The Most Important Canon Resident Evil Movies And Shows

Though many people recognize Resident Evil for its games, this long-running series also features several movies and TV shows. Though the infamous Paul W.S. Anderson set of live-action movies are considered non-canon and completely separate from the main story, the CG films and shows have been said to be canonical by Capcom themselves. But how much do they really add to the wider lore and characters of the franchise?

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The truth is, these external stories vary wildly in how important they are to the main narrative of Resident Evil. However, there are definitely some that manage to do a great job at building on the characters and feeding into the stories of the games. With that being said, here is how each of Resident Evil’s canon movies and shows rank in terms of their importance to the wider universe, so that fans know which ones to prioritize.

5

Resident Evil: Degeneration

Shines Light On The Effects Raccoon City Had On Leon And Claire

Resident Evil: Degeneration

Release Date

February 13, 2008

Runtime

97 minutes

Though Resident Evil: Degeneration isn’t exactly necessary viewing for anyone looking to learn more about Resident Evil lore, it does provide some nice insight into Leon and Claire’s relationship a few years after the Raccoon City outbreak. There are several scenes in the movie where the two old friends reminisce on how the event has changed them, and how it has motivated them both to become big players in the fight against bioterror.

Degeneration also gives viewers a rare look at Leon in his early years as a US special agent, where he can be seen being a lot more stoic and serious before becoming the wisecracking action hero seen in Resident Evil 4. As a result, though Degeneration doesn’t add a lot to the lore, it instead prioritizes its characters who receive small bits of development throughout the story.

4

Resident Evil: Death Island

Fanservice With Small Nuggets Of Character Development

REsident Evil: Death Island very much feels like a celebration of the series’ protagonists, and therefore, it isn’t a movie that takes itself too seriously. Outside of all the heavy action scenes there are some intriguing character developments that have never been touched upon in the games, especially with Jill. Since the movie is set after the events of Resident Evil 5, this is the only time fans get to see how much guilt Jill holds after she was controlled by Wesker and forced to carry out his evil deeds.

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This movie also marks the first time in the series’ history that Leon and Jill come face to face, making for an incredible moment that all Resident Evil fans will want to see. Death Island is mostly about spectacle, but there are still some neat little lore nuggets dropped here and there that build upon the stories that came before it.

3

Resident Evil: Damnation

Highlights The Dangerous Potential Of B.O.W.s That’s Only Mentioned In The Mainline Series

Resident Evil: Damnation

Release Date

September 25, 2012

Runtime

101 minutes

After the Raccoon City fiasco seen in the second and third games, it was made clear that B.O.W.s and virus strains were being sold all around the world for terrorist governments to use for their own malicious purposes. Resident Evil: Damnation provides a clear example of this by focusing on a civil war being fought between not just humans, but mutants and zombies as well.

When Chris mentions at the beginning of Resident Evil 5 just how rampant this issue has become on an international scale, this movie paints a clear picture for players to experience first-hand how bio-weapons are being used, and the threat they pose to innocent lives. Damnation also dives deep into the on-and-off relationship between Leon and Ada, even more so than many of the games.

2

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Shows What Leon, Chris, And Rebecca Get Up To After Their Adventures

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Release Date

June 19, 2017

Runtime

1h37

Resident Evil: Vendetta is a pretty important piece of canon media in terms of character growth. Set after the events of Resident Evil 6, Vendetta shows the downward spiral that Leon finds himself being swept up in due to his many stressful years of fighting bioterrorism, which is a side of the character that is never shown in the games. At the same time, the movie emphasizes Chris’ newfound resolve as a member of the BSAA after he snapped out of his disillusionment throughout the sixth game.

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Of course, it’s also impossible to talk about Vendetta without also mentioning Rebecca Chambers; a crucially important character who, by this point, hadn’t been seen canonically since Resident Evil 0 back in 2002. There’s even a specific mention of Las Plagas in this movie, which was seen in the fourth game. All this comes alongside a new strain that allows mutants to differentiate between friend and foe, which is a huge deal In the context of the Resident Evil world.

1

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness

Contains Crucial Development For Leon And Claire’s Relationship

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness is a 4-episode TV series that is set about a year after Leon rescues Ashley in Resident Evil 4. By this point, Leon is a loyal agent of the President, and what Infinite Darkness explores in-depth is just how far his loyalty will go, and the impact it has on his and Claire’s friendship. By the end of the show, the two are at odds with one another due to their differing views on whether to expose a piece of secret information to the public or not, with Leon being a little more stubborn than usual.

This isn’t to say that Infinite Darkness makes Leon a villain. It adds a nice bit of complexity to his character which the games rarely ever touch on. Claire also gets a lot of focus in this movie, specifically on what her role is within TerraSave not long after she joins them. Tricell, the organization that Excella and Wesker join in Resident Evil 5, is also set up in this side-story. With all this being said, Infinite Darkness is definitely important for those who want to understand how and why the main cast have changed throughout the story, and what their motivations are going forward.

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