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The Netflix original series Resident Evil made its much-anticipated arrival to the streamer in mid-July but failed to generate enough attention to garner another season. Netflix decided to cancel the action/horror series this past weekend after only one season, prompting Lance Reddick, who plays Albert Wesker, to share his thoughts, addressing fans and those at Netflix who supported the project.
Reddick made his address through a video posted to his personal Twitter account, where he acknowledged the cancellation but also the work done to bring the series to life. "As all of you are well aware by now, our show Resident Evil on Netflix has been canceled," stated Reddick. "And the haters and the trolls notwithstanding, I want to give a special thank you to all the fans who watched the show, got what we were doing, and really loved it because there are a hell of a lot of you."
Reddick went on to thank the "fearless" showrunners and executives behind the series, as well his tremendously talented co-stars, which included Forspoken and Charlie's Angels star Ella Balinska, Siena Agudong, Paola Nuñez, Tamara Smart, Connor Gosatti and Adeline Rudolph. "We worked our asses off. We had a great time. And we made a helluva show," stated Reddick to conclude his remarks about the series cancellation. "Thank you, onward and upward."
Resident Evil is an adaptation of the popularized Capcom video game. The series takes place in 2036, nearly three decades after the discovery of the infectious T-virus by the Umbrella Corporation. Amid the carnage, the characters must fight for survival in a world infected by mindless creatures while unearthing unsettling Umbrella secrets. Unfortunately, Resident Evil was met with less than favorable reviews, earning a 55% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 26% audience score.
Cancellations by Netflix are not surprising, and Resident Evil is just the latest addition of shelved projects that failed to meet the streamer's renewal criterion. The original series debuted in second place on Netflix's Top 10 when it officially arrived, but after three weeks, it unceremoniously fell out of the Top 10, which did not bode well for the post-apocalyptic thriller. Netflix has a vision, and while well received initially, the series failed to keep the momentum going. Rather than dwell on negativity, Reddick can acknowledge the solid work done to bring to life something audiences could enjoy, even if only for a moment.
Resident Evil is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Source: Lance Reddick/Twitter