These Forgotten 'Resident Evil' Movies Are Perfect To Watch Before Zach Cregger's New Film
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil (2026) hits theaters on September 18th and gives audiences a great jumping-on point to understand the horror and tension of the beloved game series. However, it's not inherently tied to any characters from the many games that make up the franchise.
While anyone could hop into this film with no knowledge, having a background will only enhance the experience. Instead of playing many video games to catch up, though, there are a few films set in the universe that no one talks about that give the best crash course of everything Resident Evil, from its monsters to its characters.
Resident Evil: Degeneration is set between the events of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, but follows the main characters of Resident Evil 2, Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy. The film follows these two as they navigate an airport during a T-virus zombie outbreak to uncover a mystery tied to the G-virus.
Degeneration is a great jumping-on point for new fans because even though it's set after the original games, the threats they face are from Resident Evil 2. The film gives you a crash course on zombies and the G-virus while also being introduced to Leon and Claire, and you don't feel lost.
Following the events of the divisive Netflix miniseries Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (2021), Resident Evil: Damnation follows Leon as he is trapped in a city caught up in a civil war and taken over by the Las Plagas parasite.
The film has incredible action and a fun story that captures all the best parts of Leon's past. It features Lickers, Tyrants, Las Plagas, and Ada Wong. It feels like a Resident Evil 4 game for people who can't play the game and perfectly sets up who Leon was at this time before the events of Resident Evil 6.
Resident Evil: Vendetta is set between Resident Evil 6 and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and introduces Chris Redfield to the movies for the first time. While he was there from the first game, this film doesn't miss a beat as he, the straight-laced military hero, must work with the jaded Leon to uncover a new virus.
This film has incredible action and showcases the best aspects of both heroes. But for newcomers, it also introduces us to Resident Evil 0's Rebecca Chambers and the A-virus, a new virus made in the movie that shows just how dangerous bioterrorism is in this universe. It's a great movie to understand the outrageous action and also how the world and its viruses always change.
Following the previous film, Resident Evil: Death Island (2023) is set in the same timeframe as Vendetta and sees many main heroes of all the games working together to stop another monstrous threat. We see Chris, Claire, Leon, Rebecca, and even Jill Valentine as they take on zombies, Lickers, and mutants in Alcatraz.
The film feels like a massive Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover where the heroes who rarely work together at the same time are facing down the same threat. As a result, Resident Evil: Death Island feels like a reward for watching the other movies and understanding the world. Now you can just have fun with it as they stop threats with bullets and explosives.
