Netflix's Resident Evil spoilers follow.
We're opening up the Hive once again, as fans take a jab of the T-virus for Netflix's Resident Evil.
Andrew Dabb's short-lived series was supposed to be the streaming service's latest big video game adaptation on a par with The Witcher, but instead it was given the boot after just eight episodes.
Set in its own universe – but using Capcom's video games as a backstory – Resident Evil starred Lance Reddick as the usually villainous Albert Wesker. Taking place at the end of the current game timeline, Resident Evil jumped between New Raccoon City in 2022 and a virus-ravaged world in 2036 where the population had been reduced to just 300 million.
The story focused on Jade and Billie Wesker played by Tamara Smart/Ella Balinska and Siena Agudong/Adeline Rudolph, their strained relationship with their father, and the events that pulled them apart over the years.
With a cliffhanger ending and plans for a second series, this is one show that took a shotgun to the head ahead of its time.
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Why was Resident Evil cancelled?
Netflix's Resident Evil was the latest in a long line of live-action adaptations. Back in the day, there was the Milla Jovovich-led franchise that has nothing to do with the games, but gained a cult following.
Even though Dabb's Resident Evil earned the honour of being the best-rated live-action outing, it didn't save it from being axed by Netflix.
Despite a strong start of 72.7 million hours watched in the first four days, dethroning Stranger Things at the top of the charts, Resident Evil had a massive second-week drop and largely disappeared after that.
While the fans were kind, it also has an abysmal Rotten Tomatoes audience score of just 26%. Being one of Netflix's worst-rated originals, it meant the jury was always out on whether it would be renewed for season two.
After circling the drain for a number of weeks, Netflix eventually pulled the plug on August 26.
We know Dabb had grand plans for the show, telling Decider: "The last show I was on, what 15 seasons? So I think this one, 20 minimum. You gotta beat it. You know what I mean? You don't go backwards. You go forwards."
Joking or not, the showrunner said he was figuring out the story of season two when the first premiered.
Reddick's portrayal of Wesker/Weskers was universally praised, but on the flip side, the 2022 versions of Billie and Jade were dubbed the show's weakest point. Alongside valid complaints of the show coming across as a teen drama, others review-bombed Resident Evil as being "too woke".
Just when it looked like we'd broken free from the curse of live-action video game adaptations, yet another live-action Resident Evil gets panned.
What was Resident Evil season 2 about
Resident Evil ended on a cliffhanger that was clearly supposed to set up season two.
In 2022, Albert Wesker was presumed dead, Billie and Jade were on the hunt for Ada Wong in Japan, and a mysterious monster broke free from the Umbrella Lab in New Raccoon City. In 2036, Billie shot Jade and stole her daughter, while it's unclear if Evelyn Marcus (Paola Núñez) survived a horde of Zeroes overrunning the Umbrella camp.
It's safe to assume the big points of season two would be the 2022 timeline finding out what Ada had been up to since the events of Resident Evil 6, while Jade would have taken revenge on her sister in 2036.
Other than that, we know Dabb planned to introduce more fan-favourites from the games.
Calling the series "Resident Evil 101" to Bloody Disgusting, he gave the nod to several elements: "There are some zombies and some monsters, but we're not into Uroboros, plant monster, or giant vampire territory yet, but we're going to get there."
For gamers, it's sad news that the iconic Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil Village won't be making the leap to live action – at least not in this world.
In a separate interview with Den of Geek, Dabb gave hints of what other video game icons could be stopping by. Saying that while we know where Chris Redfield is in 2022 thanks to the events of Village, the 2036 timeline could pick up his arc.
He also winked at Claire Redfield and Jill Valentine, adding: "If you're talking about a Claire Redfield or a Jill Valentine, the thing they were fighting against – a global apocalypse – happened. Now they're in their 50s, essentially living their nightmare. What does that look like for them?"
Unfortunately, it's up to the games to tell their stories now.
Will there be a Resident Evil movie or spin-off?
Since Resident Evil was axed, there's been no news on the show jumping to another network. Netflix is notoriously protective over its IPs (even when cancelled), but even then, the likes of Amazon and HBO have made no moves to pick up the series for season two.
Netflix still has something for fans of the Resiverse, as the animated Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness is also on the service.
There were only four episodes of the Leon and Claire-centric series, and although it had a definitive end, there was enough room for a potential second series. Instead, the CGI adventure sloped off without ever being formally cancelled or renewed.
As for Dabb's Resident Evil, you should probably give up hopes of seeing it get a new lease of life on the silver screen. Resident Evil was never planned as a movie, so it's unlikely there will be one.
Also going against the idea of this, let's remember Johannes Roberts's Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was even more panned than the series. Ironically, the movie also ended with a tease of Ada Wong that we'll never get to see play out.
Welcome to Raccoon City may have been similarly mapped as a multi-movie arc, but now, two live-action Resident Evil outings have been sent shuffling to the grave in 2022.
This is one franchise that can't seem to catch a break.
Resident Evil is now available to watch on Netflix.
Netflix/Left Bank Pictures The Crown season 3 with Amazon exclusive box artwork
