New Resident Evil sets cast for movie reboot that’s faithful to games

Resident Evil is taking up residence all over pop culture these days. On top of the new series of game remakes released over the past couple years, Netflix is also developing a live-action TV show based on the popular survivor-horror franchise. Now, there’s a fresh movie reboot in the works that suggests it will be closer to the origin story in the games as opposed to the Milla Jovovich-fronted blockbusters.

The film, produced by Constantin Film and to be distributed by Screen Gems, already found its main cast. Kaya Scodelario of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will star as Claire Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp) will play Jill Valentine, Robbie Amell (Upload) will play Chris Redfield.

The first Resident Evil game, released in 1996, followed Chris and Jill, two members of the elite S.T.A.R.S. task force who become trapped in a mansion during a zombie outbreak in Raccoon City. Chris’ sister Claire and police officer Leon S. Kennedy were the focus of Resident Evil 2, which took place the same night as the first installment at a different area of Raccoon City.

The movie, which is set in 1998 over the course of one fateful night in Raccoon City, will also feature Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) as Leon, Tom Hopper (The Umbrella Academy) as Albert Wesker, and Neal McDonough (Yellowstone) as William Birkin.

Johannes Roberts, who helmed 47 Meters Down and The Strangers: Prey at Night, writes and directs the film. “With this movie I really wanted to go back to the original first two games and recreate the terrifying visceral experience I had when I first played them whilst at the same time telling a grounded human story about a small dying American town that feels both relatable and relevant to today’s audiences,” Roberts says in a statement.© Marc Piasecki/WireImage; Capcom Director Johannes Roberts says he wants to “go back to the original first two games” for his Resident Evil movie.

“After a dozen games, six live action movies and hundreds of pages of fan fiction, we felt compelled to return to the year 1998, to explore the secrets hidden in the walls of the Spenser Mansion and Raccoon City,” says Robert Kulzer, producer and co-president of Constantin Film.