Sony opened its September 3, 2026 State of Play broadcast with the first clip from Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil movie, showing star Austin Abrams fleeing infected creatures that dive from rooftops and explode on impact — shot with practical effects rather than CGI. The film opens in wide theatrical release on September 18, 2026.
Sony aired the clip on September 3 as the opening segment of its State of Play showcase, ahead of a slate of unrelated game announcements. Push Square called it a deliberate mood-setter for the rest of the show, while SuperHeroHype reported fans were already calling it Cregger’s bloodiest work yet.
What the Clip Actually Shows
The scene follows Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical delivery courier, sprinting down a snow-covered street in Raccoon City as infected creatures dive from the buildings on either side and burst apart on the pavement. Cregger, who also directed 2025’s Weapons and 2022’s Barbarian, has said he wanted the sequence shot practically rather than built with CGI, and outlets covering the reveal described it as some of the goriest footage he has released for the film so far.
An Original Story, Not a Retelling
Cregger has been explicit that this is not an adaptation of any single Resident Evil game’s plot. “I’m not going to tell Leon’s story, because Leon’s story is told in the games,” Cregger has said, describing his script — co-written with Shay Hatten — as a “love letter to the games” that runs parallel to the original 1998 Resident Evil 2 outbreak rather than recreating it. The cast includes Austin Abrams as Bryan, with Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser as Umbrella scientists and Johnno Wilson as an Umbrella enforcer.
Why It Premiered at a PlayStation Event
The clip’s State of Play placement isn’t a coincidence: PlayStation Productions is one of the film’s co-producers alongside Constantin Film and Vertigo Entertainment, with Columbia Pictures distributing on an estimated $80 million budget. The film was shot for IMAX exhibition and premieres at Fantastic Fest on September 17, one day ahead of its wide release.
Resident Evil (2026): Key Facts
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Director | Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons) |
| Release date | September 18, 2026, wide theatrical (Fantastic Fest premiere September 17) |
| Lead cast | Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser, Johnno Wilson |
| Studio | Columbia Pictures, with Constantin Film, PlayStation Productions and Vertigo Entertainment |
| Budget | Approximately $80 million |
| Story | Original, set in a parallel timeline to the 1998 Resident Evil 2 outbreak |
For more on the rest of the September 3 showcase, including Final Fantasy VII Revelation’s release date, see our full recap: PlayStation State of Play September 2026: Everything Announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Resident Evil movie come out?
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil opens in wide theatrical release on September 18, 2026, after premiering at Fantastic Fest on September 17.
Is the 2026 Resident Evil movie based on a specific game?
No. Director Zach Cregger has said it is an original story that runs parallel to the 1998 Resident Evil 2 outbreak rather than retelling any single game’s plot.
Who stars in Resident Evil (2026)?
Austin Abrams stars as Bryan, a medical courier, alongside Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser and Johnno Wilson as Umbrella employees.
Why did a movie clip air during a PlayStation State of Play?
PlayStation Productions is one of the film’s co-producers, alongside Constantin Film and Vertigo Entertainment, which is why Sony gave the clip its first public airing.
Was the clip’s gore practical effects or CGI?
Cregger opted for practical effects for the sequence shown, rather than building the exploding infected creatures with CGI.
