Resident Evil (2026) opens in cinemas on September 18, 2026, but Sony’s distribution model gives us a good idea of when the film could begin streaming afterwards.
The new film from Zach Cregger is being released by Sony Pictures, and Netflix remains the key service to watch for its first major subscription streaming window in the US.
Sony and Netflix announced a new global Pay-1 agreement in January 2026, with Sony films moving to Netflix after their theatrical and home-entertainment runs. The deal is rolling out gradually by territory, so the clearest prediction is for the US first.
You can read our review for Resident Evil here.
When Is ‘Resident Evil’ (2026) Coming To Streaming?
Sony has not announced an official streaming date yet, but its recent Netflix releases give us a fairly consistent pattern.
Until Dawn opened in US cinemas on April 25, 2025 before arriving on Netflix on July 25, a gap of exactly 91 days. I Know What You Did Last Summer followed a very similar route, opening on July 18 before streaming on Netflix in October. 28 Years Later also moved from a June cinema release to Netflix by the end of September.
Those films all suggest that Sony is currently comfortable moving its horror releases to Netflix roughly three months after they hit cinemas.
Popped currently predicts that Resident Evil could arrive on Netflix in the US on Friday, December 18, 2026.
December 18 would fall exactly 91 days after the film’s September 18 theatrical release, matching the window used for Until Dawn. It would also place the film on Netflix just before Christmas, giving Sony and Netflix a strong holiday horror release.
That date is a Popped prediction rather than an announced release, but based on Sony’s recent Netflix pattern, mid-to-late December looks like the most likely window.
Will ‘Resident Evil’ (2026) Be On Netflix?
In the US, Netflix is the expected first subscription streaming home for the film.
Sony and Netflix’s Pay-1 deal gives Netflix exclusive access to Sony Pictures feature films after their cinema and home-entertainment windows. Netflix already held Sony’s Pay-1 rights in the US before the expanded global agreement was announced.
That makes Netflix a much stronger prediction here than it would be for a film from another studio.
The exact date will still depend on how long Sony keeps the film in cinemas and on paid digital platforms first.
When Could ‘Resident Evil’ Be Available To Rent Or Buy?
The digital release should come before Netflix.
Sony has repeatedly moved recent films to digital storefronts several weeks after their theatrical debuts, before the later Pay-1 streaming window begins.
For a September 18 cinema release, a late-October or early-November digital launch would be a reasonable expectation if Resident Evil follows Sony’s recent release strategy.
Popped currently expects the film to become available to rent or buy digitally around late October 2026, with Apple TV, Prime Video and other major storefronts likely to carry it once Sony confirms the date.
Where Will ‘Resident Evil’ Stream In The UK?
The UK picture is less straightforward.
The new Sony and Netflix deal is global, but Netflix and Sony have said the rollout will happen gradually as existing territorial rights expire. Full worldwide availability under the new agreement is not expected until early 2029.
That means the US Netflix pattern is useful evidence for timing, but it does not automatically confirm that the UK will receive Resident Evil on Netflix at exactly the same time.
If the relevant UK Sony rights have already moved across by the end of 2026, Netflix could also become the film’s first UK subscription home. If not, Sony may still have to follow an older UK licensing arrangement before the global deal fully takes effect.
For now, Popped’s December prediction applies most confidently to the US. We will update this guide as soon as Sony confirms the UK streaming destination.
What Is The New ‘Resident Evil’ Film About?
The film follows Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams, whose routine delivery turns into a fight for survival over the course of one night.
Cregger co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Hatten. The cast also includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser.
Resident Evil opens in cinemas on September 18. Popped currently predicts a late-October digital release followed by a US Netflix debut around December 18, 2026. You can read our review for Resident Evil here.
