After six films spanning over fifteen years under the direction of Paul W.S. Anderson, details are still extremely sparse surrounding the project.
Other than a few recent announcements, we know next to nothing about the movie. Hopefully, the producers and director reveal more details in the coming months, but as of now what is written below is just about everything anybody can know about the Resident Evil movie. Fortunately, most of these tidbits sound promising.
It Will Ignore The Paul W.S. Anderson Films
While the reception was mixed regarding the six Resident Evil films, leaning more towards the negative end of the spectrum, they immediately went off the rails plot wise and by the third movie the whole world has basically ended and zombies had taken over everything. The film will be a in the movies starring Milla Jovovich.
Robert Kulzer And James Harris Are Producers
Two names signed on as producers are Robert Kulzer and James Harris. The former is already familiar with the series, having served in the same role on several of the earlier Resident Evil films. This does not mean the new films will go down a similar route, however. As a producer, he was not necessarily responsible for all the creative decisions.
It Will Use The Characters From The Games
The older films used characters from the games, but more often than not they only resembled the classic characters in name only. Rarely did their role in the movie's plot actually reflect what part they took in the games' lore.
Some key characters have already been announced for the movie, such as Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, William Birkin, and several others. They are also set to be more recognizable to their video game counterparts.
It Will Take Place In Raccoon City
The Resident Evil series spans over twenty years of lore, but one of the most important locations in Raccoon City, where Umbrella conducted its research and the outbreak first began. The movie is going to be set here as well. The city's size and population changes depending on what game one plays, but the movie appears to go for a smaller interpretation of the town.
Cast
The movie has some Tom Hopper From The Umbrella Academy will play Albert Wesker, Neil McDonough from Band of Brothers will play William Birkin, and Avan Jogia from Zombieland: Double Tap will play Leon Kennedy. A couple of these actors already have experience adapting different media to film and television, and one even starred in a zombie film already.
Constantin Film
Constantin Film will produce and distribute the movie in certain territories. The company also produced the prior films in the series, meaning they are somewhat familiar with the brand.
Even though many names and companies attached worked on the older movies, one should not expect it to be a rehash, since it is promising to deliver a fright similar to playing the original games on the PlayStation.
It Will Take Place In 1998
Not only is the movie set in Raccoon City and using the characters from the games, but it will also retell the story of the Raccoon City's destruction during those horrific days in 1998. The first three games take place during this period, making the movie a more direct adaptation of those horror classics that kicked off one of gaming's most beloved franchises.
Johannes Roberts
In the director's chair is Johannes Roberts, who is no stranger to horror movies. His best known work is perhaps 47 Meters Down movies. Roberts seems to be a fan of the game, and talks about wanting to create the feeling of terror one felt back in 1996 when playing the first Resident Evil, only in a film. The words make for a promising start, but it will be impossible the director lives up to his ambition until the finished product hits theaters.
