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

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

From the underground laboratories of Raccoon City to global post-apocalyptic wastelands and new cinematic reboots, the series features 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, this action horror film introduces Alice, an amnesiac protagonist played by Milla Jovovich. Alice awakens in a secluded mansion that hides 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 outbreak triggers a deadly lockdown controlled by the Red Queen artificial intelligence. The group battles genetically modified creatures and reanimated personnel in a desperate effort to escape before the facility is permanently sealed.

‘Resident Evil: Apocalypse’ (2004)

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

‘Resident Evil: Extinction’ (2007)

Directed by Russell Mulcahy, the third installment shifts the story to the desolate desert wastes of Nevada following the collapse of global civilization. Alice travels alone across the wasteland to evade Umbrella satellites tracking her increasingly powerful telekinetic abilities. She encounters a convoy of human survivors led by Claire Redfield and Carlos Olivera as they search for fuel and safety. 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 Isaacs’ underground base 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 begins with an assault on the subterranean Umbrella headquarters in Tokyo. After losing her superhuman abilities to corporate chairman Albert Wesker, Alice travels across North America in search of a promised safe zone called Arcadia. She finds an amnesiac Claire Redfield in Alaska before heading to a burning Los Angeles, where a small group of survivors is trapped atop a maximum-security prison. Alice collaborates with the survivors, including Claire’s brother Chris Redfield, to break through the surrounding undead horde and reach a cargo vessel anchored offshore.

‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ (2012)

Written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the fifth film traps Alice in a vast, submerged testing facility beneath the icy waters of northern Russia. The complex features life-sized holographic simulations of major cities designed to showcase biological weapon attacks to potential global buyers. Alice must survive these simulated environments while evading 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 film concludes Alice’s narrative arc and her battle against the Umbrella Corporation. Alice receives a transmission from the Red Queen revealing that an airborne anti-virus is stored beneath Raccoon City, capable of eliminating every infected creature. Facing a tight deadline, Alice returns to the ruins of the Hive to prevent Umbrella leadership from eradicating humanity’s final surviving outposts. The mission forces Alice to confront shocking revelations about 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 franchise’s origins 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 town’s population into aggressive monsters, chaos ensues. 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 create a new live-action interpretation of the survival horror property. Sony Pictures has scheduled the theatrical release for September 18, 2026, marking the franchise’s return to the big screen after a five-year hiatus. While specific plot details are still 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.