Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
For decades, the name 'Resident Evil' has conjured images of terrifying zombies, grotesque monsters, and a sprawling corporate conspiracy. In 2021, Hollywood tried once more to capture that visceral horror on the big screen with 'Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,' a gritty reboot aiming for a fresh, game-faithful take. This film promised a return to the chilling origins of the beloved video game series—but did it deliver the scares fans craved? The film was a deliberate departure from previous 'Resident Evil' movies, striving for a tone and narrative more directly inspired by the first two original video games. Despite aiming for high fidelity, the production faced significant budget cuts that forced a streamlining of its ambitious monster designs and character arcs. While it achieved modest financial success, mixed critical reception ultimately curtailed its planned sequels, paving the way for yet another reboot in the ongoing film franchise.
AI Summary
For decades, the name 'Resident Evil' has conjured images of terrifying zombies, grotesque monsters, and a sprawling corporate conspiracy. In 2021, Hollywood tried once more to capture that visceral horror on the big screen with 'Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,' a gritty reboot aiming for a fresh, game-faithful take. This film promised a return to the chilling origins of the beloved video game series—but did it deliver the scares fans craved?
- The film was a deliberate departure from previous 'Resident Evil' movies, striving for a tone and narrative more directly inspired by the first two original video games.
- Despite aiming for high fidelity, the production faced significant budget cuts that forced a streamlining of its ambitious monster designs and character arcs.
- While it achieved modest financial success, mixed critical reception ultimately curtailed its planned sequels, paving the way for yet another reboot in the ongoing film franchise.
Welcome to Raccoon City: A New Beginning
Released in 2021, 'Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City' was conceived as a bold reboot of the popular live-action film series, which already spanned six movies. This time, the goal was clear: to dive deep into the lore of Capcom's iconic video games, specifically adapting the terrifying events of the first two installments.
Unlike its predecessors, this film sought to ground itself firmly in the oppressive atmosphere and character dynamics of the original games. It promised a fresh perspective, setting the stage in the ominous year of 1998, just as Raccoon City was about to fall into unprecedented horror.
A Rocky Road to Production
The journey to bring this reboot to life began shortly after the previous film series concluded in 2017. Initially, horror maestro James Wan—known for films like 'Saw' and 'The Conjuring'—expressed interest in producing, with Greg Russo attached to pen the script.
Russo's early vision was brutal and horrifying, drawing inspiration from the tone of 'Resident Evil 7: Biohazard,' which was lauded for its intense, isolated scares. He even wanted to include Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata,' a musical nod to the games, in the opening credits.
However, creative differences soon emerged. The studio, Constantin Film, wasn't entirely convinced by the script, especially with a potential time-travel subplot being considered at one point. Ultimately, both Wan and Russo departed the project in late 2018.
Johannes Roberts Takes the Helm
With Wan and Russo out, Johannes Roberts stepped in as both writer and director. Roberts had a very distinct vision: he wanted to capture the sheer terror and oppressive atmosphere he remembered from playing the original games.
Roberts was heavily influenced by classic horror filmmakers like John Carpenter, aiming for a darker, more grounded tone akin to 'Halloween' or 'The Fog.' He designed the film to weave together the narratives of the Spencer Mansion and the Raccoon Police Department—the iconic settings of the first two games.
He emphasized that his version was a completely separate entity from the commercially successful Milla Jovovich films, stating his desire to finally translate the games' unique horror and atmosphere to the big screen in a way he hadn't seen before.
Early drafts of the screenplay were incredibly ambitious, packed with a wide array of mutants and original characters from the games. It was intended as an ensemble piece, much like 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse,' with multiple storylines converging.
But ambition met reality when the budget was significantly slashed—from an initial $40 million down to $25 million. This forced Roberts to make painful cuts, removing numerous CG-heavy monsters like Hunters, Chimeras, and even the iconic Tyrant, along with several fan-favorite characters such as Barry Burton and Rebecca Chambers.
