Resident Evil reboot: everything you need to know about the prequel
Resident Evil is the latest franchise to get the reboot treatment and this time we actually have decent hopes for it. The original film series began in 2002 and consists of six movies, all starring Milla Jovovich as the lead.
It was, perhaps, only a matter of time before Resident Evil would be rebooted. After all, it's the highest-grossing movie franchise based on a video game ever, grossing over $1.2 billion worldwide.
We don't know much about the upcoming reboot, but what we do know gives us at least a little reason to feel optimistic that this one will fare better with critics than all six Resident Evil movies before it. Here's what you need to know about Resident Evil (yep, that's the title!).
Resident Evil plot: Will Resident Evil be based on the games?
According to The Hollywood Reporter: "The story is set on a fateful night in Raccoon City in 1998; the fictional Midwestern town is known in Evil lore as the centre of a virus outbreak that destroys it and forever changes the country." Which effectively means this is a reboot prequel, which will likely spawn more sequels of its own.
Resident Evil's director Johannes Roberts confirmed that the movie will stick closer to the original ethos of the video game. He told ScreenRant: "It’s gonna be super scary. It’s super, super scary.
And it’s just getting back to the roots of the game. I think, at the moment, I’m not really allowed to say much more than that. But it’s gonna be a lot of fun."
The videogames generally follow a group of people battling against an evil pharmaceutical company called the Umbrella Corporation. Then there's those who have the T-virus, which turns humans into zombies and also turns other creatures into monsters.
Compared to the Jovovich-led films, the games were far more about tactics and planning than relentless and sometimes absurd action and fighting sequences. If Roberts plans to stay closer to the game, we may be looking at a thriller/horror movie as opposed to an action film.
Roberts added: "With this movie, I really wanted to go back to the original first two games and create the terrifying visceral experience I had when I first played them whilst at the same time, telling a grounded human story about a small dying American town that feels both relatable and relevant to today’s audiences." (via THR)
Resident Evil cast: Who will star in Resident Evil and will Mila Jovovich return?
It's highly unlikely Jovovich would appear in the prequel-cum-reboot, as it is set in the '90s and the original movies take place in the early 2000s (we presume, no specific time is mentioned). However, never say never.
Kaya Scodelario (Maze Runner, Pirates of the Caribbean) has been cast as Claire Redfield, a major character from the games. For the movie, however, she's playing a woman on her way to Racoon City to visit her brother, Chris.
Robbie Amell (Upload) will play Chris Redfield, joined by Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as is Jill Valentine, a key character from the games. She is part of the police's Special Tactics and Rescue Services unit.
Tom Hopper (Umbrella Academy) plays Umbrella Corporation researcher Albert Wesker. Although he specifies in bioresearch, he also harbours the view that humanity is in need of mass extinction.
Neal McDonough (Captain America: The First Avenger) plays virologist William Birkin, who also works for the Umbrella Corporation but eventually turns against it. However, in doing so, he winds up creating an even greater threat to Racoon City.
Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) plays a counterterrorist agent named Leon Kennedy.
Resident Evil release date: When is Resident Evil out in cinemas?
A tentative release date is scheduled for 2021 — vague, we know. And with everything going on, there's no way to be sure that release date will stick.
Make sure to bookmark this page for all your Resident Evil prequel details — like an eventual trailer, proper release date, and more.
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