Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

Production and Development

Development of a new Resident Evil film began in early 2017, shortly after the release of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. Constantin Film chairman Martin Moszkowicz confirmed a reboot was in development, with producer James Wan initially expressing interest. Screenwriter Greg Russo was attached to the project in 2017, collaborating with Wan on a story he intended to be brutal and horrifying, drawing tonal inspiration from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Constantin Film was not satisfied with this early script, and proposed alternative ideas including a time travel subplot. By December 2018, both Wan and Russo had left the project due to creative differences, and Johannes Roberts was hired to write and direct.

Roberts stated his intention to create a film that was super scary and more faithful to the original video games than the previous film series. He specifically cited the first Resident Evil (1996) and Resident Evil 2 (1998) as his primary sources. The director drew inspiration from John Carpenter's horror films and structured the story around two main locations: the Spencer Mansion and the Raccoon Police Department. Roberts aimed to capture the atmospheric horror he felt was missing from the earlier films, describing Raccoon City itself as a rotten character within the story. He emphasized that his version was a totally separate story based on the roots of the game and its world of terror, distinct from the Paul W S Anderson series.

The screenplay underwent significant revisions throughout 2019 and 2020. Early drafts were ambitious, featuring numerous monsters from the games and a larger ensemble cast. However, the film's budget was reduced from a planned $40 million to $25 million, necessitating major cuts. Many computer generated imagery-heavy elements, monsters, and supporting characters were removed, and the protagonists' story arcs were condensed and altered. For instance, Claire Redfield's connection to Dr William Birkin and journalist Ben Bertolucci was added later to streamline the plot after other changes were made. Original characters like Barry Burton and Rebecca Chambers were written out, and action scenes were scaled down, including a sacrificed scene where Lisa Trevor attacks Birkin. Roberts wanted to incorporate the fixed camera angles from the first game and used the tone of the Resident Evil 2 remake as a model. Concept artwork by Daniel Carrasco was completed for many monsters that were ultimately cut, including Hunters, Chimeras, Crimson Heads, a giant shark named Neptune, and the Tyrant known as Mr X. The story was always conceived as an ensemble piece comparable to Resident Evil: Apocalypse, following several major characters as their paths converge in the city.

Casting and Filming in Canada

Casting began in early 2020 but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, the main cast was announced, with Kaya Scodelario as Claire Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen as Jill Valentine, Robbie Amell as Chris Redfield, Tom Hopper as Albert Wesker, Avan Jogia as Leon S Kennedy, and Neal McDonough as William Birkin. That November, Donal Logue joined the cast as Chief Brian Irons, with Chad Rook as Richard Aiken and Lily Gao as Ada Wong. In Japan, Capcom confirmed the characters would be dubbed by voice actors different from those used in the earlier film series, with Chris and Claire voiced by Subaru Kimura and Fairouz Ai respectively.

Principal photography took place entirely in Ontario, Canada. Filming began on October 17, 2020, in Greater Sudbury, with cinematographer Maxime Alexandre. Production wrapped on December 24, 2020. Additional reshoots were conducted in May 2021 in Toronto and Hamilton. The Northern Ontario setting provided the film's bleak, industrial aesthetic for the fictional Raccoon City. In March 2021, Roberts revealed the film's full title as Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. The production company Raccoon HG Film Productions later received a CA$2 million grant from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation in April 2023 for a subsequent project, highlighting the region's continued role in the franchise.

Plot Synopsis

The film is set in 1998 and intertwines plots from the first two Resident Evil games. It opens with a flashback to the 1980s, showing a young Claire Redfield and her brother Chris living at the Raccoon City Orphanage, where Claire befriends Lisa Trevor, a victim of Umbrella Corporation experiments conducted by Dr William Birkin. In 1998, Claire returns to the city to warn Chris about Umbrella's activities, having learned from journalist Ben Bertolucci. Simultaneously, the police department's STARS Alpha team, including Chris, Jill Valentine, and their commander Albert Wesker, is sent to investigate the disappearance of another team at the remote Spencer Mansion.

