Resident Evil by Zach Cregger gets 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic
In brief
- 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.
- GameSpot gave the film an 8/10 and said it captures the games’ suffocating fear well.
- The theatrical release is scheduled for 18 September 2026.
What happened
Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil film, known for Barbarian and Weapons, has landed strong early reviews right away. According to GameSpot, the first reviews went live on publication day and the scores were high across the board.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently stands at 96%, based on 71 reviews. Metacritic gives it a Metascore of 80. GameSpot itself rated the film 8/10 and called it a successful translation of the games’ “breathless terror.”
GameSpot also says Resident Evil is now the highest-rated video game adaptation ever. In the same piece, that claim is tied to the Metacritic ranking, where the film would sit above Exit 8, which is listed at 71.
The film is scheduled to hit cinemas on 18 September 2026. Constantin, which has held the Resident Evil film rights since the 1990s, reportedly considered putting the franchise on pause after Welcome to Raccoon City, but ultimately agreed to Cregger’s original take.
Timeline
1990s: Constantin acquires the film rights to Resident Evil.
2016: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is said to become the best-reviewed film in Paul W.S. Anderson’s earlier series, with 49% on Metacritic.
2021: Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City scores 44% on Metacritic.
16 September 2026: The first reviews for the new Resident Evil film 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 article they never received especially strong critical reception. The earlier reboot, Johannes Roberts’ Welcome to Raccoon City, also only reached 44% on Metacritic.
Cregger then pitched Constantin an original approach to Resident Evil. According to the cited source, Constantin found the idea convincing enough to move the film into production. That gives the game franchise another major big-screen adaptation, this time from a director who previously found success with Barbarian and Weapons.
Related GAME-scanner articles
- Resident Evil: Zach Cregger names Christina Hendricks as his Lady Dimitrescu pick
- Capcom brings six Resident Evil games to Nintendo Switch 2, three available now and three on 16 October
Sources
- GameSpot: Resident Evil Is Now The Highest-Rated Gaming Movie Ever
- YouTube: ‘Resident Evil’ and the Tightrope of Relaunching Old IP
- YouTube: RESIDENT EVIL – Official Trailer (4K)