A Comprehensive Guide to Watching the Resident Evil Movies in Order
The Resident Evil franchise, based on the popular video game series by Capcom, has expanded significantly over the years, including multiple live-action and animated films. For fans looking to immerse themselves in the entire narrative, here’s a guide on how to watch the Resident Evil movies in chronological order.
Live-Action Resident Evil Movies in Chronological Order
The live-action films, starring Milla Jovovich as the central character Alice, follow a linear storyline. Here is the order in which you should watch them: Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012), and finally Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017). These films are direct sequels to each other, making it easy to follow the story in the order they were released.
It's worth noting that Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) is a reboot of the franchise and can be watched independently of the other live-action films. It features a new cast and a fresh start for the series.
Animated Resident Evil Movies in Chronological Order
The animated films, produced by Capcom, also have a distinct timeline. To watch these in chronological order, you should start with Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008), followed by Resident Evil: Damnation (2012), then Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017), and finally Resident Evil: Death Island (2023). These films are part of a separate continuity from the live-action series.
Resident Evil: Death Island, the most recent animated film, is a sequel to Resident Evil: Vendetta and is set in 2015, placing it between the events of Resident Evil 6 and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
Total Viewing Time
If you plan to watch all the live-action films, it will take approximately 9 hours and 46 minutes, or 11 hours and 17 minutes if you include the reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. For the animated films, you'll need to set aside around 6 hours and 24 minutes. Watching the entire franchise, including both live-action and animated films, would require a commitment of about 17 hours and 41 minutes.
While the Resident Evil films have received mixed reviews, they remain popular among fans of the franchise. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Resident Evil: Damnation is the highest-rated animated film, while Resident Evil: The Final Chapter tops the list among the live-action films on Metacritic.