There probably aren’t many horror franchises that have changed as much as Resident Evil has over the years.
It started as a video game 30 years ago and went on to become something much bigger. There have been movies, television shows, novels and comic books, along with plenty of games. Depending on when you discovered Resident Evil, you may have a completely different idea of what the franchise is supposed to be.
For movie fans, that usually means Milla Jovovich.
She starred in six Resident Evil movies, beginning a run that lasted well over a decade before finally coming to an end nearly 10 years ago.
Now the movies are starting over again.
And this time, Zach Cregger is behind it.
Zach Cregger takes on the franchise
Cregger comes to Resident Evil after directing last year’s Weapons, and he has been heavily involved with this new movie.
He directed it, co-wrote the screenplay and also serves as one of the producers.
That is a lot of responsibility when you are stepping into something with such a long history.
There are fans who have been with the series since the games first arrived. Others discovered it through the Jovovich movies. And then there are people who may know the name but have never actually played one of the games or watched one of the films.
Cregger didn’t want that last group to feel left out.
You don’t need 30 years of Resident Evil history
Cregger explained that one of his goals was to make a movie that could stand on its own.
That means you don’t have to go back and play old games, watch six previous movies or spend an evening trying to understand everything that has happened in the Resident Evil universe.
You can simply walk into the theater and watch this movie.
That may sound like a small thing, but with a franchise this old, it matters.
There is always a balancing act with something this established. Longtime fans want the things they recognize, while somebody new doesn’t want to feel as if they showed up halfway through a conversation.
Cregger wanted to avoid that problem.
Click on the video to hear Zach Cregger
A fresh start on the big screen
The Jovovich movies developed a following of their own, but this new Resident Evil isn’t asking audiences to continue that story.
Instead, Cregger gets the opportunity to take the name, the horror and the world fans know and approach it from his own direction.
That also makes the movie a pretty easy entry point for anyone who has somehow missed the franchise during the last three decades.
And considering just how much Resident Evil material is already out there, starting fresh might be exactly what some moviegoers need.
Resident Evil is now in theaters
Thirty years after the original game first introduced audiences to Resident Evil, the franchise is still finding new life.
This time, Zach Cregger is the one opening the door.
Resident Evil is now playing in theaters.
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