The Story Begins: Raccoon City's Fall
The narrative opens in the 1980s, introducing young Claire and Chris Redfield at the Raccoon City Orphanage. It's here that Claire encounters Lisa Trevor, a disfigured girl experimented on by Dr. William Birkin of the ominous Umbrella Corporation—a sinister foreshadowing of events to come.
Years later, in 1998, Claire returns to a decaying Raccoon City. She immediately senses something deeply wrong; bizarre occurrences, like a truck driver's dog becoming erratic after licking spilled blood, hint at an escalating crisis.
Rookie officer Leon S. Kennedy notices disturbing signs too, as residents fall ill with bleeding eyes. Claire, armed with information from a journalist, warns Chris about Umbrella's sinister experiments, just as the city begins to unravel into chaos.
The STARS Alpha team, including Chris, Jill Valentine, and a secretly rogue Albert Wesker, is dispatched to the eerie Spencer Mansion. There, they discover a nightmare unfolding: Bravo team members have become flesh-eating zombies, confirming humanity's worst fears.
Back in Raccoon City, the outbreak rapidly overwhelms the police station. Claire, Leon, and Chief Irons find themselves battling hordes of the undead, eventually escaping to the old orphanage in search of a hidden Umbrella passage to the mansion.
In a climactic confrontation, Irons is killed by a Licker, and Leon is saved by Lisa Trevor, who recognizes Claire and guides them to the secret lab where Umbrella conducted its heinous child experiments. Meanwhile, Wesker confronts William Birkin, leading to a deadly shootout.
Jill shoots Wesker, who seemingly dies, but not before urging her to escape before Umbrella destroys the entire city. In a desperate act, William Birkin injects himself with the G-Virus, transforming into a grotesque, powerful monster.
The survivors—Chris, Jill, Claire, Leon, and Birkin's daughter Sherry—board an underground train. But Raccoon City is indeed destroyed, and the mutated William Birkin pursues them. Leon heroically destroys the monster with a rocket launcher, allowing the group to emerge from the wreckage, leaving the doomed city behind.
In a mid-credits scene, a mysterious figure, Ada Wong, retrieves Wesker from a body bag, giving him special sunglasses to overcome his vision issues, confirming his survival and setting up future intrigues.
Casting and Filming
Casting for the film commenced in early 2020 but was briefly halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key roles were filled by Kaya Scodelario as Claire Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen as Jill Valentine, and Robbie Amell as Chris Redfield, among others, assembling a cast to embody the game's iconic characters.
Principal photography began in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, on October 17, 2020, and wrapped up by Christmas Eve. Later, in May 2021, reshoots were conducted in Toronto and Hamilton to refine the film's narrative and visual elements.
Release and Reception
'Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City' premiered in Paris on November 19, 2021, and saw its theatrical release in the United States on November 24. While marketed with official images and trailers that generated mixed fan reactions—praising faithfulness but criticizing casting and special effects—the film aimed to hit a nostalgic nerve.
The film grossed $42 million worldwide against a $25 million budget, marking it a modest financial success, especially considering its strong performance on video-on-demand services after its theatrical run.
Critically, the film received mixed-to-negative reviews. While many critics, like Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post, praised its commitment to the game's lore and engaging, fast pace, others found its writing, special effects, and character depth lacking.
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported only 30% positive reviews, with a consensus noting its affectionate faithfulness but questioning if the source material truly suited the big screen. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it a 'C+' grade, indicating a somewhat lukewarm reception.
The Franchise's Shifting Future
Director Johannes Roberts had grand plans for sequels, envisioning adaptations of 'Resident Evil – Code: Veronica' and 'Resident Evil 4,' and even expressing interest in 'Resident Evil 7: Biohazard' down the line. Actors like Robbie Amell hoped to reprise their roles, with Amell specifically looking forward to Chris Redfield's infamous boulder-punching scene.
