Resident Evil has been a gaming classic since its first inception in 1994, created by Capcom as a project poised to be a horror game for Playstation 1. Originally called Bio Hazard by the Japanese developers, Capcom's Director of Communication pointed out that this title would be impossible to trademark in the USA, which was the biggest target market at that time. An internal company contest was held to find the next best title for the game, and Resident Evil came out on top.
Resident Evil established itself as one of the leading horror/sci-fi video games that told different protagonists' isolated stories, sharing thematic elements and overarching narratives. Some of the most famous lead characters that belong to the franchise are police officers Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Clair Redfield, and Leon Scott Kennedy.
The main villain in the franchise is Dr. Alber Wesker, a renowned virologist who was deeply involved in the Umbrella Corporation's development of the T-Virus. After some stalls in projects, he resigned from his post in the company and became a spy for the United States government, eventually working his way up to be the Captain of the S.T.A.R.S.
As the video game gained popularity and earned fans worldwide, there became a demand for a movie adaptation. By January 1998, German studio Constantin Films bought the rights to make movies and series based on the gaming franchise. From 2002 until 2016, there have been five movies revolving around Alice, played by Milla Jovovich. Alice escaped from the Umbrella Corps facility and was working with a team of other survivors to eradicate the T-Virus from the face of the earth.
The Resident Evil universe still has many stories to tell. Now that a new series based on the game is about to be released, fans revel in a collective excitement for its release.
Here is everything we know about the new Netflix live-action series so far, so read on to help tide you over until we are enraptured once again by Resident Evil.
Resident Evil Release Date: When Will the Series Come Out?
Resident Evil came out on July 14, 2022 on Netflix.
Netflix originally announced the series in August 2020, and it took a good two years for the entire production to be completed.
Resident Evil Cast: Who are the Actors Included in the Series?
Lance Reddick leads the stars lending their talents for the Live-Action series. Reddick will play Albert Wesker, a former Umbrella Corporation employee who betrayed the company after becoming a spy.
Ella Balinska and Adeline Rudolph will play Jade and Billie, Wesker's adoptive children.
The other actors announced to be part of the show are Siena Agudong, Tamara Smart, and Paola Nuñez. We may also see Ahad Raza Mir, Connor Gossatti, and Turlough Convery though their roles have not been announced yet.
We will also see Hanni Heinrich as Janet, Mpho Osei Tutu as Yen, and Rizelle Januk as Billie’s Teacher. Lea Vivier will play Susana Franco, Ayushi Chhabra will play Dr. Amrita Singh, and Richard Wright-Firth will play Maskey.
Resident Evil Crew: Who are the Creatives Behind the Scenes?
Showrunner Andrew Dabb leads Netflix's Resident Evil. Mary Leah Sutton is the show's executive producer alongside Robert Kulzer, Oliver Berben, with Martin Moszkowicz representing Constantin Film.
Resident Evil Plot: What Will be the Series Story?
Netflix's Resident Evil plot may take course over two separate timelines.
The first timeline may show Albert Wesker's two adoptive daughters, Jade and Billie, who are both 14 years old at this time. They move to Raccoon City and learn down the line that their father may be hiding dark secrets that could lead to chaos and destruction.
The second timeline happens sometime in the future when the T-Virus has already broken out. In this timeline, we see that approximately 15 million people in the world are virus-free, while the virus has infected 6 billion people and animals. We follow Jade, who is now 30 years old, as she tries to survive in the virus-riddled world.
The official logline for the Resident Evil series reads:
Year 2036 – 14 years after a deadly virus caused a global apocalypse, Jade Wesker fights for survival in a world overrun by the blood-thirsty infected and insane creatures. In this absolute carnage, Jade is haunted by her past in New Raccoon City, by her father's chilling connections to the Umbrella Corporation but mostly by what happened to her sister, Billie.
Resident Evil Trailer: Is There a Trailer for the New Netflix Series?
The official trailer for Netflix's Live-Action rendition of Resident Evil came out on May 12, 2022. Watch it here:
By May 13, Netflix a second trailer for the series:
On June 7, 2022, Netflix released the official full trailer of the show as part Geeked Week 2022. You can watch the video here:
The Weskers Cover Their Tracks
A couple of days before the official release of the series, Netflix released another clip from the show.
We Can't Drive
Netflix released another clip from the series on July 12, 2022.
Where to Watch Resident Evil: Where Can I Watch the Series?
The Live-Action series of Resident Evil is available on Netflix. The first episode of the series came out on the streaming service by July 14, 2022.
The Resident Evil video game and movie franchise has troves of fans all around the world. Many are anticipating a new series that will showcase the stories of Raccoon City, with the hopes that the visual design and video effects will go above and beyond the standard set by earlier releases. Netflix certainly took on a challenge when they announced Resident Evil, but above all else, we are excited to watch the series and have high hopes for the team.