Resident Evil: Netflix series release date UK, cast with Ella Balinska - where can I watch the movies on TV?

Resident Evil, a new television adaptation of the popular survival horror video games, is coming to Netflix on Thursday 14 July.

The series, which stars Ella Balinska and Lance Reddick, will see Jade Wesker fight to survive in a post-apocalyptic landscape.

Here is everything you need to know about Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Resident Evil.

What is it about?

Netflix’s official synopsis explains that “Jade Wesker fights for survival in a world overrun by the blood-thirsty infected and mind-shattering creatures.”

“She’s haunted by her past in New Raccoon City, by her father’s chilling connections to the sinister Umbrella Corporation but mostly by what happened to her sister Billie…”

The series will unfold across two timelines. The first, set in 2022, will follow Jade as she begins to realise the enormity of what her father is doing with the Umbrella Corporation; the second, set over a decade later in 2036, will trace the repercussions of her father’s actions and see an older Jade fight to survive in the zombie apocalypse.

Who stars in Resident Evil?

Ella Balinska is playing Jade Wesker in 2038. You might recognise Balinska from roles in Charlie’s Angels or Run Sweetheart Run, but she’s also appeared in episodes of Casualty and Midsomer Murders.

Tamara Smart is playing the younger Jade Wesker in 2022. Smart has appeared in films like Artemis Fowl and A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, but she’s probably best known for her lead role in the CBBC series The Worst Witch.

Lance Reddick plays Albert Wesker, Jade’s father. Reddick is best known for television roles in Oz, Bosch, Lost, and Fringe, as well as for appearing in the John Wick films.

They’re joined by Adeline Rudolph, Siena Agudong (No Good Nick), Paola Nuñez (The Purge), Ahad Raza Mir (Parwaaz Hai Junoon), Connor Gossatti and Turlough Convery (Killing Eve) amongst others.

Who writes and directs Resident Evil?

Andrew Dabb is acting as lead writer and showrunner on Netflix’s Resident Evil. Prior to working on Resident Evil, Dabb was a writer and executive producer on Supernatural, writing 45 episodes between 2008 and 2020.

Bronwen Hughes (Better Call Saul, 13 Reasons Why, Breaking Bad, The Kids in the Hall) has directed the first two episodes of Resident Evil.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

When is Resident Evil being released?

All eight episodes of Resident Evil will be available to watch on Netflix from Thursday 14 July. The series is getting a box set binge-watch release, as is typical on Netflix.

How many episodes is Resident Evil?

There are set to be eight episodes in Resident Evil’s upcoming first season. Each will be an hour long.

Is it based on a video game?

Yes, it is. The first Resident Evil video game was released in 1996, and the franchise has only grown in popularity since – to date, there have been six sequels to that first video game, with a number of remastered versions also available.

The video games were then adapted as novels, comic books, and even a theatrical stageplay. There have also been six films starring Milla Jovovich, four of which were directed by Paul W S Anderson; more recently, there was an attempt at a reboot without Jovovich, but while that film enjoyed modest success it didn’t lead to any additional sequels.

Will there be a Resident Evil season 2?

As of yet, there’s been no official confirmation either way as to whether there’s going to be a second season of Resident Evil on Netflix.

Where can I watch or stream the Resident Evil movies?

So, there are seven Resident Evil movies, released every few years between 2002 and 2021.

Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) and the reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) are all available on demand on Sky and NOW TV. The final Anderson/Jovovich collaboration, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016), however, is not available on Sky and NOW TV. To watch that one for free, you’d need to use Virgin GO.

Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) is also available on Netflix, though the other films aren’t. They’re all also available to rent or buy from various different platforms, like Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and the Microsoft Store amongst others.

Why should I watch Resident Evil?

It’s one to watch if you’re a fan of the original games, with this Netflix series being advertised as closer in style and plot to those games compared to the various films. It might also be one for fans of Stranger Things, as some have suggested that the 2022 timeline with a 14 year old Jade Wesker might have a slightly Hawkins-esque vibe.