Despite the cast's enthusiasm and the film's decent VOD performance, by October 2022, the planned sequels were effectively cancelled. The studio became skeptical about releasing films that weren't projected to be major box office successes.
However, the 'Resident Evil' cinematic universe isn't staying dormant for long. In early 2025, news broke of yet another film reboot in development, with Zach Cregger attached to write and direct. Sony Pictures secured the distribution rights, setting a release date of September 18, 2026.
This new reboot is already assembling its cast, with talents like Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, and Kali Reis joining the project. It seems the enduring appeal of 'Resident Evil' will continue to draw audiences back to Raccoon City, time and time again.
Article
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is a 2021 action horror film based on the Resident Evil video game series by Capcom. It is the seventh live-action film of the Resident Evil film series, and serves as a reboot. Written and directed by Johannes Roberts, the film stars Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper, Avan Jogia, Donal Logue, and Neal McDonough. Set in 1998, and primarily adapting the first and second games, it follows a group of survivors during a zombie outbreak in Raccoon City. It is the first live-action film in the series not to feature Milla Jovovich in the lead role of her character Alice.
Development took place in early 2017, after Resident Evil: The Final Chapter was released, with producer James Wan expressing interest in the project. Later, Constantin Film chairman Martin Moszkowicz said that a reboot of the film series was in development. In the same month, Wan was called to produce the reboot with a script by Greg Russo; subsequently, Roberts was hired as both writer and director and both Wan and Russo left the project. Filming began on October 17, 2020, in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The film underwent reshoots in May 2021.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City had its world premiere at the Grand Rex in Paris on November 19, 2021, and was theatrically released on November 24, 2021, in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film grossed $42 million worldwide on a $25 million budget and received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, who praised its faithfulness to the first two games, but criticized its writing, special effects and casting. A sequel was planned but cancelled due to the film's commercial failure. Another reboot is slated to be released on September 18, 2026.
Plot
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
In the 1980s, Claire Redfield and her older brother Chris are children living at the Raccoon City Orphanage. Claire befriends Lisa Trevor, a disfigured girl who has been experimented on by Dr. William Birkin, an employee for the Umbrella Corporation, who takes children for his experimental research. Claire escapes the orphanage.
In 1998, she returns to Raccoon City, hitchhiking in a semi-truck. The truck driver accidentally hits a woman on the road, who disappears. The driver's Dobermann licks the blood left behind, and over time becomes erratic. At a diner, rookie police officer Leon S. Kennedy notices that the diner's owner has blood coming out of her eyes. Claire warns Chris about Umbrella's experiments, revealing journalist Ben Bertolucci as her source. After Chris leaves, a child breaks into the house, running from his mother; both are erratic and bloody. Claire escapes.
At the police station, the STARS Alpha team meets with Chief Brian Irons, who explains that the Bravo team went missing while investigating a death at the remote Spencer Mansion. The Alpha team, composed of Chris, Jill Valentine, Richard Aiken, Brad Vickers, and Albert Wesker, is sent to the mansion by helicopter to investigate. Unknown to his teammates, Wesker is an operative for an unidentified party, tasked with stealing William's virus. Inside, the team encounters zombies eating the bodies of the Bravo team. Brad gets bitten and crashes the helicopter. Richard is eaten; Chris and Jill flee into the secret passage Wesker unlocked.
The truck driver, bitten by his dog, transforms into a zombie and crashes his truck in front of the police station. Chief Irons tries to drive out of the city but is fired on by Umbrella guards attempting to contain the outbreak. He returns to the station, where Claire and Leon encounter Bertolucci locked in a cell. Bertolucci is bitten by a zombie inmate and the station becomes overrun. Leon, Claire, and Irons escape to the Orphanage, looking for a secret Umbrella tunnel leading to the mansion.
