When audiences gathered at Prague’s Edison Filmhub for the local premiere of Weapons on Wednesday evening, they received more than just a look at the latest horror feature from director Zach Cregger. In an unannounced appearance, the director himself stepped on stage to greet viewers and personally introduce the film, marking his first public stop in the Czech capital.
The surprise visit carried a larger implication for industry watchers: Cregger’s presence in Prague appears to confirm that production of his next project—a new feature film adaptation of the Resident Evil video game franchise—will take place locally. The Prague Reporter first reported that the project registered with the Czech Audiovisual Fund earlier this year, but this on-the-ground appearance would seem to affirm Prague as the filming hub, with production set to begin later this summer.
The screening of Weapons was part of Edison’s new Kinomixer Night series, hosted in collaboration with the Future Gate Festival, showcasing genre films in advance screenings and special events. Future Gate programmer Kateřina Špičáková provided an introduction before Cregger took the microphone for brief remarks.
Cregger’s Resident Evil story takes shape
While plot details are still emerging, Cregger has confirmed his adaptation will not retell the stories of familiar Resident Evil characters such as Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine. “I’m not going to tell Leon’s story, because Leon’s story is told in the games,” he recently told Inverse. “Fans already have that.”
Instead, Cregger’s version will exist “outside” the original characters, while remaining “obedient to the lore of the games.” He described the film as “a love letter to the games” that follows their established rules but introduces a new narrative. In earlier interviews, he outlined a premise centered on a courier tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital—only to become trapped in the midst of a deadly outbreak that mutates humans into monstrous creatures.
“Those games pioneered something special,” he told Variety. “The pacing of those games is so unique and effective, and just being locked in with one character moving from point A to point B, knowing you’re going to pass through this gauntlet of terror, and you’ve got to be methodical and thoughtful about it. That’s cool. That’s cinematic. So I want to tell the story in the world of the games that honors the lore of the games, but it’s a new story.”
Austin Abrams, who also stars in Weapons (and offers up a scene-stealing performance), is reported to have been cast in the lead role. Unconfirmed reports previously suggested that Mikey Madison, fresh from her Oscar-winning turn in Anora, had been offered the female lead.
Production is set to begin later this summer, with Sony scheduling the release for Sept. 18, 2026. The project is being produced by Constantin Film, Vertigo Entertainment, PlayStation Productions, and Sony’s Columbia Pictures. Shay Hatten, known for John Wick: Chapter 4 and Ballerina, is co-writing the script with Cregger.
Prague’s growing horror pedigree
If filming proceeds in Czechia as expected, Resident Evil will join a growing list of high-profile genre productions based in Prague. The city recently hosted Robert Eggers’ Oscar-nominated Nosferatu, last year’s The Crow reboot, and multiple seasons of fantasy series including Carnival Row and The Wheel of Time.
Cregger’s interest in Prague was first made public in March, when he mentioned on his podcast that he was scouting Eastern European locations. By April, the project was formally registered with the Czech Audiovisual Fund through local producer Stillking Films, a key player in the country’s international productions.
For Cregger, one of Hollywood’s hottest directors following the reception of both Barbarian and Weapons, the move to shoot Resident Evil in Czechia offers access to experienced crews, diverse locations, and competitive filming incentives. While Sony and Constantin have yet to make a formal location announcement, the director’s unannounced Edison Filmhub appearance—on the eve of production—strongly suggests that Prague will be the backdrop for his latest foray into horror.
Lead photo: Zach Cregger and Julia Garner behind the scenes on Weapons (2025) © Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.