At the mansion, the team encounters zombies and discovers Wesker's betrayal as he attempts to steal a virus for an unknown employer. Brad Vickers is bitten and crashes the team's helicopter, while Richard Aiken is killed. Meanwhile, a zombie outbreak overwhelms Raccoon City, beginning with an infected truck driver and his dog. Claire teams up with rookie officer Leon S Kennedy and the corrupt Chief Irons to survive. Their paths converge at the orphanage and an underground Umbrella laboratory, where they confront the mutated Dr Birkin and a traitorous Wesker.

Wesker is apparently killed by Jill but later awakens. The core group of Chris, Jill, Claire, Leon, and Birkin's daughter Sherry board an underground train to escape. The train derails when the city is destroyed, and a monstrous Birkin attacks them, only to be killed by Leon with a rocket launcher. Although Umbrella reports zero survivors, the five emerge from the tunnel and leave the city behind. A mid credits scene reveals Wesker survived, awakened inside a body bag by the mysterious Ada Wong, who gives him sunglasses.

Release and Marketing

Welcome to Raccoon City had its world premiere at the Grand Rex in Paris on November 19, 2021. It was released theatrically in the United States on November 24, 2021, by Sony Pictures Releasing, having been delayed from original September 2021 dates. Marketing began with official images in August 2021 and a trailer in October 2021. The trailer received a mixed reaction, with some fans praising its faithfulness to the games and others criticizing the casting and special effects. Some commentators likened the character designs to bad cosplay, while analysts noted fans questioned the absence of Milla Jovovich and compared the film's visuals to the games.

The film was released on video on demand on December 21, 2021, where it became the top rented film on Vudu its first weekend. Physical media releases on DVD, Blu ray, and Ultra HD Blu ray followed on February 8, 2022, through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. North American video sales added over $3.6 million to the film's revenue. The marketing analysis firm RelishMix summarized that franchise fans noticed Jovovich's absence while questioning the film's logic, the look of its effects, and comparing it directly to the game's computer generated imagery.

Box Office Performance

The film grossed $42 million worldwide against a production budget of $25 million, making it a modest financial success. In the United States and Canada, it earned $17 million, opening over a five day Thanksgiving weekend to $8.85 million and placing fifth at the box office. It opened alongside House of Gucci and Encanto and was initially projected to earn $8 to $10 million. Its first day earnings were $2.5 million, including $935,000 from Tuesday night previews from approximately 225,000 theatre admissions. Its audience was predominantly male (64 percent) and aged 18 to 34 (68 percent).

In its second weekend, the film earned $2.69 million, and in its third it made $1.66 million, finishing sixth. By its fourth weekend, it earned $316,480 from 719 theatres, placing tenth. Internationally, it added $25 million, with Japan being its highest grossing foreign market at $5.1 million. The film earned $5.1 million from 15 markets in its opening international weekend, followed by $4.2 million in its second and $2.3 million in its third. Other notable markets included Thailand, where it earned $253,735.

Critical and Audience Reception

Critical reception was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, 30 percent of 92 critic reviews were positive, with an average rating of 5 out of 10. The website's consensus stated it was an affectionately faithful adaptation that proved the material was ill suited for film. Metacritic assigned a weighted average score of 44 out of 100, indicating mixed or average reviews. CinemaScore audiences gave it a C+, while PostTrak reported a 61 percent positive score, with 48 percent saying they would definitely recommend it. The film was later listed on Rotten Tomatoes' 100 Best Zombie Movies, ranked by Tomatometer.

Positive reviews, such as one from the New York Post, called it empty headed good fun with just enough character development. Screen Rant deemed it a fun and faithful adaptation but lacking in character substance. CNET praised the director's love for the source material, the barrage of Easter eggs, and the film as a gleeful trip back for fans. Mixed reviews from outlets like IGN gave it a 6 out of 10, crediting its faithfulness but criticizing its short runtime, rushed third act, and lack of scares. SLANT magazine noted Roberts established the hauntingly depressed environment of the city well.

