All the ‘Resident Evil’ Movies in Order of Release Date

The ‘Resident Evil‘ film franchise stands as one of the most prominent video game adaptations in cinematic history, spanning over two decades of theatrical releases. Based on the legendary Capcom survival horror video game series, the films follow various battles against the sinister Umbrella Corporation and the deadly biological weapons it unleashes upon the world.

From the subterranean laboratories of Raccoon City to global post-apocalyptic wastelands and fresh cinematic reboots, the series encompasses multiple continuities and creative directions. Here is the complete list of live-action ‘Resident Evil’ feature films in chronological order of their release dates.

‘Resident Evil’ (2002)

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the action horror film introduces Alice, an amnesiac protagonist portrayed by Milla Jovovich. Alice awakens in an isolated mansion that conceals the entrance to the Hive, a high-tech underground research facility owned by the Umbrella Corporation. Alongside an elite corporate tactical team, she must navigate through the complex after a viral contamination triggers a lethal lockdown controlled by the Red Queen artificial intelligence. The group battles genetically altered creatures and reanimated personnel in a desperate bid to escape before the underground facility is permanently sealed.

‘Resident Evil: Apocalypse’ (2004)

Directed by Alexander Witt, this sequel picks up immediately after the lethal T-virus escapes the Hive and engulfs the whole of Raccoon City. Alice discovers that she has been subjected to biological experimentation by Umbrella, granting her superhuman reflexes and strength. She unites with surviving Special Tactics and Rescue Service officer Jill Valentine and mercenary Carlos Olivera to locate the missing daughter of a lead corporate researcher. Their escape plan is complicated when Umbrella deploys Nemesis, a heavily armored biological weapon tasked with terminating all surviving targets.

‘Resident Evil: Extinction’ (2007)

Directed by Russell Mulcahy, the third installment moves the story into the desolate desert wastes of Nevada following the collapse of global civilization. Alice travels alone across the wasteland to prevent Umbrella satellites from tracking her increasingly powerful telekinetic abilities. She crosses paths with a convoy of human survivors led by Claire Redfield and Carlos Olivera as they search for fuel and safe harbor. Meanwhile, Umbrella scientist Dr. Alexander Isaacs creates clones of Alice in an effort to harness her blood for a potential virus cure. Alice ultimately infiltrates the underground base of Isaacs to defeat his mutated Tyrant form and secure air transport for the convoy toward Alaska.

‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’ (2010)

Paul W. S. Anderson returned to direct this chapter, which launches with an assault on the subterranean Umbrella headquarters located in Tokyo. After being stripped of her superhuman abilities by corporate chairman Albert Wesker, Alice flies across North America in search of a promised safe zone called Arcadia. She recovers an amnesiac Claire Redfield in Alaska before traveling to a burning Los Angeles, where a small band of survivors remains trapped atop a maximum-security prison. Alice coordinates with the survivors, including Claire’s brother Chris Redfield, to break through the surrounding undead swarm and reach a cargo vessel anchored offshore.

‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ (2012)

Written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the fifth film traps Alice inside an expansive, submerged testing installation beneath the icy waters of northern Russia. The testing complex features life-sized holographic simulations of major cities designed to demonstrate biological weapon attacks to potential global buyers. Alice must survive these simulated environments while fleeing from an elite strike team led by a mind-controlled Jill Valentine. An unexpected rescue operation organized by Albert Wesker pairs Alice with seasoned operatives Ada Wong and Leon S. Kennedy to facilitate her escape.

‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’ (2017)

Written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, this movie concludes the narrative arc centered on Alice and her war against the Umbrella Corporation. Alice receives a transmission from the Red Queen revealing that an airborne anti-virus is stored beneath Raccoon City that can wipe out every infected creature. Facing a tight deadline, Alice returns to the ruins of the Hive to stop Umbrella leadership from wiping out humanity’s final surviving outposts. The mission forces Alice to confront shocking revelations regarding her true identity and defeat the corporate leadership behind the initial global outbreak.

‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’ (2021)

Directed by Johannes Roberts, this reboot reimagines the origins of the franchise by adapting narrative elements from Capcom’s first two video games. Set in 1998, the story follows Claire Redfield as she returns to her decaying hometown to warn her estranged brother Chris about toxic experiments conducted by Umbrella. As contaminated groundwater turns the municipal population into aggressive monsters, the town quickly descends into chaos. A small group of local law enforcement officers, including rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and operative Jill Valentine, must fight their way through the Spencer Mansion and local police station to survive.

‘Resident Evil’ (2026)

Directed by Zach Cregger from a screenplay co-written with Shay Hatten, this upcoming feature serves as the next cinematic entry in the storied franchise. The production unites producers Robert Kulzer, Roy Lee, and PlayStation Productions to craft a new live-action interpretation of the survival horror property. Sony Pictures has scheduled the theatrical debut for September 18, 2026, marking the franchise’s return to the big screen after a five-year hiatus. While specific plot details remain under development, the film aims to bring a distinct creative direction to the cinematic universe.

Share your thoughts on the ‘Resident Evil’ film franchise and your expectations for the future in the comments.