Last Updated on September 22, 2025 by Maggie Boccella
Zach Cregger's hotly-anticipated Resident Evil reboot has added actor and comedian Paul Walter Hauser (Cobra Kai, Black Bird, The Naked Gun) alongside previously announced star Austin Abrams (Weapons).
Following the success of both his debut feature Barbarian from 2022 and this year's horror hit Weapons, hype is high for Cregger's Resident Evil, which he cowrote with Shay Hatten (Ballerina, John Wick: Chapter 3 & Chapter 4), even though we don't know a whole lot about it. Deadline, who reported the news earlier today, confirms that plot and character details for both Hauser and Abrams are still under wraps.
But what we do know is that Cregger's Resident Evil is completely separate from Paul W.S. Anderson's Resident Evil series, and is going to center on entirely original characters rather than any of the heroes from Capcom's legendary game series – that means no Jill Valentine, no Chris Redfield and, yes, no Leon Kennedy. However, Cregger has been quick to reassure diehard game fans that his take on the iconic horror franchise will “honor the experience” of playing:
Let me say this: this is not breaking the rules of the games […] I am the biggest worshiper of the games, so I’m telling a story that is a love letter to the games and follows the rules of the games.”
Resident Evil is currently scheduled for release domestically on September 18, 2026 via Sony. Look out for more as we get it, and for more Resident Evil news, here's what we know about the upcoming new game, Requiem.
