Walking Dead's Chandler Riggs Nails Resident Evil 7 Fan Film, Director Approves

Ever wondered what happens when a Walking Dead star trades zombies for the Baker family? Chandler Riggs, best known for eight seasons as Carl Grimes, has written and directed a 20-minute Resident Evil 7 short film — and it just got the ultimate horror seal of approval.

The fan film adapts one of the most intense scenes in an extremely scary game: Ethan Winters' gruesome struggle with the terrifying Jack Baker. If you haven't watched it yet, it's a pulse-pounding 20-minute romp that captures the relentlessly dreadful tone of Resident Evil 7 while adding a more action-adjacent flair. It's also packed with subtle and not-so-subtle references to the game, which is a treat for longtime fans of the series.

We already knew Riggs could act thanks to his long run on The Walking Dead, but now we know he's also a talented horror director. And he's not the only one who thinks so. Koshi Nakanishi, the acclaimed director behind Resident Evil 7 and this year's Resident Evil Requiem, shared his reaction to Riggs' film on his personal Instagram account.

In a clear supportive gesture, Nakanishi posted a screenshot of the movie's YouTube thumbnail with a colorful banner reading "Wow" and two hands drawing a rainbow in-between them. As captured by Genki on Twitter and verified by the source, that's the single-highest honor a Resident Evil movie can get. Obviously it's not the most detailed review, but Nakanishi was clearly, well, wowed by Riggs' work.

For context, Resident Evil 7 is widely considered the scariest game in the series — and that hasn't changed with Resident Evil Requiem. It's quite possibly the scariest game ever made, especially in VR, where it becomes frankly unbearable. Getting such an explicit seal of approval from the person behind such an iconic horror game must feel like a potential catalyst for a long and successful career in horror filmmaking, which seems like a pretty natural next step for Riggs.

It's also worth noting that Nakanishi isn't the only industry legend weighing in on Resident Evil adaptations lately. Hideo Kojima recently reviewed Zach Cregger's Resident Evil, saying it "reminded me how I felt when I played the first [game]." Between Riggs' fan film and Cregger's official take, it's a great time to be a Resident Evil fan.

So, will you be checking out Chandler Riggs' Resident Evil 7 short film? And do you think he should direct a full-length horror movie next? Let us know in the comments!