A heated competition has erupted among major studios for the rights to a new live-action reboot of CAPCOM’s Resident Evil franchise. According to reports, Warner Bros., Netflix, and two other studios are vying for the project, which is set to return the survival horror series to its terrifying roots under the direction of Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons).

The reboot will be produced by Constantin Film in collaboration with PlayStation Productions. Cregger, who will also direct, is teaming up with acclaimed writer Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4, Army of the Dead) to pen the screenplay. Sources reveal that the new film aims to closely adhere to the spirit and tone of the original Resident Evil games, promising a more faithful adaptation than previous installments.

This project marks the eighth live-action Resident Evil film. The franchise’s earlier six entries, released between 2002 and 2017, starred Milla Jovovich and leaned heavily into action-oriented storytelling. The first reboot, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, premiered in 2021 and featured a blend of characters and storylines from various games, albeit with mixed reception.

CAPCOM’s iconic horror series continues to thrive, with the 1996 original being inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame in 2024. Its influence has expanded through games like Resident Evil 7: biohazard and the 2023 animated film Resident Evil: Death Island. As excitement builds for the reboot, fans are eager to see how this adaptation will revive the terror and tension that made the franchise a household name.