Fans of Capcom's renowned survival horror video game were ecstatic to recently learn that Sony was contemplating a reboot of the original Resident Evil film series, which starred Mila Jovovich.
Compared to the Jovovich/Paul W. S. Anderson-developed films, which included a number of original characters and story twists, the reboot is said to be far more true to the storyline of the Capcom video game franchise.
Recently, Austin Abrams (Euphoria) was offered the role of the male lead in the reboot, which is written and directed by Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Companion).
Now, a new report from World of Reel states that Anora award-winning actress Mikey Madison is now in talks for the female lead.
The unconfirmed plot of the film is said to center on, "a hapless courier (Abrams) tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital. He finds himself caught in the middle of an outbreak and must fight through hordes of mutated creatures to survive."
While the story line of the reboot is believed to be much more similar to that of the Capcom games, the setting does not sound like Spencer Mansion or Raccoon City, where the first two original Resident Evil games take place.
Following the $1.28 billion worldwide gross of six installments of the Anderson/Jovovich film series, Sony has spent the last few years grappling with finding a viable creative formula for the franchise's continuation.
Kaya Scodelario (Skins, The Gentlemen), Hannah John-Kamen ( Ant-Man and the Wasp, Thunderbolts*), Robbie Amell (Code 8, The Flash) led a 2021 film reboot, titled Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which grossed $42 million worldwide off a production budget of $25 million.
The film was also a critical failure, nixing any plans for a potential sequel.
Sony and Capcom then pivoted to Netflix with an 8-episode, live-action television series released in July 2022. It starred the late Lance Reddick as a clone of Albert Wesker, in an original story that contained elements of the video game series' storyline.
The upcoming Resident Evil reboot is currently set for release on Sept. 18, 2026. Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Army of the Dead) is co-writing alongside Cregger.
Given the anticipated influx of opportunities following Madison's awards run, it's worth noting she may not accept this role.
Stay tuned for further updates on the reboot, as the current release date for the film indicates that cameras will likely begin rolling shortly.