Resident Evil film director Zach Cregger discussed a potential sequel, stating that he still hopes to be involved in future installments in some capacity, but will not continue as director. He also made it clear that he will not direct any future films in the series.
Despite having sworn off making "franchise" films in the future, Resident Evil director Zach Cregger stated that he would hope to be "involved in some way" if a sequel to this highly successful horror game adaptation were made.
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil was a box office success, but the reaction from core fans of the original games was markedly different. Instead of retelling the story players had already experienced, he chose a different path, telling the story of an ordinary person struggling to survive amidst the chaos of the Raccoon City incident. This approach left a vocal segment of the fanbase deeply dissatisfied.
Therefore, Craig firmly decided not to participate in any "franchise" projects. He used the term "franchise" while appearing on Matthew Belloni's The Town podcast.
The host asked him, "If Resident Evil were to have five movies, and you only served as a producer without writing or directing, would you be okay with that?"
"I would hope to be involved in some way. I can't help but imagine where this series—let's call it a series—could go next. So, yes, I'm certainly open to it."
This isn't the first time Craig has mentioned his ideas for a sequel to the Resident Evil film. In an interview with The Playlist this September, he discussed the possibility, saying he "can't help but think about where the story could go next."
"As for Barbarian, I never considered making a sequel or another film in that world, because the story is inherently too grim," he continued. "What makes Barbarian interesting is how the narrative unfolds, not the subject matter it explores. I don't think I want to write another story centered on that film's themes. But this case is different. I'm particularly interested in discussing its ending, as there's an important aspect worth exploring. It's a different situation altogether."
However, as mentioned earlier, at least in the realm of film, the idea of staying within the Resident Evil franchise has become unappealing to him due to the negative response from fans regarding his interpretation of Capcom's flagship horror series.
In the same interview, Craig expressed regret over the discourse surrounding the film. He believes that what fans are truly focused on is not the movie itself, but how well it aligns with the games.
"I find the discussion around Resident Evil frustrating because so much of it has nothing to do with the film itself," he said. "All the talk revolves around whether the movie met the standards set by different groups of game fans, such as whether it included game characters or if I got some lore wrong. Many people are asking, 'Why isn't it like the original?' or 'Why is it a good thing that it isn't like the original?' All these discussions feel like they're not actually talking about the movie."
In an interview with IGN, Craig admitted that his expectation for fans to enthusiastically embrace his interpretation of the source material was "naive." Nevertheless, despite Everythinggj, he still seems hopeful about participating in future Resident Evil adaptations in some form.
