Resident Evil fans may deter Zach Cregger from making another Resident Evil movie
The Weapons and Barbarian director admits gamer backlash to his hit Resident Evil adaptation has made him think twice about a sequel.
Adapting a beloved book, comic, or video game franchise into a movie is a challenging endeavor. Adhering too closely to the source material can leave audiences feeling underwhelmed, while straying too far may provoke backlash from passionate fans. This reality was evident for director Zach Cregger, who initially believed his loose, yet faithful adaptation of the Resident Evil game series would be met with enthusiasm.
However, Cregger soon found himself frustrated by the intense criticism his film received from fans, who were more focused on whether the movie adhered to the source material or not. Cregger, who is a fan of the Resident Evil franchise, initially thought fans would be thrilled to see the game turned into a survival horror movie.
But the backlash he faced made Cregger wary of directing any future pre-existing IPs. He admitted to IGN that he had been "naive" and had assumed fans would appreciate his take on Resident Evil. Despite the commercial and critical success of his film, which earned $400 million worldwide against a $75 million budget, Cregger is now more concerned with making movies that cater to his own interests rather than those of fan expectations.
Cregger hopes his Resident Evil film will satisfy fans while still being true to his vision and not feeling like he's conforming to an industry "thing".
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