Early reactions to footage from the new Resident Evil movie look scary good, and Kalshi traders have high hopes for the zombie flick's Rotten Tomatoes score.
As of Monday, traders are predicting the film will receive an 82% “Fresh” rating on the Tomatometer. The film’s review embargo is set to lift this Wednesday, September 16th.
For informational purposes only. Not trading advice. See full disclaimer below. Kalshi is not affiliated with Resident Evil or Sony Pictures.
What’s the movie about?
The film reunites director Zach Cregger with Weapons star Austin Abrams, who plays Bryan, a medical courier who takes a last-minute job transporting a package to Raccoon City. He soon discovers the city is overrun with zombies and becomes entangled in a plot involving a sinister corporation.
Bloody Disgusting’s John Squires reported that Cregger told attendees at CinemaCon that his reimagining of the Resident Evil video game franchise would be one “big, scary ride” from beginning to end.
“I’m definitely not trying to be completely obedient to the lore of the games,” Cregger said. “I’m trying to tell a story that just feels authentic to the experience you get when you play the games.”
The Hollywood Reporter’s Brian Davids also reported that Cregger dialed back the film's comedy following test screenings.
“I learned that people really liked the movie, but they thought it was too funny,” Cregger said. “So over the course of my testing, I stripped out as much of the jokes as possible. I then found that not only did the audience enjoy the movie more, but I also liked the movie a lot more.”
Early reactions
The studio has also screened portions of the film for critics and fans, generating positive early reactions ahead of its release.
Nerdist’s Kyle Anderson wrote that the footage delivered effective scares while retaining some of Cregger's trademark humor.
“The 18 minutes positively flew by and were exciting and scary with the requisite bits of dread,” Anderson wrote. “It was a lot funnier than maybe I expected, but it felt right in line with Cregger’s other work.”
JoBlo.com’s JimmyO also praised the footage after watching the film's first 30 minutes, calling Abrams “funny, grounded” and immediately likable. He also praised the film’s ambition that could elevate the video game movie genre to a competitive and competent level.
“This could finally be the movie that proves you can make a truly great horror video game movie,” JimmyO wrote. “It strikes that rare, razor-sharp balance of laughs, chills and pure atmosphere. One of the best setups to a horror flick I’ve seen in a long time.”
World of Screens founder and film editor Nick L'Barrow also praised the footage on X after watching 30 minutes of the film.
“I’ve seen 30 minutes of Resident Evil,” L’Barrow wrote. “It f---ing slaps. Throws you straight into the action. Incredible video-game like visuals, solid scares, great title card drop, a bit of blood, and a lot of laughs. Austin Abrams is so good as the bumbling ‘hero!’”
2026 Game of the Year winner
The new Resident Evil movie isn't the franchise's only release drawing attention this year. Capcom’s Resident Evil: Requiem is also among the contenders on Kalshi's market for Game of the Year at the 2026 Game Awards.
Kalshi’s 2026 Game of the Year award market prices Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI’s chances at 67%, followed by Resident Evil: Requiem at 17%, and Remedy Entertainment’s Control Resonant at 7%.
The takeaway:
Kalshi markets now predict:
Resident Evil’s Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82%
Follow Danny Gallagher on Instagram: @writerdannygallagher
Follow Kalshi on X: @Kalshi | Image Source: ResidentEvil.Movie
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