The new “Resident Evil” reboot from “Barbarian” and “Weapons” filmmaker Zach Cregger is now rolling cameras in Prague, and the production has landed one of the most accomplished cinematographers working today: Dariusz Wolski.
Wolski, a veteran Polish DP, is best known for his work with Ridley Scott (Prometheus,” “The Last Duel”) as well as “Dark City” and “Sweeney Todd.” His name alone elevates the project—few living cinematographers balance atmosphere, scale, and tension as effectively as he does.
For Cregger, this marks a significant shift. On “Barbarian,” the cinematography was led by Zach Kuperstein, whereas on “Weapons,” Cregger stepped back from that role, with Larkin Seiple taking over as director of photography.
Cregger, a longtime fan of the “Resident Evil” games, has clarified that his film is not a beat-for-beat adaptation but rather a new story steeped in the franchise’s tone and atmosphere. This has caused some uproar amongst hardcore fans of the game.
“Resident Evil” has a history of misfires on screen: the early films led by Milla Jovovich veered heavily from the games. I only saw the first two, and they were damn-near unwatchable. Some of you may be fans, or grew up with these movies, but the fact of the matter is that Paul WS Anderson directed them in atrocious fashion.
Cregger is co-writing the script with Shay Hatten (”Army of the Dead”), and early rumors suggest the story will return to the franchise’s horror roots, focusing on a down-on-his-luck courier caught in the middle of a viral apocalypse while delivering a package to a remote hospital. Austin Abrams has the lead role.
This new Resident Evil movie follows six previous instalments. In total, the movies, all critically panned at the time, have grossed over $1.2B worldwide. It’s time to vitalize the zombie genre, and there’s no better director out there right now to make it happen.
‘Resident Evil,’ helmed by Sony, is scheduled for a September 18, 2026 theatrical release.