A Licker kills Irons and attacks Leon, but he is saved by Lisa. She recognizes Claire and gives them the keys to the secret passage. The pair discovers the secret lab where Umbrella was experimenting on children. Wesker encounters William and his family inside and has a shootout with them; he kills William's wife in self-defense. Jill shoots Wesker. Before apparently dying, Wesker tells her to escape via the underground train before the Umbrella Corporation destroys the city. William injects himself with the "G-Virus" and mutates.
Chris, Jill, Claire, Leon, and William's daughter Sherry board the train but are derailed when Raccoon City is destroyed, allowing a monster version of William to reach them. Leon destroys the monster with a rocket launcher. As the Corporation states that there were zero civilian survivors in the aftermath of the destruction, the five survivors walk out of the train tunnel, leaving Raccoon City behind.
In the mid-credits scene, Wesker awakens in a body bag, unable to see anything. A mysterious figure hands him sunglasses and introduces herself as Ada Wong.
Production
Greg Russo's version
Pre-production took place in early 2017 while Resident Evil: The Final Chapter was still in theatres, with Constantin Film chairman Martin Moszkowicz saying that a reboot of the series was in development, and producer James Wan expressing interest in the project. Greg Russo was attached as writer in 2017. Russo, who was also attached to write the script for Mortal Kombat (2021) at the time, worked with Wan in creating a Resident Evil story he considered to be "brutal and horrifying", and drew inspiration from the 2017 video game Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, though he would later clarify he only drew on the tones of the game—"scary, isolated, alone"—rather than the story itself. Russo wanted Moonlight Sonata, a composition featured in several Resident Evil games, to feature in the opening credits. Constantin was unimpressed with this script, feeling the game was too recent and its potential failure could harm film sales. Seeking alternate story ideas, Constantin proposed the incorporation at one point of a time travel subplot. Ultimately, Wan and Russo decided to leave the project citing creative differences and their departures were confirmed in December 2018.
Johannes Roberts' version
What I loved about the games was that they were just scary, and that's a lot of what I wanted, that atmosphere. It's raining constantly, it's dark, it's scary, Raccoon City is a rotten character. I wanted to put [it] and mix it with the fun side, especially with the narrative style of the first game. We had a lot of fun, we even used the fixed angles that the first game has when the characters are at Spencer Mansion.
In December 2018, it was announced that Johannes Roberts was attached to write and direct the film. In August 2019, Roberts told Screen Rant that the reboot would be "super, super scary" and more faithful to the games than the previous films. In a statement to Deadline Hollywood, Roberts said the film would be based on Resident Evil (1996) and Resident Evil 2 (1998).
Roberts said he wanted to give the film a darker tone. Inspired by John Carpenter's films, including Halloween, Assault on Precinct 13, and The Fog, the filmmaker explained that the story was divided between two main locations: Spencer Mansion from the first game and the Raccoon Police Department, which first appeared in Resident Evil 2. Roberts chose the tone for the remake of the second game as a model for the film. Although director Paul W. S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich released six commercially successful films based on the games between 2002 and 2017, Roberts emphasized that his version was different from the series that preceded it:
It's a totally separate story that is based on the roots of the game and the world of terror. I fell in love with Milla Jovovich, that first film is a lot of fun... but it was a real pleasure to get the reins of a new franchise. I had never seen the horror and atmosphere of the games [in the movies], what I felt when I was playing those games or watching from behind the shoulders of people playing games. I never felt it on the screen, and this is something I wanted to tell you about.
In early drafts, the screenplay was ambitious, incorporating a variety of mutants from the first two games into the narrative even if only passively. The story was from the start intended as an ensemble piece comparable to Resident Evil: Apocalypse, following several major characters in the film as their paths converge. Over the course of 2019 and 2020, the film script was repeatedly altered, keeping the main story but removing a number of CG-heavy elements, condensing the supporting cast and tweaking the protagonists' arcs. Earlier drafts also included more original characters, monsters and locations from the games, before Roberts had to make changes to his script after the budget was cut from $40 million to $25 million. Some of the cuts and changes were made so late that most of the concept artwork done by Daniel Carrasco for the monsters to be featured was finished, including Hunters, Chimeras, Crimson Heads, Pale Heads, giant spiders, Neptune (giant shark), Tyrant (aka Mr. X), and others.
