Fans of Capcom's long-running survival horror video game series Resident Evil were quite pleased to learn that Sony was moving forward with plans for a reboot of the critically-panned but commercially-successful film series, which previously starred Mila Jovovich.
The reboot is said to be much closer to the storyline in the Capcom video game series, as opposed to the original plot and character developed by Paul W. S. Anderson.
Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Companion) is writing and directing the reboot, which has targeted Austin Abrams (Euphoria) for its male lead.
Now, a new report from World of Reel states that Anora award-winning actress Mikey Madison is now in talks for the female lead.
The unconfirmed plot of the film is said to center on, "a hapless courier (Abrams) tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital. He finds himself caught in the middle of an outbreak and must fight through hordes of mutated creatures to survive."
While the film is said to be much closer to the plot of the Capcom games, the setting certainly doesn't sound anything like Spencer Mansion or Raccoon City.
After the release of Anderson and Jovovich's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, the sixth installment in their film franchise that grossed $1.28 billion worldwide, Sony has been struggling to find the right creative mixture for the future of the IP.
Kaya Scodelario (Skins, The Gentlemen), Hannah John-Kamen ( Ant-Man and the Wasp, Thunderbolts*), Robbie Amell (Code 8, The Flash) led a 2021 film reboot, titled Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which grossed $42 million worldwide off a production budget of $25 million.
The film was also a critical failure, nixing any plans for a potential sequel.
Sony and Capcom then pivoted to Netflix with an 8-episode, live-action television series released in July 2022. It starred the late Lance Reddick as a clone of Albert Wesker, in an original story that contained elements of the video game series' storyline.
The upcoming Resident Evil reboot is currently set for release on Sept. 18, 2026. Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Army of the Dead) is co-writing alongside Cregger.
Fresh off of her whirlwind award season victory tour, Madison is said to have a bevy of roles coming her way so it's entirely possible that she could pass on the role.
Stay tuned for future updates on the reboot as the current release date for the pic means that cameras are likely to begin rolling fairly soon.