The announcement of a Resident Evil series for Netflix left many fans split as to what the quality of the show would be like, with its accuracy to the video game series being the biggest question of all. Today, hardcore Resident Evil fans received some bad news, as the upcoming show seems to be following in the steps of the movies as opposed to being accurate to the games.
A leak about the Resident Evil Netflix series from back in January stated that the show’s protagonists would be original characters instead of the beloved cast of the video games, and today, that leak was officially confirmed. The series will not focus on Chris or Claire Redfield, Leon, or Jill Valentine, with two brand new characters taking center stage instead. At the very least, the show was confirmed to take place in New Raccoon City (though the “new” could imply a more futuristic take on the original).
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Though the Netflix tweet where the announcement was made includes the name Wesker, fans should not get their hopes up. The show will not focus on the infamous villain from the games, but rather his two children. Supposedly sisters, Jade and Billie Wesker will be the show’s focus. This is unlikely to be a situation akin to The Witcher show’s Dandelion name change, as there would be no logic behind changing characters names and origins here.
With Netflix’s The Witcher being such an incredible success, even spawning a spinoff show, it is clear why Netflix would be open to making more content centered on video games. They do seem to be missing what made the show such a success, however. The Witcher’s accuracy to the books, and by extension, the games, made its core fans happy, while the show’s cast and quality attracted newcomers. The Resident Evil series following in the flawed path laid by the films is an odd decision and one that makes little sense from a fan perspective.
Looking on from a creator’s point of view, however, the decision does make a bit more sense. It allows those making the show to truly put their own spin on the property and do whatever they would like with the story. They will not be limited by the games’ plots and cast either, instead being free to take the Resident Evil story in a new direction. Even then, though, it is hard not to be disappointed by the news, as Netflix’s excellent Castlevania anime illustrates a middle ground where the show can be accurate to the games while still doing new things.
Resident Evil was confirmed to feature eight hour-long episodes, once again following in The Witcher’s path. If it gets a second season like The Witcher is unclear, however, as it depends on how well the fans adjust to seeing new characters like the Wesker Kids in another live action Resident Evil franchise.
The Resident Evil series is currently in development for Netflix.
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Source: NXOnNetflix/Twitter
