新版《惡靈古堡》由柴克·克雷格執導，講述浣熊市醫療快遞員布萊恩在病毒爆發之夜的求生故事，是系列重啟之作。繼前作《武器》後，這位導演的恐怖片口碑讓外界對本片期待頗高。
據Deadline報道，分析師預測北美首映周末至少3500萬美元、有望摸高5000萬，將超過《惡靈古堡4》的2670萬系列北美開畫紀錄；另有媒體稱本片預售強勁、IMAX與巨幕占比高，開畫追蹤區間已升至5000萬至6000萬美元，並有望成為最貴恐怖片之一。
9月2日，片方在洛杉磯、紐約、達拉斯等地面向影評人與部分觀眾放映影片前30分鐘。首批反應普遍積極：有人稱其「絕對瘋狂」，也有人贊其延續《宿劫》式的驚悚與黑色幽默混搭，鏡頭緊貼主角背後、像在玩遊戲般「掃視每條走廊與暗角」。
I was fully prepared to roast Resident Evil but the opening 30 minutes shut me up completely. Zero hand-holding. Filthy, brutal atmosphere. Zach Cregger made a banger!! Are we finally breaking the RE movie curse, or are you still skeptical? https://twitter.com/tylerdisney12/status/2095183566863036648
Was just shown the first 30 minutes of Resident Evil. Surprisingly funny! Felt very Barbarian, Zach Cregger wise. Feels like his version of the survival horror games, so consider me very much in for whatever insanity the next hour holds. https://twitter.com/JoeyMagidson/status/2094965694647472299
影評人泰勒·迪士尼寫道「零廢話鋪墊、骯髒而殘酷的氛圍，克雷格拍出了猛片」，喬伊·馬吉德森則說「意外好笑，很有《宿劫》味，就像他眼中的生存恐怖遊戲」。有觀眾盛讚本片「或許是遊戲最好的電影化版本」。不過並非一邊倒：部分系列老粉對「不使用任何遊戲角色、另起原創故事」存疑。
Got to see the first 30 minutes of Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil and yeah, the reactions are justified. Austin Abrams plays Bryan, an emergency organ courier heading toward Raccoon City as the T virus nightmare starts unfolding, and Cregger keeps the camera locked behind him in a way that feels straight out of the games. You start scanning every hallway, doorway and dark corner waiting for something to move. It is tense, nasty, weirdly funny and keeps escalating without feeling ridiculous. Best part, Cregger basically said this is as good as things get for Bryan. If the rest of the movie keeps building from here, Resident Evil is going to absolutely rip in a packed @AMCTheatres . $AMC Over Noise https://twitter.com/AMCOverNoise/status/2095125542404300934
克雷格也回應過預告片的兩極反響，表示理解但堅持創作方向。影片尚未正式公映，最終評價待9月18日揭曉。
