The fact that Bryan couldn’t just grab a gun and start firing away replicates the scariest part of the video games. Resident Evil and its sequels made the player feel constantly vulnerable, as it forced them to search for pieces to assemble into weapons, and even then gave them limited ammo. The trailer puts Bryan in the same situation, as the box he discovers holds only a handful of shells—which he must quickly load into his shotgun as a zombie runs toward him.

The most significant nod to the games may be the one that occurs in the final moment of the trailer when we flash back in time to the moment Bryan agrees to take on the dangerous delivery assignment. When he asks the doctor where he’s going, she responds, “Raccoon City General.” That reveal pairs with another line of dialogue, this one from a character played by Paul Walter Hauser, who explains that “Everything that has happened in this town transpired in a matter of hours.”

Cregger has previously explained that his movie takes place “on the periphery” of Resident Evil 2 where Raccoon City is having its big night. In that 1998 game, players control rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and college girl Claire Redfield, guiding them through Raccoon City and visiting key locations, uncovering the role that the Umbrella Corporation played in transforming the citizens into monsters. That includes venerable Raccoon City institutions like the flashy (and derelict) police department headquarters or, in Resident Evil 3, City Hall. But those games never took us to Raccoon City General Hospital, leaving Cregger with a new place to explore in his parallel story.

Whatever Raccoon City General holds for Bryan, it’s clear that gamers are in good hands with Cregger. The first movies made by Paul W.S. Anderson used the brand as little more than a launching point for a totally different type of movie while the 2021 reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City went too far in the other direction, cramming the screen with fan service but forgetting to tell an engaging story.

Cregger seems to be striking the right balance, making a standalone movie that anyone can enjoy while still paying homage to the games, resulting in a richer experience for those who know where to find the easter eggs.

Resident Evil arrives in theaters on September 18, 2026.