Summary
After long last, theResident Evilfranchise will be receiving a new movie adaptation that will take an entirely new game-accurate approach, hopefully introducing the series to a whole new audience in the renaissance of video game adaptations in movies. Luckily,Resident Evilis a long and storied franchise with plenty of games to choose from when choosing a story to adapt.
Whether it’s the original Spencer mansion and its Gothic horror, or the bombast of boulder-punching Chris Redfield, there’s a lot of potential for the upcomingResident Evilmovie.
Resident Evil: Revelationscame out at a tough time for theResident Evilfranchise when critical reception was dimming, and fans were becoming less and less interested. At the time, the future of theResident Evilseries itself was in question, particularly after the poor release ofResident Evil 6later in 2012.
However, as much asResident Evil: Revelationshas a mixed reputation among the fans, the premise of a zombie pandemic aboard an abandoned ship is an incredible idea, and when the game is at its best, that premise hits hard. A new movie would find a lot of purchase in exploring that setting.
Resident Evil 3has always had a checkered history, both in its original and remake form, as a game that made a great leap forward in its iteration of the ever-chasing bad guy in Nemesis, but with a much more constrained scope and generally weaker story.
However, that more constrained focus might work great for a movie adaptation. Adda roster of scary monstersand Jill into the mix, a fan-favorite character, as well as the fearsome Nemesis as the antagonist, andResident Evil 3becomes a really compelling basis for the possible film adaptation.
The much under-loved prequel gameResident Evil 0deserves a critical reappraisal because of its genuinely innovative protagonist-switching system that would influence games as big asGrand Theft Auto 5over a decade later. However, the game is also really important in the franchise’s lore, which sets up a lot of what is to come.
When it comes to a movie adaptation, it makes a lot of sense to jump in right when the T-virus outbreak begins, and the opening train setpiece ofResident Evil 0is an all-timer location that would look incredible on the big screen. While the overall story ofResident Evil 0is a little wonky at times, the basis is very strong, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of its key elements find their way into the 2026 film.
After the incredible success ofResident Evil 4, expectations were sky-high for Capcom to release a worthy sequel to millions of new fans. Ever since its release, debate has raged overResident Evil 5’s quality, but despite some of its strange decisions, the choice to go to Africa as a setting is, as much as it was controversial, genuinely novel, moving the zombie aesthetic into a fresh setting with many fans hoping fora possible remake soon.
If the upcomingResident Evilmovie wants to do something different from all the other zombie movies that come out before, thenResident Evil 5could prove to be a great basis for a contained zombie action film with the great buddy cop dynamic of Sheva and Chris to anchor all the bananas action.
After a string of commercial and critical flops, the outlook was dark for theResident Evilfranchise in the mid-2010s, so expectations were low forResident Evil 7. However, the move to first-person and a renewed focus on horror over action revitalized the entire franchise witha menagerie of brilliant, intense moments of horror.
If the upcomingResident Evilmovie wants to be free of the mountains of RE lore and do something on a smaller scale, thenResident Evil 7’s southern Gothic masterpiece is an excellent basis to work off, with one of the greatest antagonist families found in all of gaming.
While the originalResident Evil 2is a fan favorite in the franchise, introducing the ever-beloved Clare Redfield and Leon Kennedy as well as the indomitable Mr. X (one of the most powerful bosses inResident Evilhistory), the remake of the game in 2019 introduced the original to a whole new audience and reinvigorated the cheesy horror of the original to be legitimately terrifying in a modern context.
Making the zombie scary again is no mean feat, butResident Evil 2’s preponderance on mood, atmosphere, and gritty gore pulled off the impossible. If the upcoming movie wants a great setting with brilliant characters, then look no further than the RPD and Leon Kennedy on the worst first day of any job.
The originalResident Evilgame is the obvious choice for a new movie to adapt, and for good reason. The original Spencer Mansion is an iconic setting in video games that set the standard for the over 25-year-old franchise and introduced beloved characters like Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield.
More than that, the Spencer Mansion is a great limited setting for horror setpieces, with enough variety of zombies, monsters, and the series' requisite underground laboratory hiding all sorts of grisly experiments. The most obvious adaptation route may indeed be the best one.
Though the originalResident Evilmay be the most obvious choice for adaptation,Resident Evil 4, the critical apex of the entire series, might be the best option. Not only wasResident Evil 4a taste-maker when it released, but its action-horror adventure through rural Spain is unique, visually distinct,full of memorable bosses, and a hell of a lot of cheesy fun.
Resident Evil 4also marked when the core characters of the games became a key attractor of fans. It’s impossible to imagineResident Evil 4without the ever-stoic one-line dispensing Leon Kennedy, and everyResident Evilfan would be delighted to see gaming’s greatest secret agent on the big screen.
