to gain the rights to the horror action movie franchise and to work with filmmaker Zach Cregger. A release date has been set for Sept. 18, 2026.

Cregger, the writer and director behind the 2022 horror film Barbarian and the upcoming ensemble film, Weapons, is set to write and direct. The franchise, which has been attached to Sony since the release of the first movie in 2002, was in a unique spot, as it was available and up for grabs, igniting the start of the bidding war in January. Sony won with its Columbia Pictures Banner, which allows for a bigger budget.

Constantin Film, which held screen rights to the Resident Evil title since the late 1990s and has produced the previous movies, will produce the reboot alongside PlayStation Productions. Shay Hatten, who worked on John Wick: Chapter 4 and Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead will co-write with Cregger.

The previous six films starring Milla Jovovich and an origin feature made during the pandemic have always done well. But Cregger’s involvement gave the project a revitalization that bidders recognized.

Cregger’s directorial debut, Barbarian, allowed him to establish his name in the horror genre. His follow-up film, Weapons, was also in the midst of a bidding war, which was won by Warner’s New Line Division. That film is set to release in January 2026.

Resident Evil is meant to be Cregger’s next project. Sources say Sony and Constantin plan to start shooting by summer.