A new Resident Evil movie is in development, with an all-new cast - and here's how they compare to the original video game characters. Despite a Resident Evil movie series ending in 2017, the franchise is being revived in multiple forms. There's a Netflix original series in development as well as a brand new addition to the video game series, Resident Evil Village. Now, Johannes Roberts (The Strangers: Prey At Night) is working on a reboot for the movie franchise with an impeccable cast that will portray some of the video games' most memorable characters.
The Resident Evil reboot - subtitled Welcome to Raccoon City - is structured as an origin story set in Raccoon City during 1998 with the first two video games as its framework. While the movie is not slated to release until November 24, 2021, the reboot's cast has taken the attention of Resident Evil fans everywhere. When Netflix's Resident Evil series was initially announced, it was met with controversy, particularly surrounding its decision to throw away the original story in favor of one that focuses on the Wesker children. Roberts' movie, meanwhile, promises to stay true to the source material due to his own personal connection with the video games, as well as being an avid fan of the franchise.
There is always cause for celebration when a fan adapts such a beloved series like Resident Evil. The fact that Roberts plans on including some of the video games' most popular and iconic characters is fan service just as much as it is the director staying true to the games. It was only a matter of time before the Resident Evil movie franchise received the reboot treatment and it appears to be in good hands. With that in mind, here's every character that will be included in Roberts's movie and what they look like in comparison to the video games.
Claire Redfield
Kaya Scodelario has officially been cast as Claire Redfield, who has been a part of the Resident Evil series since 1998's Resident Evil 2. She is the younger sister of Chris Redfield, who will also make an appearance in the movie reboot. Due to the fact that the director is taking influence from the first two video game installments, it's necessary to contextualize Claire's role in the upcoming movie based on this.
Resident Evil 2 follows Claire as she searches for her brother, Chris, after he has gone missing. It does not take long for her to reach Raccoon City and discover that it's overrun by zombies, making her quest even more complicated than she had anticipated. During her time in Raccoon City, she encounters William Birkin and meets Leon S. Kennedy. Scodelario will take on the task of representing this character who was featured in several installments following her introduction. Scodelario is known for starring in franchises like The Maze Runner and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Jill Valentine
Ant-Man And The Wasp's Hannah John-Kamen will portray Jill Valentine, who's one of the main characters in Resident Evil and later the main protagonist in Resident Evil 3. It's unsurprising that Roberts would integrate Jill Valentine into the reboot due to Valentine's astounding presence in the series.
When Jill Valentine made her first appearance, it was in the midst of Tomb Raider Lara Croft's popularity, which sparked several video games to create women protagonists. Valentine was one of the first in the Resident Evil series and, as such, is an immensely popular character. She was also featured in the original movie series and portrayed by Sienna Guillory. Now, it's Hannah John-Kamen's opportunity to bring the iconic Jill Valentine to life for the reboot.
Chris Redfield
Robbie Amell has found success in the horror genre by landing the role of the inexplicably shirtless Max in McG's The Babysitter and The Babysitter: Killer Queen, though he's still recognized for his brief role in the Arrowverse as Firestorm. In the Resident Evil reboot, he will portray Chris Redfield, Claire's brother. In the first video game, Chris is a member of Raccoon City's Special Tactics And Rescue Services (S.T.A.R.S.), and he and his partner Jill Valentine travel to the virus infested city on a rescue mission. After battling with a prototype of Wesker's design, he sets out to take down the Umbrella Corporation and subsequently becomes a franchise mainstay.
Albert Wesker
Albert Wesker is one of the most villainous characters in the entire Resident Evil franchise. It is astounding that Tom Hopper will portray the sadistic man due to the fact that most may recognize him as the beloved Luther from The Umbrella Academy. Now is the opportunity for Hopper to showcase his ability to play the villain.
In Resident Evil, Wesker seeks to isolate the T-virus and use it to experiment on other people in the hopes of creating a race of superhumans. He initially started as a side character but quickly evolved into one of the most iconic antagonists of the entire franchise. It may be that Roberts' Resident Evil could transform him into the villain he could've been in the first video game installment, rather than a villain in later games.
Leon S. Kennedy
Leon S. Kennedy made his debut in Resident Evil 2 and went on to become a fan-favorite when he returned in Resident Evil 4 to protect the president's daughter. Avan Jogia, who recently starred in Gregg Araki's Now Apocalypse as well as Zombieland: Double Tap, will portray the iconic character. It's unknown whether or not he will play a large role in the reboot, but he will undoubtedly assist Claire Redfield in the search for her brother, just as he did in Resident Evil 2. The future of the reboot, if transformed into a franchise, could find Avan Jogia at the forefront of the Resident Evil storyline. With Leon S. Kennedy's popularity, fans have waited to see him return to the movie franchise after he made an appearance in Resident Evil: Retribution.
William Birkin
Neal McDonough will portray William Birkin, who is the primary villain of Resident Evil 2. He is the man responsible for bringing on the destruction of Raccoon City after completing his experimental G-virus. After his work is stolen and his life ruined, Birkin injects himself with the virus and transforms into a monstrous zombie-like creature known as "G". As he continues to mutate, he seeks out Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy in the hopes of destroying them and getting his revenge.
Ada Wong
First appearing in Resident Evil 2, Ada Wong is an antihero through and through, but also an incredibly interesting character. She works for the bad guys, but also has clear fondness for Leon Kennedy, and bails him out of multiple deadly situations. She also cheats death herself. Playing Ada in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is Lily Gao, probably best known for playing Nancy Gao in sci-fi series The Expanse.
Chief Brian Irons
Brian Irons is the chief of police of Raccoon City in Resident Evil 2, and is highly corrupt, being paid off by Umbrella to cover up the company's "accidents" in town. He's also an awful, dangerous individual in general, and when he snaps completely after the T-virus outbreak, becomes even worse. Playing Irons in Welcome to Raccoon City is Donal Logue, who formerly played high-ranking cop Harvey Bullock on Gotham. Logue doesn't much resemble Irons in the games, but is an excellent actor, and a great pick for the part.
Richard Aiken
It's possible some fans have forgotten about Richard Aiken, who only appears briefly in both Resident Evil and its 2002 remake, but Johannes Roberts clearly hasn't. In both games, he's killed by giant monsters, including Yawn the snake and Neptune the shark. Playing Richard will be Chad Rook, probably best known for his recurring role on Freeform's mermaid drama Sirens.
Lisa Trevor
The final confirmed game character in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City so far is Lisa Trevor, a monstrous mutant who was once a normal girl before Umbrella got their hands on her. Lisa was introduced via a subplot in the 2002 Resident Evil remake, and notably, she seemingly can't be killed, or survived. Playing Lisa in the movie is Marina Mazepa, who will soon appear in director James Wan's Malignant.
Johannes Roberts' Resident Evil reboot features an astounding cast that are playing some of the franchise's most iconic characters. By utilizing the first two video games as his framework, it sets the reboot on the right track to get the sequel treatment, while also streamlining elements from the two games into one story.
