Entertainment
After 30 Years, ‘Resident Evil’ Star Reveals Why Zach Cregger’s New Movie Is Exactly What the Franchise Needs [Exclusive]
The Resident Evil franchise has survived three decades of constant reinvention, evolving across games, animated projects, and multiple live-action adaptations. According to modern Leon Kennedy actor Nick Apostolides, that willingness to hand the series over to new creative voices is exactly why it continues to endure. As anticipation builds for the next chapter of the franchise — including a new film directed by Barbarian and Weapons filmmaker Zach Cregger — Apostolides says experimentation has always been part of Resident Evil’s DNA.
Speaking with Collider’s Hannah Hunt ahead of Resident Evil Requiem’s release, Apostolides reflected on his long personal history with the series, which began decades before he ever stepped into Leon’s shoes.
“I’ve been around for 28 years with this franchise as a fan. I’ve seen it all. And I remember the first time we saw a live-action Resident Evil movie trailer… I was so blown away. I was in for it.”
Since that first film announcement in the early 2000s for Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil, the franchise has expanded far beyond its survival horror origins, embracing different tones, timelines, and storytelling approaches across mediums. For Apostolides, that flexibility isn’t a weakness, but one of the franchise’s greatest strengths. “They keep trying new things. They let their IP be utilized by different creatives with different visions,” he explained. “And I just love it. It creates fandoms, and it’s continuously giving the community material. It grows the canon, and it’s just fun to see where it goes.”
Reinvention Has Always Been Part of ‘Resident Evil’s Identity
Few gaming franchises have maintained cultural relevance as consistently as Resident Evil, which continues to balance nostalgia with experimentation. From reinvention-heavy remakes to animated series and upcoming film projects, the series has repeatedly shifted creative direction while maintaining its core survival horror identity. Apostolides views that openness as essential to keeping the franchise alive for new generations of fans. Allowing filmmakers and developers to reinterpret the world through their own perspectives, he says, ensures the series never becomes stagnant. Rather than preserving a single definitive version of Resident Evil, each adaptation adds another layer to the franchise’s growing mythology — something Apostolides believes strengthens the community surrounding it.
With new games, adaptations, and creative teams continuing to explore the universe, Resident Evil shows little sign of slowing down, and if Apostolides is right, its future success may depend on continuing to evolve in unexpected directions.
- Release Date
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September 18, 2026
- Director
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Zach Cregger
- Writers
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Zach Cregger, Shay Hatten