Hideo Kojima Says Cregger’s Resident Evil Movie Brought Back His 1996 Playthrough
Kojima said he saw himself in Bryan after recalling repeated game overs and shouting during his first PlayStation run through the original game.
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil film brought Hideo Kojima back to the tension of his first playthrough of the original game on PlayStation in 1996. In an October 12 post, Kojima remembered repeated game overs and said he saw himself in Bryan, the film’s lead.
あんまり興味はなかったが、ザック・クレッガー監督の新作なので、映画「バイオハザード」を観た。のっけから「物体X」風のBGMで攻めてくる。クラシカルなホラー演出、ホラー・シチュエーション、ジャンプスケアの怒涛の連続で最後まで畳み掛ける。これは「バイオハザード」の映画化ではなく、「バイオ… pic.twitter.com/grZueBIWja
— 小島秀夫 (@Kojima_Hideo) October 12, 2026
Kojima said he had not been especially interested in the film at first, but Cregger’s involvement prompted him to watch. He recalled opening music reminiscent of The Thing, followed by classic horror techniques, frightening situations, and jump scares through the end. Rather than a direct adaptation of one specific game, he described it as a film about the experience of playing Resident Evil, controller in hand.
Kojima also said he was “just like Bryan” during his first run through the game. He kept getting “game over after game over,” shouting “F***!” over and over. Bryan’s repeated failures brought back the frustration Kojima remembered from playing the original.
I wasn’t particularly interested at first, but since it’s Zach Cregger’s latest film, I went to see “Resident Evil.” Right from the opening, it hits you with music reminiscent of “The Thing.” From there, it’s a relentless barrage of classic horror techniques, terrifying… pic.twitter.com/N4WVSgxtmq
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) October 12, 2026
Cregger has said he wants an original story with new characters rather than a retelling of Leon S. Kennedy’s story, an approach covered in his decision to leave Leon out. The film sits on the periphery of Resident Evil 2 and also draws on game-like weapon progression, including a move from a pistol to a shotgun and then a machine gun.
What do you remember most about your first run through the original Resident Evil? Follow along for more on how Cregger’s adaptation draws on the games, from its horror setups to its weapon progression, on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
