'Resident Evil' Reboot Hires a Writer/Director

47 Meters Down” director Johannes Roberts has been hired to write and direct the “Resident Evil” reboot, according to Variety.

Based on the classic video game, the franchise followed Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, as she fights not only the zombies terrorizing Raccoon City after an experiment gone wrong but the evil Umbrella Corp., which is the cause of the disastrous state.

The revival of the franchise has been a high priority for Constantin Film ever since May 2017, when the reboot was announced. The franchise has cumulatively earned $1.2 billion,  worldwide to date and is notable for being the highest-grossing film series based on a video game. The most recent “Resident Evil” film bowed in 2016 and grossed $312 million, including $160 million in China alone.

Roberts is currently in production on the sequel, “47 Meters Down: The Next Chapter.” Other credits include “Strangers: Prey at Night” and “The Other Side of the Door.”

The “Resident Evil” reboot is expected to start filming in 2019, with an entirely new cast.