Negative critiques were more pointed. The A V Club gave the film a C+, calling it totally bereft of the visual distinction of its predecessors. Variety criticized its bevy of unexplained details, dropped subplots, paper thin characterizations and fright free mayhem. The Los Angeles Times concluded the film may reward longtime game fans but would leave others wanting to leave town just like the characters. Summarizing the critical divide, the film was seen as a dedicated homage that struggled to translate the interactive horror of the games into a compelling cinematic narrative.

Planned Sequels and Subsequent Franchise Reboot

Director Johannes Roberts expressed interest in developing sequels that would adapt later games in the series, specifically mentioning Resident Evil, Code: Veronica and Resident Evil 4. He also noted interest in eventually adapting Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village. Cast members Robbie Amell and Tom Hopper also stated their hope to return for future installments, with Amell hoping to film Chris Redfield's boulder punching scene from Resident Evil 5. By June 2022, Hopper confirmed Sony and Constantin Film were pleased with the film's success on video on demand and he hoped to play Albert Wesker again.

By October 2022, executive producer Martin Moszkowicz confirmed the film was one of several Resident Evil projects in development alongside another television series. Moszkowicz was skeptical of films being released for theatres if not projected to be successful. In April 2023, Raccoon HG Film Productions received a CA$2 million grant from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation for a film titled Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, with Greater Sudbury again slated as a principal location. Reports indicated the studio was considering Zach Cregger to direct this project.

This project did not move forward as initially planned. Instead, in January 2025, it was reported that Cregger was writing and directing a new film reboot for Constantin Film and PlayStation Productions. Sony Pictures subsequently won a bidding war for the franchise rights in March 2025, with Columbia Pictures as the new distributor. This new reboot, simply titled Resident Evil, began filming in 2025 and was released on September 18, 2026. The 2026 film features a new story about a medical courier named Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, delivering a package to Raccoon City during a snowstorm, representing a second, separate attempt at rebooting the live action franchise.

Questions about Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

Where was Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City filmed in Canada?

The film was shot entirely in Ontario. Principal photography took place in Greater Sudbury from October to December 2020. Additional reshoots were conducted in May 2021 in Toronto and Hamilton. The Northern Ontario locations provided the decaying industrial look for the fictional Raccoon City, and the production company later received a provincial grant for a subsequent project in the same region.

How does this film differ from the previous Resident Evil movies with Milla Jovovich?

This film is a complete reboot with no narrative connection to the earlier six film series starring Milla Jovovich as Alice. Director Johannes Roberts aimed for a darker, more horror focused tone that was directly faithful to the first two video games, specifically Resident Evil (1996) and Resident Evil 2 (1998). It features an ensemble cast of characters from those games rather than a single original protagonist. Roberts described it as a totally separate story based on the roots of the game's world of terror.

Was the film a box office success?

The film was a modest financial success, grossing $42 million worldwide against a $25 million production budget. It earned $17 million in the United States and Canada and $25 million internationally, with Japan being its top foreign market. While it turned a profit, its earnings were significantly lower than the previous films in the franchise. Its performance on video on demand was strong, as it was the top rented film on Vudu during its first weekend of digital release.

What did critics say about Welcome to Raccoon City?

Critical reception was mixed. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported a 30 percent approval rating, with critics noting its faithfulness to the games but also its rushed story and lack of scares. Audience scores were also middling, with a CinemaScore of C+. Some praised its atmosphere and fan service, while others criticized its thin character development and special effects. The film was later included on a Rotten Tomatoes list of the 100 best zombie movies.

Were any sequels to Welcome to Raccoon City ever made?

No direct sequels were produced. Although the director and cast expressed interest in continuing the story and adapting games like Code: Veronica, plans shifted to another reboot. A potential project titled Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles was in development in Ontario in 2023 but did not proceed. Instead, a new film reboot directed by Zach Cregger was released in September 2026, making it the second attempt at restarting the film franchise.

Why was the film's budget cut during production?

The film's budget was reduced from an initial $40 million to $25 million during the development and scripting phase. This significant cut forced writer director Johannes Roberts to make extensive changes to his screenplay. He removed many computer generated imagery heavy monsters and action sequences, condensed the supporting cast, and streamlined character arcs. Concept art for creatures like Hunters, a giant shark, and the Tyrant had been completed but these elements were cut from the final film due to financial constraints.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.