Fans have known about Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City for a while now. Aside from a few leaked screenshots, though, little was known about the movie. October 7th's trailers gave fans a brief look into the cinematic reboot of Resident Evil, which will merge the plots of the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2. Though the games canonically take place months apart, director Johannes Roberts has a plan to combine the games into one film.
Fans will see franchise icons such as Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy, and Claire Redfield fight against the undead nightmares created by the Umbrella Corporation. The trailers show off plenty of action scenes with lots of familiar places and faces from the early games. There's a lot to unpack in the trailers though, and there are a few things some fans might have missed!
9 There Are Actually Two Trailers
Many fans or people simply interested in the movie don't know that the "primary" trailer for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is actually quite different than the international trailer. Most have seen the first trailer, which can be viewed here. The second trailer, called the international trailer, can be seen here. The two are vastly different in tone and showcase different parts of the film.
The main trailer has over five million views, whereas the second hasn't even hit a million yet. Both trailers are unique, so fans should be sure to check them both out. The film seems to center on Claire Redfield. Fans of the Redfields will have plenty to cheer for, as both siblings seem to have big roles in the story.
8 Barry Burton's Absence
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City seems intent on bringing the original cast of characters together for a cinematic family reunion. Unfortunately, many characters didn't seem to make the cut. Some fans were quick to notice that fan-favorite magnum slinger Barry Burton was absent from both trailers. It seems that Jill will be partnering with the enigmatic Albert Wesker in the plot of the film, as she is with him in nearly every scene she's featured in.
In the story of the first Resident Evil, Barry is an important ally to Jill and saves her life several times; thus, many fans were disappointed to find out that Barry would seemingly be left out of the action. Fans were hoping to see Barry tell Jill that she could've become a "Jill Sandwich" on the big screen, but perhaps the iconic cheesy line will still find a way in.
7 Ben Isn't In Raccoon City
Fans of Resident Evil 2 will remember Ben Bertolucci as the doomed journalist looking to blow the whistle on Umbrella and police chief Brian Irons. In both the original and the 2019 remake, Ben meets a grizzly end at the hands of a monster. He seems to be a lot safer in the upcoming movie though.
Fans that watched Johannes Roberts breakdown of the main trailer will know that the man in glasses talking to Claire over a video call was in fact, Ben Bertolucci. It seems he's gone from investigative journalist to fringe conspiracy theorist. In any case, he probably won't be dying in the plot of the movie, so fans of the character can say that he's at least made it through one appearance in the Resident Evil universe!
6 Chris Isn't In Europe
Players who paid close attention to the story of Resident Evil 2 know that Claire Redfield only goes to the doomed Raccoon City in search of her brother, Chris. She hasn't heard from him in a long time and is worried that he might be hurt. Claire's efforts are for naught though, as she finds that Chris isn't in Raccoon City. He isn't even stateside. During the events of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, Chris Redfield is busy investigating Umbrella in Europe.
The trailers for Welcome to Raccoon City tell a very different story. Viewers might think that the Mansion Incident and Raccoon City Outbreak are still separate in the movie, but a shot of Chris and Claire together proves this wrong. Claire returns to Raccoon City and finds her brother in a small well-lit home, where he chastises her for believing in conspiracy theories. Movie Claire clearly has different motives and knowledge than game Claire, and fans are interested to see how the Redfields work together throughout the movie.
5 Richard Aiken Enters With Alpha Team
Resident Evil didn't a quest system, but players will remember saving Richard Aiken with SERUM as one of the more important "side quests" to do. When playing as either Chris or Jill, players encounter an injured Richard Aiken, S.T.A.R.S Bravo Team's communications expert. He's been bitten by Yawn, the massive infected snake, and needs SERUM before the venom kills him.
The Bravo Team's story mostly centers around Richard and Rebecca Chambers, but Welcome to Raccoon City has Richard entering the mansion alongside Chris, Jill, and Wesker. Like Ben Bertolucci, there may be a glimmer of hope for Richard to survive his appearance in the film. It's unknown as of now if Richard is simply a member of the Alpha Team in the film, or if he got lost and just ended up with them.
4 Richard Using The Shotgun
Players who saved Richard in the aforementioned mission were rewarded with his Assault Shotgun, which held more shells than the regular shotgun and fired in a tighter spread. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that Richard was the only S.T.A.R.S member in the trailers not using a submachine gun in the trailer. Instead, Richard has his trusty shotgun, just like he does in the game.
It will be interesting to see if Richard's shotgun plays a bigger part in the story of the film, or if it is simply a neat callback for fans of the first game.
3 No Hidden Door In The Mansion's Main Hall
Resident Evil has made hidden doors, strange puzzles, and hard-to-find secrets part of its DNA since its original release in 1996. The 2002 remake of Resident Evil introduced entire new areas to explore in the Arklay Mansion. One of these was cleverly hidden behind a massive painting in the main hall, which led to an outdoor area that housed the tomb where the Death Masks could be used. Many new players tripped up when trying to find it, as it isn't immediately noticeable on the map.
From the trailer alone, it seems that the hidden painting door is absent from Welcome to Raccoon City. Some fans are wondering if the film will stick closer to the 1996 Resident Evil as opposed to the remake.
2 Chris Using The Lighter
Part of what made each character unique in the first Resident Evil was Chris and Jill's personal items. Jill was the master of unlocking, and thus had a lockpick. Chris smoked cigarettes and thus had the lighter on him. Jill was forced to find the lighter, while Chris had to find "old keys" to open certain locks.
The end of the international trailer for Welcome to Raccoon City shows Chris with his iconic lighter in what seems to be a cramped space. He appears lost before seeing a zombie spring towards him, ending the trailer. It will be interesting to see if the directing team alludes to each character's personal items more, or if this scene is just a one-off.
1 The Ashford Twins Video
Capcom has found success remaking old Resident Evil titles, and fans still want to see remakes of the Resident Evil: Outbreak titles and Resident Evil: Code Veronica. Code Veronica was a somewhat divisive title for a long time, but now, fans are excited to see the game's antagonists mentioned in Welcome to Raccoon City.
For just a brief moment, a film reel with the Ashford name on it can be seen before Claire knocks it aside. There is also a shot showing the infamous home film of the Ashford twins killing a dragonfly. Many might not have noticed this as Code Veronica isn't the most popular game, but some fans hope that the attention the game is getting in the upcoming film will lead to an eventual remake.