The week Resident Evil: Afterlife hit theaters, writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson was already talking up Resident Evil 5. Anderson and his wife, franchise star Milla Jovovich, are very passionate and confident about the series and they let it be known at the time that they wanted to get the fans involved in helping pick the direction for the 5th Resident Evil.

Although we haven't heard about Resident Evil 5 since that report in September, we all knew another Resident Evil movie was on its way. Despite weak reviews - which don't matter with a franchise like this - Resident Evil: Afterlife earned nearly $300 million at the worldwide box office, an impressive doubling over its preceding franchise installment, Resident Evil: Extinction. Afterlife also marked the franchise's first jump into the realm of 3D and was applauded for actually shooting the film in 3D, rather than post-converting the entire thing.

Like the video game franchise, which set new sales records with its last installment, the Resident Evil movies are basking in the same success. Sony Screen Gems is determined to bring back Alice (Milla Jovovich) and co. and have announced the Resident Evil 5 release date for September 14, 2012. While we sill don't know officially whether or not Anderson will write and direct, we expect him to be involved and for the primary cast to return.

Since Paul W.S. Anderson took advantage of key elements of the Resident Evil 5 video game, likely taking advice from me (although not really), they'll have to mine ideas from somewhere else or get creative with the story and villains. Unless of course, they have access to Capcom's conceptual art and designs for the still-unannounced Resident Evil 6 game...

Resident Evil: Afterlife concluded with Alice, Claire Redfield (Ali Larter), Chris Redfield (Wentworth Miller) and K-Mart (Spencer Locke) heading out to sea on the Umbrella research ship with the survivors they rescued. Perhaps the next film will start with them finding land to setup a village and we go from there or start from that specific moment as the enemy helicopters close in. Or, could Resident Evil 5 be a reboot as reported back in 2009?  Either way, the fans support Resident Evil and want more.

Resident Evil 5 is now officially scheduled to hit theaters September 14, 2012.

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Source: STYD