The next Resident Evil movies have all been successful, they largely ignored the video games in favor of having Milla Jovovich kick zombies in the face or shoot anonymous goons.
That's not to say there isn't fun to be had with the saga - it's just that they barely resemble the source material. A major failing of the films is that none has been particularly scary, with Resident Evil's laser hallway sequence being one of the few suspenseful moments in the entire series. Moviegoers have a very different concept of what the property is than gamers do, with the Jovovich era framing Resident Evil as a junky action saga.
Which game should the next Resident Evil movie be based on?
Zach Cregger's in-development Resident Evil reboot is said to be taking the franchise back to its horror roots and basing itself on the "initial games" in the franchise to do so. If this means the next movie will be adapting the first or second game of the source material, I kind of think that would be a mistake, as audiences just watched an adaptation of those titles with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which merged both the first and second games into one film. While the argument could be made to just have the movie be based on one of those two games, I think it's ultimately better if the movie adapted something like Resident Evil 3 or Zero, which will have name familiarity for franchise fans, while also being different enough to offer something fresh for those only familiar with the films.
There Hasn't Been A Great Live-Action Resident Evil After 8 Attempts
The series hasn't hit the target after 20 years of trying
While director Paul W.S. Anderson envisioned the 2002 Resident Evil film as a prequel to the original game, the sequels moved the story in a completely different direction. Jovovich fronted six installments before bowing out with 2017's The Final Chapter, which was followed by a total reboot in the from of 2021's Welcome to Raccoon City and Netflix's Resident Evil series. While a Rotten Tomatoes rating is never the final word on any movie's quality, it's notable that not a single one of these live-action outings is rated "Fresh."
The original movie and the third entry Extinction have their irers, while Welcome to Raccoon City is easily the most faithful to the games. Still, there has yet to be a genuinely great adaptation; one that captures the atmosphere and mood of Capcom's games while working as a solid horror/monster flick on its own . Netflix's series was so out of sync with the games that it may as well have called itself something else, and was critically lambasted before being quickly canceled.
None of the live-action Resident Evils to date have successfully translated the game's feeling of dread...
The thing is that none of the Resident Evil games are particularly sophisticated in of character or plot. They are interactive B-movies filled with cheesy dialogue and slimy creatures, but what they excel at is a sense of dread and excitement. None of the live-action efforts to date have successfully translated that feeling, but with Cregger on board, that's hope the next reboot could finally change that.
Why A Resident Evil Zero Movie Could Fix The Franchise
This 2002 prequel game is ripe for a film adaptation
2002 saw the arrival of both Anderson's movie and Resident Evil Zero, a prequel set a day before the events of the first game. This followed S.T.A.R.S. medic Rebecca Chambers as she boards a enger train filled with zombies and monsters. The title itself received mixed reviews for its irritating mechanics and thin plot, but time has been kind to it and the train setting is a great one. Rumors (via Bloody Disgusting) suggest Cregger's reboot will adapt Resident Evil Zero, and that the prequel itself might be receiving a game remake too.
Every Live-Action Resident Evil |
Release Year |
Rotten Tomatoes Rating |
|---|---|---|
Resident Evil |
2002 |
36% |
Resident Evil: Apocalypse |
2004 |
18% |
Resident Evil: Extinction |
2007 |
24% |
Resident Evil: Afterlife |
2010 |
21% |
Resident Evil: Retribution |
2012 |
28% |
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter |
2017 |
38% |
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City |
2021 |
30% |
Netflix's Resident Evil |
2022 |
53% |
This report should be taken with the correct dosage of sodium, but if the rumor is accurate, Cregger has picked the perfect Resident Evil game to adapt. It has close ties to the original games without having to rehash the events of those titles, and the train makes for a unique setting. It's easy to see how Cregger could milk the claustrophobic confines of the Ecliptic Express for all it's worth while staying through to the games. It could also - finally - earn the live-action Resident Evils some decent reviews.
Source: Bloody Disgusting, Rotten Tomatoes
-
Resident Evil Zero
Systems
- Released
- November 12, 2002
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Intense Violence, Blood and Gore
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Engine
- MT Framework
- Franchise
- Resident Evil
-
- Created by
- Shinji Mikami, Tokuro Fujiwara
- First Film
- Resident Evil
- Latest Film
- Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
- First TV Show
- Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness
- Latest TV Show
- Resident Evil
- First Episode Air Date
- July 8, 2021
"Resident Evil" is a survival horror franchise that originated as a video game series before expanding into films, animated movies, TV shows, comics, and novels. The franchise focuses on the outbreak of a deadly virus developed by the Umbrella Corporation, leading to a global apocalypse filled with zombies and other mutated creatures. Known for its tense atmosphere, intricate puzzles, and engaging storylines, "Resident Evil" has become one of the most successful and influential franchises in both gaming and horror entertainment.
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