Nearly two months after giving the show a release date, the struggling streaming platform posted a trailer for the Resident Evil TV show all across its social media channels. Judging by the looks of it, the latest Resident Evil show has all the makings of a proper TV adaptation. From zombies to nighttime action and a sinister tone, as well as, of course, the requisite over-arching villain that is the Umbrella Corporation, all make an appearance in the minute-long video. It’s safe to say that Resident Evil fans can’t wait to check out the series in July. As per the teaser, Netflix’s Resident Evil series will follow Ella Balinska’s Jade Wesker in her search for her sister, Seina Agudong’s Billie Wesker. If the name sounds familiar to you, it’s because they are the daughters of none other than Albert Wesker, who will be played by Lance Reddick. Although the show’s primary setting is in 2036, the trailer makes it clear that it will jump between then and present-day events. While Capcom didn’t clarify the status of the show’s canonicity, long-time fans should assume that it operates in its own universe. The games clearly show Albert Wesker dying following the events of 2009’s Resident Evil 5. The Umbrella Corporation is also no longer the main antagonist as per the latest set of games, with Resident Evil Village being set in 2021. But, even so, we wouldn’t be surprised if Netflix took cues from Capcom’s latest entries, such as the aforementioned installment. Resident Evil fans are hungry for a proper adaptation after enduring years of failures and flops. Capcom might have hit gold with 2017’s Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, but the live-action adaptations have not enjoyed similar success. The most recent outings, last year’s Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, failed to live up to fan expectations. The latter, in particular, still hasn’t been greenlit for a sequel after pulling in just $41.8 million at the global box office. In comparison, Paul W. S. Anderson’s sextet, which starred his wife, Milla Jovovich, made at least $103 million at the global box office and collectively generated more than a billion. The good news is that Resident Evil isn’t above resurrections. As we’ve already mentioned, you can trace back Resident Evil’s recent resurgence to the 2017 game. Had it not been for what many consider the best Resident Evil game, we probably wouldn’t be talking about a potential return to prominence. As such, here we are, and with a desperate need for a second wind, Netflix’s live-action show might be responsible for reversing Resident Evil’s fortunes outside of the gaming space. Speaking of Resident Evil, Capcom just confirmed that it plans to release 45 SKUs by March 2023. If we’re lucky, this stacked slate will include remasters of Resident Evil - Code: Veronica and Outbreak as well as the long-rumored Resident Evil 4 remake. PS5 and Xbox Series S/X owners can also look forward to remasters of Resident Evil 2, 3, and 7 hitting the current-gen consoles later this year.