Originally, Claire and Chris had no connection with Birkin or Ben Bertolucci, this was added later to help streamline the story after other script changes. The characters were also closer to their original video game versions; Jill was not written as a reckless wildcard and Claire was not a conspiracy theorist who already knew of Umbrella's intentions. Barry Burton, Rebecca Chambers and other characters from the games were originally in the scripts, and some had death scenes written for them. Some of the action scenes were cut down or changed, mostly due to budget cuts, such as a scene where Lisa Trevor sacrifices herself attacking Birkin while everyone else escapes on the train.
Casting
In early 2020, casting was underway but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 6, Deadline Hollywood reported that Scodelario and Hannah John-Kamen had been cast as Claire Redfield and Jill Valentine, alongside Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper, Avan Jogia, and Neal McDonough as Chris Redfield, Albert Wesker, Leon S. Kennedy, and William Birkin, respectively. That November, Donal Logue was cast as Chief Brian Irons, alongside Chad Rook as Richard Aiken, and Lily Gao as Ada Wong.
In Japan, Capcom later confirmed the characters will be dubbed by voice actors different from the Anderson films. For example, Chris and Claire are voiced by Subaru Kimura and Fairouz Ai instead of Hiroki Tōchi and Hiroe Oka.
Filming
Principal photography began in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, on October 17, 2020, with Maxime Alexandre serving as cinematographer. Filming was completed on December 24, 2020. In March 2021, Roberts revealed the full title as Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. In May 2021, Amell revealed that the film was undergoing reshoots in Toronto and Hamilton.
Music
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
The film score was composed by Mark Korven. Milan Records and Sony Classical released the soundtrack.
Release
Marketing
Official images of the film were released on August 31, 2021, and were met with a mixed response. A trailer was released on October 7, 2021, and was met with mixed reaction from fans, who praised its faithfulness to the first two games, but criticized its casting and special effects. Prior to the film's release, the characters were criticized by Metro based on the film's trailer, who called them "bad cosplay" and further said that their acting was "too authentic to the games". Summarizing the film's marketing results, RelishMix said fans of the franchise noticed Milla Jovovich absence while "questioning the logic, the look of the effects, and comparing the film to the game's CGI."
Theatrical
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City had its world premiere at the Grand Rex in Paris, France, on November 19, 2021, and was theatrically released on November 24, 2021, by Sony Pictures Releasing in the United States. It was delayed from its original release dates of September 3 and 9, 2021. The film was a modest financial success.
Home media
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was released on video-on-demand on December 21, 2021, and was the top-rented film on Vudu during its first weekend. The film was released on DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray on February 8, 2022, by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The film grossed over $3.6 million from North America video sales.
Reception
Box office
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City grossed $17 million in the United States and Canada, and $25 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $42 million.
In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside House of Gucci and Encanto, and was projected to gross $8–10 million from 2,803 theaters over its five-day opening weekend. The film opened nationwide on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, and made $2.5 million on its first day—including $935,000 from Tuesday night previews—from a total of 225,000 theater admissions. The film went on to make $8.85 million in its first five days, placing fifth. Audiences were 64% male as well as 68% between the ages of 18 and 34. In its second weekend, the film earned $2.69 million. In its third, the film made $1.66 million and finished sixth at the box office. The film was tenth in its fourth weekend, earning $316,480 from 719 theaters.
Outside the U.S. and Canada, the film earned $5.1 million from 15 markets in its opening weekend. It made $4.2 million in its second weekend and $2.3 million in its third. In Thailand, the film earned $253,735 from the box office. Japan was the film's highest-grossing foreign market, contributing $5.1 million from the box office.
