"Resident Evil: Night Zero," a new reinvention of the horror franchise built on Capcom's video game universe, opens in cinemas across the Dominican Republic this Thursday, September 17, 2026. The film is distributed in the country by Cinematografica Blancica, Sony Pictures' local representative.
The project is led by director Zach Cregger, known for the horror films "Barbarian" and "Weapons." The film is described as an intense, claustrophobic reinvention that pushes the franchise's brand of horror further and redefines the idea of survival on the big screen.
The story follows Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, a medical courier who is dragged into an unstoppable nightmare when a routine assignment puts him at the epicenter of the collapse of Raccoon City. What starts as an ordinary job turns into a desperate fight to survive as a dark, ominous night unleashes total chaos and the city falls under a biological threat that consumes everything in its path.
A director who grew up on the games
Cregger has described himself as a longtime fan of the original video games, saying he has played them over and over. According to the film's producers, he draws on that familiarity with the source material, along with his own sensibility for horror and narrative precision, to turn everyday moments into genuine cinematic nightmares.
Through "Resident Evil: Night Zero," Cregger aims to capture the tension, fear and fight for survival that defined the video games and translate them into a modern, brutal and emotionally intense cinematic experience.
Franchise background and the writing team
Resident Evil began as a survival-horror video game series created by the Japanese company Capcom, first released in the 1990s, and has since spawned multiple film adaptations and spin-offs built around its outbreaks of biological weapons and zombie-like threats.
The new film was co-written by Cregger alongside Shay Hatten, known for his work on "John Wick: Chapter 4." The screenplay builds an entirely original story within the Resident Evil universe, respecting its established mythology while expanding its narrative boundaries.
"Resident Evil: Night Zero" is set to open in Dominican theaters on September 17, 2026, through Cinematografica Blancica's distribution deal with Sony Pictures.
