As part of the Geeked Week event, Netflix has released a new trailer for Resident Evil, the highly-anticipated live-action series based on the popular video game franchise. Instead of following the main games’ storyline, Netflix's Resident Evil introduces brand-new characters and completely reimagines the zombie outbreak that wiped the Earth.
The trailer opens with a shot of the protagonist Jade (Ella Balinska) fighting a horde of zombies in 2036, when surviving humans try to stay alive in a world destroyed by the release of the T-Virus. As Jade tells us, the apocalypse begins in 2022, when her younger self (Tamara Smart) and Billie (Siena Agudong) move to New Raccoon City, a marvelous architectural wonder created by the controversial pharmaceutical company, Umbrella. The series will jump between the two timelines as it explores the relationship between the character and the events that led to the apocalyptic release of mutated creatures and zombies.
The trailer also teases the outbreak is connected to the research of Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick), Jane’s and Billie’s father. In the trailer, Wesker reveals he’s developing a new drug, which unfortunately carries the T-Virus, a deadly virus capable of changing animal biology and creating monsters. We already got a glimpse of these monsters in the new trailer, as we see giant spiders, zombie dogs, and even a worm who grew up so much that it now towers over whole buildings.
While we all love the Resident Evil game franchise, Netflix’s upcoming series promises to give a new spin on the old formula by creating an entirely new story. That’s a refreshing approach, considering how previous live-action adaptations of Resident Evil weren’t very successful while trying to stick with fan-favorite characters. By using the Resident Evil lore as inspiration, instead of a rulebook, Netflix’s series might offer the best adaptation yet of the beloved franchise.
Resident Evil was created by writer, showrunner, and executive producer Andrew Dabb (Supernatural). The series also stars Ahad Raza Mir, Adeline Rudolph, Paola Nuñez, Ahad Raza Mir, Connor Gossatti, and Turlough Convery. Other executive producers include writer Mary Leah Sutton, Robert Kulzer, and Oliver Berben of Constantin Film. Martin Moszkowicz serves as a producer.
Here’s the synopsis for Resident Evil:
Year 2036 – 14 years after a deadly virus caused a global apocalypse, Jade Wesker fights for survival in a world overrun by the blood-thirsty infected and insane creatures. In this absolute carnage, Jade is haunted by her past in New Raccoon City, by her father’s chilling connections to the Umbrella Corporation but mostly by what happened to her sister, Billie.
Resident Evil premieres on Netflix this July 14. Check out the new trailer below: