracking has the film heading towards a $35 million domestic opening weekend, placing it in a strong position to make a strong start when it opens Friday.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
