Resident Evil

Genre: Horror/Action/Video Game.

Studio: Unknown.
Production Company: Constantin Films.

Project Phase: Script Stage.

Who's In It: Unknown.
Who's Making It: George Romero (Director, Screenwriter); Berd Eichinger (Producer); Ennio Morricone (Musical Score, unconfirmed); based upon the Capcom video game Resident Evil.

Premise: Something evil and not human lurks in the forests outside Raccoon City. Members of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Squad) are called in to investigate a series of gruesome murders that happened on the outskirts of town. When they investigate strange happenings at a deserted mansion in the woods, they instead find a horror from beyond the grave. A secret organization dubbed 'Umbrella' has unleashed a biological experiement that's turned their workers into the living dead. and now these zombies want to expand their ranks.

Release Date: Somewhere between Fall 1999/Summer 2000.

Developments:

Mid July, 1998... Legendary horror director George Romero announces he will both write and direct this film.

Comments: Resident Evil has made a huge splash in the arena of video games. Originally a Sony PlayStation game that was later adapted to the PC market, RE has spawned a sequel and a Director's Cut, complete with even more gruesome graphics. In the game you play one of the STAR cops who are fighting for their lives against hordes of undead in a deserted mansion in the middle of the woods and dead of the night. The game's creepy and most importantly, fun to play. Here's the best summation on why so from Nick R., a scooper:

"For those unfamiliar with the game, it would make a pretty excellent movie if they got it right; the plot involves a crack team of 'special agents' investigating bizarre murders outside 'Raccoon City'. They end up in a huge mansion and soon find out that it's the cover for a series of genetic experiments resulting in the creation of zombies and other more outlandish monsters - including the game's eventual 'boss' creature - the distinctly trouser-wetting 'Tyrant'. Although the game has you choosing between Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine as the main character, there are a host of other characters who get offed fairly early on in the game - most of them before the end of the intro sequence! Whatever happens, the game succeeded by (a) exploiting video gaming's current obsession with blood and gore, and (b) successfully imitating the creepy atmosphere of those 'serious' zombie movies like Romero's etc. If this film was made, it would have to be an R. And despite the burgeoning demographic of video game players, aren't they all (as far as Hollywood is concerned) 14 years old? Still, Sony are Sony and the Resident Evil license has proved immensely popular in Japan (where it is known as Biohazard)."

To give you some idea of the popularity of the game...Resident Evil was Capcom's biggest-selling game. Ever.

Rumors: Resident Evil is also known as Biohazard in Japan, but from what we were able to discern the film's producers are calling it Resident Evil for the moment. That one small confusion is enough to throw hundreds of thousands of fans into a collective state of disarray, but when you consider the amount of rumors we've heard thrown about around this picture, no wonder fans are totally mixed up about the project. Here, then, is CA's Resident Evil rumor control and fact-checking run-down. We at least deserve a game for this!

Scoop Feedback:

March 29, 1998... Coming Attractions Resident Evil film page is online:

Constantin Films, the German film production company that also made the never-released Fantastic Four picture for Roger Corman, owns the film rights to the property. Presently the screenwriter working on it is Alan McElroy (scrrenwriter of Spawn).

In early spring of 1997, screenwriter Alan McElroy landed the writing gig. [Thanks to 'icehawk', Christian, 'kcswan', 'Widgett', 'wrobert' and Richard Hudson for identifying the corpse.]

In May of last year, German film magazines reported Constatin Films had aquired the film rights to the property. A budget of $25 million was mentioned in some of these magazines.

POSTER #1 _____________________ POSTER #2

Then, from about September 1997 onward, a enigmatic poster (POSTER #1) thought to be from the actual project made the rounds on the Internet. While it generated huge attention from the gamers, it also had the effect of confusing them.

Around this time rumors began to trickle in that Bruce Campbell (Army of Darkness) would be in the film...then he changed his mind. A director named George Sluizer was linked to it, then he wasn't. Then the first production poster was sent to us... [Gnawed at by James Furlong.]

Soon after that poster started making the rounds on the 'net, the rumors changed. Now Jason Patric had been cast in the film as the game's male lead, Chris Redfield, and Samantha Mathis as tough-woman Jill Valentine. Even though it wasn't true, lotsa people told us it was. Worse, dozens of video game magazines all over the world picked up the rumor and helped spread it! [Outnumbered 100 to 1 by zombies are Mike Smith, 'dn09', Nick R., 'Seamus', 'songbird', 'johndethx', 'evilres83'.]

