And as a matter of fact, many of these Resident Evil projects are actually due for release in 2021. Considering this, next year should be a particularly great time to be a Resident Evil fan, though it should be noted that these projects could very well be delayed by complications brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Here are all the Resident Evil projects currently in development.
Resident Evil 8
Capcom unveiled Resident Evil 8 in style, giving fans their first look at the game during the PlayStation 5 console reveal event. Capcom has released more footage of Resident Evil 8 since then, detailing what exactly fans can expect from the new game. For those who haven’t been following along, Resident Evil 8 is set in a secluded village full of monsters and enemies, and sees players once again take on the role of RE7 protagonist Ethan Winters.
One of the goals of the Resident Evil 8 development team is to better-define Ethan, as the team felt as though he wasn’t fully-realized as a character in the previous game. The rest of the cast is made up of mostly new characters, but Ethan will be joined by some familiar faces, including his wife Mia and Resident Evil mainstay Chris Redfield. It’s unclear what role Redfield plays in Resident Evil 8, but fans should find out more details when the game comes out in 2021.
As far as gameplay goes, Resident Evil 8 will feature the first-person viewpoint from RE7, along with the classic survival-horror gameplay of managing resources and trying to survive against seemingly supernatural threats. Those that want to experience Resident Evil 8’s gameplay for themselves will likely have to upgrade to a PS5 or Xbox Series X console, though, as right now the game is only confirmed for next-generation platforms. However, Capcom is looking into the possibility of releasing a current-gen version of RE8 as well, but it would mean some big performance sacrifices.
Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness
2021 will also see the release of a brand new Resident Evil CG TV series on Netflix. Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness stars Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, two of the franchise’s fan favorite characters, and will presumably be canon with the games. Previous Resident Evil CG projects have expanded on Resident Evil lore, with Infinite Darkness preceded by Degeneration, Damnation, and Vendetta. Where exactly Infinite Darkness falls in the overall Resident Evil timeline has yet to be confirmed, but more information should come to light as we grow closer to its 2021 Netflix premiere date.
Meanwhile, the story in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness won’t be exclusive to Netflix subscribers. A Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness manga adaptation is also in development, with the manga currently scheduled to release alongside the CG show in 2021.
Resident Evil Live-Action Netflix Series
Netflix isn’t just producing a CG Resident Evil TV series; it’s also working on a live-action show as well. The live-action Resident Evil Netflix series is currently without a release window, but it’s possible it will launch in 2021 as well. In any case, the series will be quite the departure from what fans may expect, focusing on the children of longtime Resident Evil antagonist Albert Wesker.
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In the Resident Evil Netflix series, Wesker’s children Jade and Billie move to a town called New Raccoon City. Viewers will see Jade and Billie’s childhood as well as their present-day struggles in a post-apocalyptic world where the majority of the population has been infected by the T-Virus. Fan reaction to the Netflix show’s premise has been mixed so far, but Netflix does have a proven track record of delivering high-quality work, so fans may want to withhold judgment until they are able to watch the show for themselves.
Resident Evil Movie Reboot
Whereas the live-action Resident Evil TV show on Netflix is quite the departure from the source material, the Resident Evil movie reboot is looking to be much more faithful to the games. Announced just recently, the Resident Evil movie reboot cast has been confirmed, with fan favorite characters Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Albert Wesker, and William Birkin all set to appear. Other details on the Resident Evil movie reboot are hard to come by, but it’s been confirmed that the film will be set in 1998, the year of the Raccoon City incident.
Filming on the Resident Evil movie reboot began on October 15, and the current plan is to release it in theaters at some point in 2021. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could very well throw a wrench in those plans, but hopefully fans don’t have to wait too long to see the new movie.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Capcom has more or less turned the Resident Evil franchise into an annual series, having released the Resident Evil 2 remake in 2019, Resident Evil 3 in 2020, and looking to release Resident Evil 8 in 2021. Needless to say, the company constantly has Resident Evil video game projects in active development, and when one considers how successful the series has been for Capcom, that’s not really a surprise.
Capcom is working on something Resident Evil-related for after Resident Evil 8’s launch, and right now rumors point to it being a Resident Evil 4 remake. Leaks from reliable sources suggest that the Resident Evil 4 remake is in active development, but fans won’t see it until some time after Resident Evil 8’s 2021 launch.
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