On Thursday, Netflix is set to release its live-action adaptation of the beloved video game franchise, Resident Evil. The eight-episode first season stars Ella Balinska as Jade Wesker, Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker and Paola Nuñez as Evelyn Marcus. The series is a brand-new story within the Resident Evil mythology that is full of heart and horror. Leading up to the show’s release, Netflix conducted a sit-down interview with showrunner Andrew Dabb to discuss his inspiration for the series, as well as what he’s most excited for fans to see in the show.
While the films – namely the Milla Jovovich-led films – were seen as poor attempts at bringing the games to life, Dabb notes that the games and the movies were able to deliver something different. “I was a huge fan of the games and the movies and I think they each scratch a different itch,” he explained. “The games are very immersive, fun and scary. And the movies are big, bombastic spectacles. So, the idea of being able to do something like this where we have a little bit of both was very exciting to me.”
Like those films, and the 2021 attempt at a reboot, Netflix’s Resident Evil offers up a brand-new story for viewers. Yes, there are aspects from the games on display, but this is something that can stand on its own. In this case, Resident Evil is brought into the modern world – one in which COVID even exists. For Dabb, he’s excited for fans to see his expansion into a modern-day storyline and the characters they’ve helped bring to life on the screen. “For me, the most exciting thing about the series, as it is about any series, is the characters. These are some really great characters to explore. Some from the game. Some that the writers and I created. But, either way, I think they just have really compelling stories that I hope will really resonate with people.”
As for why he went with Albert Wesker for this story, Dabb has a pretty simple reasoning. Wesker has a pretty ridiculous backstory in the video games. He was excited to explore more about Wesker for the series. “When I was sitting back and wondering who is the character that I am most curious about in the modern day in this new world? Wesker popped into my head,” he said. “But that character with his past and all of the weird things that happened to him as a child, opened up a path to explore him a little bit more which was really exciting to do. We also consciously didn’t want to overload this first season with cameos. We want people to get to know our original characters as well as some returning favorites.”
The first season of Resident Evil debuts on Netflix this Thursday. You can read our review here.
