Resident Evil Film Sets Rotten Tomatoes Record, Divides Fans

Zach Cregger's new Resident Evil film has set a record for the highest-rated video game movie on Rotten Tomatoes, earning a 97% critics score and a 91% audience score. The film, which debuted in theaters on September 18, 2026, tells an original story within the franchise's universe, following Bryan, a medical courier who becomes infected during a viral outbreak in Raccoon City. The movie has divided fans with its approach, which prioritizes the feeling of playing the games over adapting specific lore or characters. Director Zach Cregger explained his creative choice to omit legacy characters like Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield, stating his story "didn't need any" and their inclusion would have been "distracting." The plot follows Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, as he delivers a mysterious package to Raccoon City General Hospital. He is bitten by an infected child and gradually succumbs to the virus. The package is revealed to contain the final component needed to create a cure. By the time scientists synthesize the cure, Bryan has transformed into a monster and kills them before it can be administered to him.