Then another poster (POSTER 2) made its way to us. Now, as far as we can tell, both Poster #1 and #2 were made by unknown fan(s) of the game and not from the company that bought the film rights. Notice the credits are all blurred out at both posters bottoms? Look at the detail on the treetops silhouetted by the setting sun? They're crisp and easily distinct. That shouldn't be the case if this was truly a digitized photo of a poster; and if not, then the film credit block should be discernable. And, of course, the tag line font is completely different in the two works. Nice work, but it just ain't the real thing. [Villagers seen with torches coming up the path include Mary Hammond, 'pwyatt'. Special thanks to James Furlong and 'pwyatt' for Poster #1, Mike for Poster #2.]

Once the Patric rumor picked up momentum (which didn't take long; this project is has a ton of fans behind it), the Internet Movie Database's Resident Evil page went online. It said the film had been already in the can, then was later corrected to say it would be shooting shortly. Again, more confusion was generated, and even with the IMDb's excellent attention to detail, the information became distorted and changed as it was passed from one person to another. Scoops were coming in as late as January '98 that the film was scheduled to open in March '98. [Raised from the dead are 'Dr. Creaux', anonymous.]

When the Resident Evil 2 game was released in December of 1997, there was a blurb on the cover saying there was soon to be a Resident Evil picture and included a contest entry slip that the game buyer would fill out to win a walk-on part in the forthcoming film, due back no later than April 15, 1998. This has no doubt caused the more potent of the rumors, that the film was shooting very shortly or was already being filmed, to spread again. We've seen dozens of emails from CA readers asking if the film was shooting in the middle of April because of the contest entry's deadline. ['venom8', 'jrlaffoo' 'Scaleb', 'RioRana', 'FanBoy1/2', Mark H., 'Dr. Creaux', 'iptthfu', 'Militia_12'and anonymous are all turning a horrific shade of green...]

The latest issue of Fangoria magazine (April 1998) said that McElroy hasn't finished the script yet and a director had yet to be found for the project. [Thanks to our man 'V.V.' for the scoop.]

Then a rumor began that George Romero (director of the Dead trilogy of zombie films) wanted the directing job. Indeed, Film Threat magazine picked up the rumor and covered it in their January issue. While we can't think of a better pick, we believe this is a rumor started by fans dreamcasting for the picture. We've never seen anything official from Mr. Romero...yet. [Mutilated remains thought to be from James, 'e-man'.]

This scooper heard a rumor that Romero did helm the Japanese commercials for RE2, but we haven't been able to confirm that. [Only these people made it out of those woods alive tonight: 'mola-ram', 'benson'.]

Resident Evil
is not filming at present. McElroy's script isn't complete just yet. No one has been cast in the movie. We know these things. Now let us go play the game.

[Finally, the hordes of screaming Resident Evil players have forced us to craft a page for this project. Many thanks to these legions of undead gamers: 'nitemare', 'Vincent Vega' and the many anonymous senders who eagerly await the movie one day...]

April 7, 1998... Thanks to all the RE2 gamers who confirmed that Romero did indeed direct the game's Japanese commercial. But Art Santana and an anonymous user went a step further. They gave us a URL where we can download two different Quicktime format of the commercials that can't be shown in America due to an exclusive agreement with Capcom Japan.

[Thanks to 'Monkeyboy', 'h0l', 'cilano' and anonymous for the confirmation.]

As for directing the feature, Romero flat out states he's interested in the gig in ish #171 of Fangoria. ['Bomberg', 'cnicker' and Nicholson bring us the corpse.]

April 12, 1998... PSM Online reported late last week that the film's key crew positions had been filled. The film's producer is Bernd Eichinger, the German film producer who also brought to the big screen last year's Smilla's Sense of Snow picture. The director won't be George Romero but instead George Sluizer. Sluizer's directed the films The Comissioner, Crimetime, and The Vanishing. Alan McElroy still has screenwriting credit. Production is scheduled to commence this November. [Thanks to 'gsimm' for passing the word; originally reported by PSM Online.]

May 12, 1998... Although he directed the Japanese commercial for this game, and a 'making of' video will be available in Japan for purchasers of the game, George Romero has no connection with any feature film project related to the game. End of story. ['Jet Jaguar' helped us out with this one.]

July 11-21, 1998... According to our records, the website DVD Review was the first to break word about George Romero confirming plans to direct Resident Evil.

