Zombies control the future in first terrifying footage from Netflix's 'Resident Evil' TV reboot

SYFY WIRE Resident Evil

Zombies control the future in first terrifying footage from Netflix's 'Resident Evil' TV reboot

This summer, Resident Evil will evolve yet again.

By Matthew Jackson

Resident Evil's status as one of the most popular and enduring horror video game franchises of all time has meant that it's also grown into one of the most popular filmed entertainment franchises of all time. After a string of feature films starring Milla Jovovich, the franchise has continued to evolve in recent years thanks to an animated series, a live-action movie reboot, and now, a new live-action series coming to Netflix. 

The new series, simply titled Resident Evil, has been in the works since 2020, and while we've seen casting news and teaser posters, we've been waiting months to get our first look at footage. Now the first teasers for the show are here, and while it's definitely a new take on the Resident Evil story, it's also still packed with plenty of gnarly monster action. 

The new show will unfold in two different timelines. In 2022, we'll see scientist Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick) taking his kids to live in the futuristic New Raccoon City, where something's about to go horribly wrong with a new drug known as Joy. Then in 2036, we'll see how Wesker's daughter Jade (Ella Balinska) navigates a full-on monster apocalypse that was apparently caused by everything that went down with the Umbrella Corporation in the past.

The first teaser for the series arrived Thursday morning, and eagle-eyed viewers quickly spotted a QR code that redirected to UmbrellaIsJoy.com, which features a second teaser with even more monster action.

Check both teasers out below:

Obviously, there are some interesting new developments here, particularly when it comes to Wesker, a character fans of the games will know well. They'll also know that Wesker is long dead by 2022 in the original series timeline, so how does it all work? Is it a reboot? Is it something else? Speaking to IGN after the trailer drop, showrunner Andrew Dabb confirmed that the series exists within the original timeline of the games, covering a previously unseen part of the larger tapestry of the franchise. That means Wesker's presence in the show is still a big mystery, something the series will no doubt explore going forward as it plants its own flag within the overall franchise lore. 

“I don’t believe that a definitive adaptation of Resident Evil exists,” Dabb said. “I don’t see our show as definitive either. Resident Evil is too big to be defined by one thing.”

Resident Evil hits Netflix July 14.