AMC's The Walking Dead is the gold standard when it comes to zombie dramas, but that doesn't mean it's had a perfect run. The original series was constantly the subject of fan discussion when it came to what it got right and what it got wrong, as well as whether it was truly the definitive leader of the zombie genre (and the spinoffs often face similar scrutiny). The truth is that, despite its flaws, it is the gold standard when it comes to small screen zombie storylines... but we all know that this genre found its teeth on the big screen.
Zombie moves have been a part of the Hollywood landscape since Night of the Living Dead burst onto the scene back in the 1960s. They have gotten even more unhinged and savage as the years have gone by, and in the year of 2026 - when the horror genre is experiencing a massive comeback - we may be about to experience the most terrifying of them all. And yes, that means even more terrifying than the fan-favorite TWD Universe.
New Resident Evil trailer reminds audiences why zombies are terrifying
The brand new trailer for Zach Creggar's Resident Evil has been released and it's absolutely terrifying. That says a lot considering that the original teaser trailer was also a frightfest, but the new one - which gives us more of an insight into the storyline itself - is on a completely new level. And we challenge you to make it through it without getting even the slightest sign of goosebumps.
Before we go any further, watch the trailer for yourself to find out:
The film, which releases in theaters this September, is a reboot crafted by Cregger as a standalone story set within the wider universe of the franchise. It's set during the events of the 1998 video game Resident Evil 2 and focuses on the origins of the apocalypse in Raccoon City itself. The unfortunate soul who must be the first person to witness all of this is Bryan, a medical courier who is tasked with a job that leads him directly into the heart of problem.
As the trailer reveals, Bryan (Austin Abrams) delivers an organ to a hospital just as he is about to clock off for the day. However, when a doctor tells him she has another drop for him to make in Raccoon City for double the pay, he gladly accepts. What he doesn't realize is that those snowy roads into the city - and the farmhouse he happens upon whilst on the way - leads to a horde of monsters.
That's where our Walking Dead comparison comes in. While the AMC series did heavily rely on the fear of the undead in its earlier episodes, that was quickly sidelined in favor of human villains like The Governor, Negan, and even the Whisperers (who masqueraded as walkers). While the dead continues to roam through the streets of France and Spain in Daryl Dixon and New York City in Dead City, they just aren't perceived as the threat that they should still be. Yes, maybe part of that is down to the fact that the franchise has been ongoing for so long - or just the fact that survivors like Rick Grimes, Michonne, Daryl Dixon, Carol Peletier, Maggie Rhee, and Negan are portrayed as unstoppable badass warriors - but fans have consistently pointed out that the walkers aren't shown to be terrifying anymore.
In the trailer for Resident Evil, however, you really get to see how frightening the idea of undead monsters are once again. When Bryan accidentally runs over one of them, it genuinely seems like the creature is dead. However, once he arrives in the farmhouse and gets remotely comfortable, he sees the creature sprinting across the snow and back towards the farmhouse, which leads to a shaky attempt to load bullets into the shotgun he comes across the house.
Granted, the TWD Universe's zombies can't run (not unless they're the super-powered, enhanced versions seen in Daryl Dixon) so we can't judge the walkers for that, but Bryan's look of fright - one that he will undoubtedly maintain throughout the whole movie despite how badass he becomes - really sells the fight of the whole thing. And while the idea of being devoured by a walker isn't a pretty sight, viewers can definitely imagine that the "Infected" from Resident Evil getting a hold of their target would be much more brutal.
Speaking of brutality, the whole trailer relies on the quiet intensity, fear, and horror of the unknown that Bryan is battling, but the ending montage is extremely brutal - showcasing him running through Raccoon City itself as bodies upon bodies fall from the skyscrapers around him, with the zombies plummeting to their bloody, messy deaths. It's a horrifying sight fit for what is undoubtedly going to be a horrifying movie.
Perhaps the most famous zombie franchise outside of The Walking Dead is about to make its highly-anticipated return to screens. And, when it does so, it may just take the crown back from its longtime counterpart as the ruler of the zombie movies. If horror, intensity, and brutality are the criteria that earns that crown, then it may well belong to Resident Evil.
Resident Evil arrives in movie theaters on September 18, 2026.
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