The Resident Evil film franchise, which began in 2002, has spawned eight live-action movies. Six of these films follow a continuous narrative featuring Milla Jovovich as the original character Alice, while the other two are standalone reboots. For those looking to experience the saga, the good news is that the films function as sequels to one another, meaning the release order and chronological order are the same.
The Resident Evil Movies in Chronological Order
Resident Evil (2002)
The first film introduces Alice (Jovovich), a security operative for the Umbrella Corporation who awakens with amnesia. The movie details the initial outbreak of the T-virus within a research facility known as The Hive and the subsequent lockdown by the AI security system, the Red Queen. Alice and a containment team must find an anti-virus to control the spreading infection.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
This direct sequel continues Alice's fight against the undead. Directed by Alexander Witt, the film sees Alice attempting to escape Raccoon City before a nuclear missile is deployed to stop the viral outbreak. The movie incorporates characters like Jill Valentine and Carlos Olivera, drawing heavily from the video games.
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
By 2007, the T-virus has spread globally. Resident Evil: Extinction follows Alice and other survivors as they travel toward Alaska, pursued by Umbrella Corporation's attempts to clone Alice. The film introduces more game characters, including Claire Redfield and Albert Wesker.
Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
Paul W.S. Anderson returns to direct this installment, set a year after Extinction. Alice and her clones attempt to assault Umbrella's headquarters and Albert Wesker, but Alice loses her powers. The film also features the game character Chris Redfield.
Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
Continuing from Afterlife, this film sees Alice teaming up with Wesker to combat the reactivated Red Queen AI, which now controls Umbrella and aims to eliminate all life. The movie introduces game characters Leon S. Kennedy, Ada Wong, and Barry Burton.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017)
This film concludes the main series arc involving Alice and director Paul W.S. Anderson. Alice returns to Raccoon City and The Hive to confront the Red Queen and Albert Wesker, revealing more about the T-virus's origins.
Other Resident Evil Movies
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
Directed by Johannes Roberts, this reboot operates independently of the previous films and closely adapts the storylines of the first two Resident Evil games. It features a new cast and familiar characters like Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker, and Leon Kennedy.
Resident Evil (2026)
Zach Cregger's latest adaptation aims to capture the feeling of playing a Resident Evil game rather than directly adapting specific plots. The film follows Bryan, a medical courier caught in an outbreak in Raccoon City, with influences from Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4.
Future of Resident Evil Movies
While the latest film has seen a promising start at the box office, director Zach Cregger has indicated it will be his only involvement with the franchise. Despite this, the continued success of the Resident Evil video games suggests that further movie adaptations are likely in the future.