Resident Evilis anything but easy to pin down in terms of how jarringly stark the atmospheric tone of the series can be between games. It may be a natural byproduct ofResident Evilsimply being around for almost 30 years with a hefty catalog of games, but there are installments that some players will enjoy or appreciate more than others based on the particular brand of survival-horror they prefer from the franchise. Players who want a hearty helping of action may gravitate towardResident Evil 2orResident Evil 5, for example, while players who want a terrifying experience may gravitate toward the 2002Resident Evilremake orResident Evil 7.
Not for a lack of relentless attempts,Resident Evilhas nearly always buckled and fumbled when it comes to the many bizarre and niche live-action adaptations it has had, including the most recentWelcome to Raccoon Cityand Netflix’sResident Evilseries, which only lasted for one season before its cancellation. Now,Resident Evilis soon receiving what’s undoubtedly the most promising fresh start in adaptations yet withZach Cregger’s upcoming movie. It’s entirely unknown what that project will look like or how faithfully it intends to represent the source material, but Cregger’sResident Evilcould feasibly land anywhere within the survival-horror spectrum.
Resident Evil Lends Itself to a Non-Serious Tone
Never aligning itself too inseparably from horror as to be an exclusively frightening franchise and never taking itself too seriously, either, there has almost always been some degree of camp inResident Evil’s mainline games. The fact that this campiness is not only inherited by the highly successful remakes ofResident Evil 2,Resident Evil 3, andResident Evil 4but also doubled down on is proof that it’s an integral part of the series’ charm and a piece of its identity that Capcom has never shied away from.
Indeed,Resident Evilis at once breathlessly scary, deliberately funny, and cheesily campy. That’s not to dismiss all the genuine horrorResident Evilis capable of brandishing, but that horror never seems tarnished by whatever lengths each game goes to in order to crack a joke or execute a sassy one-liner. Whether it’s Barry’s ‘Jill sandwich’ comment, Luis’ bravado, or Moreau’s degeneracy, there’s a home for all kinds oflighthearted humor inResident Evil, and that’s where Zach Cregger can put his signature on the IP.
Cregger’sResident Evilcould feasibly land anywhere within the survival-horror spectrum.
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil Can Be as Scary or Funny as It Pleases
IfBarbarianis any indication,Zach Cregger’sResident Evilcould be adamantly dread-inducing in its exposition and suspense but layered with a ton of punchy comedy. Justin Long’s character, AJ, is equal parts despicable and hilarious inBarbarian, a movie that might’ve been straight-laced, cookie-cutter horror if not for his unpredictable and erratic behavior.
It’s difficult to tell from what little is shown in its brilliant pre-release marketing thus far, but Cregger’sWeapons, which releases on July 06, 2025, seems to abandon humor wholly in favor of a dark mystery.
Cregger’sResident Evilmight turn out to be nothing at all like the games, opting instead to tell an original story with original characters. This would be disappointing as it’d be yet another bastardization of the survival-horror IP, but with Cregger’s evident talent for mixing horror and comedy it’ll likely maintain thecore atmosphere and tone of mostResident Evilgames. Either way, it’ll be exciting to see how Cregger’sResident Evilwill take shape, such as whether iconic characters like Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield will be appearing or if a specific game or narrative will be adapted.
