Over the years, rumors about a Netflix series based on the Resident Evil games came and went, only for nothing to materialize. However, it appears that the project is finally moving forward, though the streaming giant remains tight-lipped about specific details of the upcoming series.

Now, rumors are claiming that pre-production for the Resident Evil Netflix series will commence this April, and filming will begin in June lasting until October. If this were true, then fans can expect a release date at some point in 2021. While the official plot of the upcoming series remains to be a mystery, a rumor recently surfaced that the Netflix adaptation of Resident Evil will focus on new female characters named Jade and Billie Wesker, who are reportedly daughters of the survival-horror franchise's iconic villain, Albert Wesker.

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It is worth pointing out that Jade and Billie Wesker were not featured in any of the games, and the only offspring of Wesker that we know so far is Jake Muller, who starred in Resident Evil 6. Despite reports claiming last year that the upcoming series will "deepen" Resident Evil's existing lore, it appears that the Netflix series, just like the Resident Evil films, will not be a direct adaptation of the video game franchise, assuming the rumors are true. Of course, until an official plot is released by Netflix, there is no sure way of knowing whether the series will remain faithful to the games.

Now, if the upcoming show will indeed revolve around two new characters that are not present in the game, then it is likely that Netflix's adaptation will once again branch out from the main lore of Resident Evil. Of course, it is interesting to see why Netflix may not be pursuing a storyline that is somewhat close to the source material, given that its highly successful adaptation of The Witcher novels is pretty much faithful, apart from slight ommissions and additions necessary to translate the books to television. The question now is, why is it difficult to translate Resident Evil's video game series to the small screen?

Resident Evil Has Many Major Protagonists

re protagonists

In its 23-years of existence, the Resident Evil franchise has produced many beloved characters that have since become icons in the video game industry. Out of the survival horror franchise's many characers, there are four that are widely considered as the overall main protagonists of the series, which are Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon Kennedy, and Claire Redfield. Now, while we don't know why a live-action movie or a television show finds it difficult to revolve around these characters, it is possible that creating a show revolving around the perspectives of multiple people could be confusing to viewers

Of course, there are a number of excellent shows and movies that star several characters. However, it is worth pointing out that after the Raccoon City incident, Chris, Jill, Leon, and Claire went on their separate ways around the world, each starting their own campaign to fight against the threat of bioterrorism. While focusing on them would be easy at first, having to follow multiple characters in different locations could be chaotic, especially to viewers who have no prior knowledge in Resident Evil. Not to mention the fact that focusing on only one of these major characters would essentially alienate those who are fans of the others.

Resident Evil Is Not A Story Based Game

Although Resident Evil has a rich history from the creation of the t-Virus, to the fall of Umbrella, it is apparent that the franchise's lore only serves as a backdrop for the game. In most entries in the Resident Evil franchise, players spend the majority of their time gunning down enemies, piecing together puzzles, opening doors and ensuring that their character makes it out alive. Most of the plot is advanced towards the end of the game, with tidbits of the story revealed through short dialog, cutscenes, and files scattered throughout the environment. Unlike story-based games such as Konami's Metal Gear or Naughty Dog's The Last of Us, Resident Evil prioritizes gameplay over story.

Obviously, this formula works well for an interactive medium such as a video game, but not so much for a movie or a TV series. Of course, we are not expecting the screen adaptation to directly translate Resident Evil's gameplay into the series. No one wants to watch a 40-minute episode of Jill Valentine scouring the Spencer Mansion to find the Sword Key. And this is probably one of the reasons why the film series had to make up new storylines to make for an exciting movie.

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Most Events of the Game Took Place in a Short Amount of Time

resident evil mansion

Another factor why it is difficult to make a faithful screen adaptation of Resident Evil is because most games took place in a short amount of time. This is especially true in earlier Resident Evil games such as the events of Resident Evil 1 and 2, each happening in one night, and Resident Evil 3 in the course of a few days. Given this, if Netflix will create a faithful adaptation of the video game series, then it would have to introduce new storylines in between games to fill in the gaps. Maybe this is what Netflix is trying to achieve with the addition of the plotline surrounding Wesker's daughters, but again, until the streaming giant officially reveals the direction of the show, no one can know for sure.

But Is It Impossible?

The answer to that is no, it is not impossible to make a faithful screen adaptation of Resident Evil. Of course, it wouldn't be a 100% translation of the video game series given that Netflix would have to make creative decisions in omitting or adding storylines to make a good show, just like it did with The Witcher. However, learning from the shortcomings of the Resident Evil movies despite its commercial success, Netflix should ensure that the upcoming show will remain truthful to its source material.

It's okay to introduce new people, but the adaptation should also revolve around the game's established characters and not just have them appear and then disappear when it is convenient for the plot. It should take place in Raccoon City and other locations in the games. It should be survival-horror. But most importantly, it should be a series that when people see it, they'll know its a Resident Evil show, and not a completely different thing that just slaps the Resident Evil title to ride off the popularity of the iconic video game franchise.

Resident Evil is rumored to be in production at Netflix.

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