‘You Never Say Never’: Insights from the Resident Evil Director on Potentially Revisiting the Iconic Horror Franchise

Overview of the Resident Evil Film Franchise

Despite facing critical backlash, the Resident Evil films have proven financially successful, amassing over $1.28 billion globally.
The series significantly shaped the survival horror genre, introducing audiences to the memorable character of Alice.
Recent conversations hint at the potential return of the Resident Evil universe, as spoken by its original director and leading actress.

The Resident Evil film series, though often criticized, has enjoyed remarkable box office success. Many die-hard fans of the original game series have voiced their dissatisfaction, suggesting that the film adaptations, helmed by director Paul W. S.Anderson, stray far from the essence of the games. Nonetheless, the franchise stands tall as the highest-grossing film series inspired by a video game and previously held the title as the highest-grossing horror film series overall. Its six films, along with a reboot, collectively grossed more than $1.28 billion worldwide, despite lukewarm receptions from critics and fans alike.

Originating from its atmospheric debut in 1996 on the PlayStation, the Resident Evil franchise has carved a niche as a pioneer of the survival horror genre. Spearheaded by the creative talents of Paul W. S.Anderson and actress Milla Jovovich, most entries in the series follow Alice—a formidable character and former high-ranking security officer for the Umbrella Corporation. After the theft of the lethal T-virus triggers a catastrophic outbreak within the Hive, Alice is driven, alongside a diverse group of survivors, to contain the chaos and uncover the source of the zombie apocalypse.

Possibility of Returning to the Resident Evil Universe

In an exclusive interview with MovieWeb’s George Edelman, Milla Jovovich and Paul W. S.Anderson discussed their forthcoming fantasy project, *In the Lost Lands*, based on a short story by George R. R.Martin. During the conversation, they were asked about the prospect of revisiting the Resident Evil universe. Anderson expressed a hopeful outlook, saying, “Would we want to revisit that? You know, it’s a character that I know Milla loves, and it’s a franchise I love, and we spent a lot of our lives working on it. So, of course, you never say never.”

Jovovich, who portrayed Alice throughout the series, emphasized the significant fanbase behind Resident Evil, suggesting that it would indeed be “wonderful to continue the story.”She mentioned the universe’s layers of depth, indicating that there are many unexplored avenues that a new installment could address. Currently, director Zach Cregger—known for *Barbarian*—is involved in writing and directing a new Resident Evil adaptation. While specifics remain under wraps, there is speculation that this project aims to capture a more horror-driven atmosphere, staying true to the roots of the original games.

The latest attempt to reignite the Resident Evil saga came with a reboot in 2021, coinciding with a Netflix series that was ultimately canceled after just one season. The Netflix show, featuring talents such as Ella Balinska, Tamara Smart, and Lance Reddick, received a mixed response with a critics’ rating of 53% and an audience score of merely 26% on Rotten Tomatoes, which likely influenced Netflix’s decision not to proceed with further seasons. Fans are hopeful that Cregger’s vision could rejuvenate the franchise and align it more closely with the beloved source material.

Source: MovieWeb

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