Recently, the foreign media outlet ComicBook published an article stating that the 2026 Resident Evil film, directed by Zach Cregger, has broken the long-standing trend of video game adaptations struggling to receive critical acclaim. Citing Rotten Tomatoes scores, the author noted that the film was the highest-rated video game adaptation on the site at the time, leading to the conclusion that the "curse of video game movie adaptations" has come to an end.
The article begins with the release of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, reviewing the critical challenges faced by video game adaptations over the subsequent 33 years. The author argues that some works relied too heavily on the source material's fame or failed to effectively translate the gaming experience into cinematic narrative.
In the author's view, this Resident Evil film respects the game's worldview while meeting the standards of horror cinema in terms of cinematography, screenplay, and acting, thereby appealing to both fans familiar with the games and newcomers to the series. Regarding future adaptations, the author advocates giving creators who understand the games room to innovate, suggesting they explore new stories set within the original worlds of suitable franchises rather than slavishly adapting existing plots scene by scene.