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 30% of 90 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is an affectionately faithful adaptation that further proves its source material is ill-suited to the big screen." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 44 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it a 61% positive score, with 48% saying they would definitely recommend it.
In a positive review, Johnny Oleksinski from the New York Post gave 3 out of 4 stars and said the film is "empty-headed good fun that's blessedly under two hours and has just enough character development to make you kind of care when someone gets bitten". Ferdosa Abdi from Screen Rant called it a "fun and faithful adaptation of the games", but felt it was "lacking in character substance". Sean Keane from CNET praised the film: "Despite the lack of scares, minor tweaks to the games' lore and overall silliness, director Johannes Roberts' love for Resident Evil is clear in every moment of Welcome to Raccoon City. With a barrage of Easter eggs and fascinating takes on classic characters, the film's a gleeful trip back to the Spencer Mansion and Raccoon Police Department aimed squarely at fans."
Taylor Lyles of IGN gave the film a 6/10 score, explaining, "Director Mr. Roberts does deserve some credit for sticking much more closely to the source material than the Paul W. S. Anderson films, but a short runtime, a rushed third act, and lack of elements to make it truly scary to watch in the dark hold it back immensely. Nevertheless, it should serve as decent fun for fans." In a mixed review, Mark Hanson from SLANT wrote "Roberts clearly establishes the hauntingly depressed industrial environment of Raccoon City while methodically spacing out his zombie attacks, which, while not especially innovative, at times put a pit in your stomach like the Resident Evil games do."
Charles Bramesco from The A.V. Club gave the film a C+ and called it "totally bereft of the visual distinction or creative personality that often made its predecessors intriguing diamonds in the rough". Nick Schager from Variety criticized the "bevy of unexplained details, dropped subplots, paper-thin characterizations and fright-free mayhem". Kimberly Myers from the Los Angeles Times also gave a negative review, noting the film "may reward longtime fans of the video games by returning to the series' origins, but others will find themselves wanting to leave town, much like the movie's characters".
Rotten Tomatoes lists the film on its 100 Best Zombie Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer.
Franchise
Cancelled sequels
Director Johannes Roberts stated that if a sequel were to be developed, he would like to adapt the story from Resident Evil – Code: Veronica—referenced in the film with an appearance of the Ashford Twins—and then Resident Evil 4. He also expressed interest in adapting Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village in the future.
Robbie Amell stated he hoped to return as Chris in a sequel that included his boulder-punching scene from Resident Evil 5. By June 2022, Tom Hopper confirmed Sony and Constantin Film were pleased with the film's success on video-on-demand and said he hoped to play Albert Wesker again.
By October 2022, the film was one of several projects confirmed by executive producer Martin Moszkowicz to be in development alongside another television series which would have replaced Netflix's series cancelled two months prior, though the exact details were not given, and Moszkowicz was skeptical of films being released for theatres if not projected to be successful.
In April 2023, Raccoon HG Film Productions, which financed Welcome to Raccoon City, received a grant of CA$2 million from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation for the production of a film titled Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. Greater Sudbury was picked as the principal film location. According to Jeff Sneider, the studio was looking at Zach Cregger to direct the new film.
Reboot
In January 2025, it was reported that Cregger was writing and directing a new film reboot, to be co-produced by Constantin Film and PlayStation Productions. In March 2025, Sony Pictures won a bidding war to secure the rights to the Resident Evil franchise, including its upcoming untitled project, with Columbia Pictures serving as the film's new distributor and Austin Abrams in talks to star. Sony has set a release date of September 18, 2026, for the project. On September 17, 2025 Paul Walter Hauser was cast in a role. The next month, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Johnno Wilson were cast in roles with Cherry as a scientist and Reis as an ex-military character that was originally written for a male actor.