The director of the "Resident Evil" movies did not want to make an adaptation of Resident Evil due to spoilers.
Director of "Resident Evil" Movies Didn't Want to Make a Resident Evil Adaptation Due to Spoilers
Cover: a still from the film "Resident Evil 3"
Paul W.S. Anderson, the director of the 2002 film "Resident Evil" and its subsequent sequels, explained why he decided to create a completely new story starring Milla Jovovich instead of adapting the existing games. The reason lies precisely in his great love for the Resident Evil series and his understanding of its principles.
Anderson played Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2. The filmmaker played "slowly" and almost without breaks — he suffered from lack of sleep and even grew a beard, not finding time to shave. It was then that the director noticed that the developers used many techniques and ideas from cinema in their game — from the horrors of John Carpenter to the zombie films of George Romero. Anderson realized he had to bring such "amazing" horror to the big screen. But not through a direct adaptation.
Still from the film "Resident Evil"
In Anderson's opinion, one of the strengths of Resident Evil is showcasing different heroes from installment to installment. This is precisely the aspect the director wanted to embody in his own film. "Resident Evil" was conceived as a "new installment" in the series — with a backstory to the original and a depiction of the zombie virus epidemic.
The desire to reveal events before the first Resident Evil is not the only reason for creating an independent film. Anderson believes fans would be bored watching a direct adaptation. They already know the plot twists — such a viewing would feel like going to see "Alien" with spoilers about who survives at the end of the film.
In general, Anderson praises Resident Evil for raising sharp social themes, which contain the game's "sophistication." The director suggests looking at large corporations that don't pay taxes or engage in corruption — this is precisely what the horror genre exposes using the example of Umbrella Corp.
"Resident Evil reflects the fear of corporate corruption and oppression that these corporations bring in collaboration with the government, as well as the suppression of the individual. And, obviously, zombie films at their core contain the fear of losing individuality. If you are bitten, you become one of the masses, you cannot be an individual," Anderson believes.
Still from the film "Resident Evil 3"
Right now, a new Resident Evil film adaptation is in development. Like the film series with Milla Jovovich, the upcoming film will be "far from everything related to Resident Evil". The film's premiere is scheduled for September 18, 2026.