It is no secret that 2021 will be a big year for the Resident Evil franchise, not only because of Resident Evil 8 but also because of the upcoming animated series on Netflix and a film reboot. At the moment, not much is known about the Resident Evil film reboot, but based on what has been revealed so far, it appears that it won't be related to any of the Anderson live-action movies.
Additionally, the film reboot cast has already been revealed, and players should expect game characters to be in it, such as Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, and Leon Kennedy. Of course, the question now is, what will the Resident Evil Reboot film be about, and will it be more faithful to the iconic survival horror video game franchise?
Will The Resident Evil Film Reboot Be Faithful to the Games?
As previously mentioned, the exact plot of the Resident Evil movie reboot remains a mystery. However, it has been confirmed that it will occur in the year 1998 and will feature locations from Resident Evil 1 and 2. It is also worth noting that the upcoming Resident Evil movie will embrace horror, which already makes it different than the previous Resident Evil films that are more action-oriented. Although an exact plot summary is yet to be revealed, leaked photos from the movie set seem to suggest that the upcoming film will be faithful to the games.
For the past few weeks, images from the film's set have since emerged online, confirming that it will feature Raccoon City as its main location, including the Raccoon City Police Department, which appears to have been modeled after the police station in Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes. Additionally, other photos surfaced on social media showcasing what appears to be the STARS chopper stranded in the middle of Raccoon Forest and some set pieces that resemble the Spencer Mansion. Given that the film will take place in 1998, it is likely that the movie will cover Resident Evil 1 and 2, and even Resident Evil 3, since the latter's events take place before and after the second installment.
It is still unclear how the events of the game will be told in the upcoming movie. Still, the first half of the film will likely cover the mansion incident from Resident Evil 1, and the second half will show the Raccoon City outbreak from Resident Evil 2 and 3. Although this is yet to be confirmed, the film's confirmed cast also supports this theory, given that the game characters included in the film were also the ones who starred in the first three Resident Evil games.
Will The Resident Evil Film Reboot Introduce New Story and Characters?
Looking at the upcoming Resident Evil film reboot's official cast, it appears that all the characters that fans will see in the movie are based on the Resident Evil games. That being said, it appears that the game characters will be the main stars of the upcoming movie, which supports the theory that it will be more faithful to the games than the live-action Resident Evil films by Paul W.S. Anderson.
As far as deviations from the plot, it is difficult to speculate whether the film will introduce a new storyline. However, it is expected that the movie will take its own spin on the story of Resident Evil, so a new plotline will likely be added on top of the existing Resident Evil lore that the movie is likely to be based on. Currently, the Resident Evil film reboot's exact release date remains a mystery, but it is expected to premiere in theaters in 2021. Given this, it is likely that a trailer will be released if not this year, then early next year, and hopefully, this preview will answer the questions of fans concerning the direction of the Resident Evil film reboot.
Resident Evil will premiere in theaters in 2021.