Key Takeaways
- George A. Romero’s canceled Resident Evil adaptation will be explored in an upcoming documentary by Uncork’d Entertainment.
- Romero’s script for the film was rejected for straying from the game, leading to Paul W.S. Anderson’s adaptation.
- The documentary will feature archival footage and interviews with those involved, shedding light on Romero’s vision and influence.
Nicknamed the “Father of the Zombie Film”, George A. Romero’s Resident Evil adaptation project, which sadly never saw the light of day, is being made into an investigative documentary by Uncork’d Entertainment and its release date is just around the corner. Horror lovers will need no introduction, but for those that might, George A. Romero was the mastermind behind some of the world’s most iconic zombie films, which include the 1963 Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead. It’s fair to say that Romero firmly pushed the boundaries and birthed the modern zombie subgenre, inspiring many other filmmakers in his wake, like 28 Days Later director Danny Boyle and James Gunn’s inspiration for his 2006 movie, Slither.
It’s also a fair assumption that Capcom’s long-running Resident Evil games probably wouldn’t have happened without Romero’s incredible influence, who later hired him to direct a live-action trailer for Resident Evil 2 in late 1997. Not only did Romero have a huge impact on countless films and games, but he also starred in a few himself. In 2010, he made an appearance in Call of Duty: Black Ops as a powerful “boss” zombie wielding a movie studio light and also gave his voice to villain Dr. B. E. Vil in ACW Games’ Zombie Squash.
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Resident Evil Documentary Will Detail Romero’s Canceled Film Adaptation
George A. Romero’s Resident Evil documentary is directed and co-written by Brandon Salisbury, co-owner of Knights of the Dead Films. The upcoming investigative documentary aims to take fans back to 1998 when Constantin Film set out to bring Resident Evil to the big screen, exploring Romero’s attempt to adapt the popular video game series and why it sadly was never made. The insightful documentary will also showcase archival footage and interviews from people who were involved in the unmade film’s process. Romero’s script for the film was built on the lore of Capcom’s Resident Evil series and development was already in action by 1998, but according to Capcom’s producer at the time, Yoshiki Okamoto, Romero’s “script wasn’t good” as it strayed from the 1996 game, so he was subsequently fired.
In a disappointing turn of events for Romero, whose Living Dead films massively shaped the Resident Evil games, he found himself being taken over by another film director, Paul W.S. Anderson, whose adaptation was chosen instead, breathing life into 2002’s Resident Evil starring Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez. A teaser for George A. Romero’s Resident Evil documentary was shown off last year where Romero can be heard excitedly talking about his influence on the Resident Evil games and how he felt flattered at being involved in the adaptation. Keith Leopard, the president of Uncork’d Entertainment, who acquired distribution rights to the documentary, added, “This documentary pays homage to Romero’s incredible vision and the power of storytelling that transcends what could have been.”
For fans of the Resident Evil franchise, this is surely one not to be missed. George A. Romero’s Resident Evil documentary will be available on Digital and On Demand beginning January 7, 2025, in the US. However, a worldwide release hasn’t been confirmed as yet.
Source: Bloody Disgusting