After two original hits, “Barbarian” and “Weapons,” Zach Cregger puzzled many by deciding to enter IP land and make “Resident Evil.” That said, it sounds like that was a one-off; In his own words, Cregger is done with franchise filmmaking (via Deadline)
I have never been approached by another franchise. Maybe I have, but it would never get to me because I have been very clear that I’m not doing that [again]. I’m doing this, and that’s it for me.
His reasoning is simple: Cregger sees himself first and foremost as a writer, and he has little interest in shaping stories around the predetermined “data points” that come with established IP.
I’m not going to go tackle any other franchises—just because I’m a writer, and I want to write whatever I want to write. I don’t want to write something where I have to make sure I’m tagging different data points to satisfy X. I just want to satisfy me.
So what made him decide “Resident Evil” would be the exception to this rule? Cregger claims it was due to his love of the games, and the blank check he got from Capcom and Sony to tell whatever story he wanted.
The only reason that I think ‘Resident Evil’ is okay for me to do is that I’m enthusiastic about the games, and I like the story that I thought of with the games, and I’m making it for me. I think this movie is cool, and I hope it checks the fan boxes because I’m a fan and I’m checking my boxes.
That being said, Cregger has thought about ideas for a sequel, which means his no-IP rule may not apply to “Resident Evil,” which he seems willing to further explore.
The upcoming “Resident Evil” follows Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier who becomes caught in a terrifying fight for survival as chaos erupts over one horrifying night. A test reaction, back in April, described the film as a lean, mean ride with barely any fat on it—a “Fury Road”-style horror thriller.
By the way, Cregger’s IP gamble might pay off quite nicely, as tracking for “Resident Evil” has been rising every week for the past month. It’s currently aiming for a $45M weekend, and I bet it’ll go even higher once positive reviews hit online.
“Resident Evil” hits theaters on September 18.
Denzel playing a broken ex-cop with nothing to lose, under McQuarrie's direction? We all know Washington loves to attach himself to redemption stories. It's his bread and butter.