Sony Secures Rights to Reboot Resident Evil Movie Series, Sets 2026 Release Date

Sony has secured the rights to reboot of Capcom's beloved Resident Evil franchise. The studio has already scheduled the new film for release on September 18, 2026.

News about a potential Resident Evil movie reboot first emerged in January, with Zach Cregger, who wrote and directed the 2022 horror film "Barbarian," leading to the project. According to Deadline, four studios were competing for the franchise rights, including Warner Bros. and Netflix, but Sony ultimately secured the deal.

This marks Sony's second attempt at rebooting the franchise. The studio previously released "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" in 2021, which received lukewarm reception. Despite Sony's mixed track record with the franchise, there's reason for cautious optimism this time around.

Previous live-action adaptations starring Milla Jovovich have collectively generated an impressive $1.2 billion worldwide and profited significantly for Sony.

Cregger's involvement as both writer and director is particularly promising, especially given his stated commitment to remaining faithful to the source material. "I've been a rabid fan of these games for decades, and to be able to bring this amazing title to life is a true honor," Cregger told Deadline after Sony's successful bid.

The production team includes Constantin Film, which will co-finance the movie, along with PlayStation Productions joining the project.

The question remains whether Sony's latest reboot attempt will successfully capture the essence of Capcom's beloved – and admittedly over-the-top – survival horror series. With the release date now set for September 2026, fans will have their answer in just over a year and a half.