This is taken from the site's interview with Romero, posted last week:

"After all this technical talk, we then had the chance to meet with George A. Romero. The horror meister who brought us horror cult classics like Night Of The Living Dead, Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead, among others. It was very exciting to hear him talking about his plans for the next installment of the Dead series. Yes folks, you read this right. George Romero is currently working out the financing details to finally realize the next part in his zombie installment. This is no rumor any more. He is now actively pursuing the project. 'First I will do Resident Evil however', he says and once again lightning struck. Only last week, he signed the contract to write and direct the infamous and highly anticipated Resident Evil movie after months of uncertainty and negotiations."

That would place the date Romero signed the contract at about the start of July. 'DWP' said that Romero made the announcement at the July VSDA (DVD) Las Vegas convention and that he's also penning a new script for it. Since then the story's been widely reported on the Internet (we just felt like moving like a zombie for this one scoop.) Looks like the McElroy script is out. [Credit should first go to 'Jiven' for being the first to report the scoop. Additional thank yous to: 'DPW', 'JHunter', 'jraysen', Jamie, 'UberNeuman', D. Walt, 'Bub', 'dmorrell', 'prozac', 'cserb', 'melaugh', 'kch', 'Ben Grimm', 'AoD137', 'MikeA1129', 'slydr2000', David, and many anonymous letter writers.]

August 30, 1998... Well well well. If our scooper's overheard rumor turns out to be correct, it seems that Sarah Michelle Gellar (from TV's Buffy, the Vampire Slayer series) has been offered the Rebecca Chambers role in the Resident Evil film. Will she or won't she? ['Psycho Dave' loves blastin' 'dem zombies to pieces.]

September 22, 1998... DPW comes back with a caution against recent information making its way round the Net: "It appears that the same clown that said that Brent Spiner would be in Alien Resurrection and David Duchovny would be in MIB2 has posted on the IMDB that Jennifer Love Hewitt is playing Rebecca Chambers and Maxine Bahns is playing Jill Valentine in the movie Resident Evil. Don't belive anything you hear that says this is true cuz' its not." [Thanks to DPW for setting the record straight.]

i>December 14, 1998... We have been told "The release of the movie will correspond with the release of the third game. Romero says that the movie will be more of a horror flick. The movie would be targeted at an older audience ,mostly the fans of the games. George wants the movie to be inthe spirit of the game, dark and chilling. Romero says that the US release will get an R. HE wants to shoot it balls out which means there will be a harder version that will either be released in other countries or a Director's Cut will come to existence evantually.The plot will be based on that of the first game, with the STARS(Including Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine) and the mansion." [So spake DPW. And he had a big gun. So of course we believe him.]

Then there's this casting rumor: "A source very close to me, who works at Warner Brothers claims that a certain star that appears on a certain vampire slaying show this has been approached this past month to play both Rabecca Chambers and Jubilie in two certain upcoming movies." Wouldn't Sarah Michelle Gellar be afraid of getting typecast as "that girl who kills undead things"? Whatever. [Thanks to 'psychodave1']

Oh, and then there's this casting rumor, while we're on the subject: Christopher Walken as the evil Wesker? Hmmm. [Thanks to 'red']

As for when to expect the film (and if what's above is true the third game)? The IMDB is telling us October of 2000. [Originally appeared in the IMDB; reported by 'bensonb']

Then anonymously were given a pointer to this little gem . Supposedly from a 20th Century Fox member magazine. Notice the release date at the bottom... [Thanks to anonymous for the tip]

We received many a summary of the film, reportedly from PlayStation Magazine (PSM). SPOILERS abound, so swipe if you wish: It starts off like the game does: people getting attacked by monsters in Raccoon Forest. The government sends in a SWAT team that gets killed. Then they grab Wesker out of an asylum, where he was for some unexplained reason. He is instructed to break into the lab in the forest presumably to rescue scientists. Wesker recruits Barry, Chris, Jill, and Brad to help him. But unknown to the rest of the team, Brad is replaced by Mike who is trying to find his girlfriend Becky who was in the first SWAT team. They again follow the game, and set down in the forest, are attacked by mutated dogs, and make it to the mansion. Inside they fight all of the monsters from the game (cerebrus', zombies, spiders, bees, etc...) near the end, only Jill and Chris are alive and they reach the lab to find a scientist who tells the plot. The whole team was to be infected with the T-Virus and then set out to spread the virus to the world. They grab the antidote and get out of the lab before it explodes. Then they are attacked by the Tyrant (actually a mutated Wesker). They dispense with him, take the antidote, and walk off. The movie will involve some of the classic items from the game including: the cerebrus' jumping through the windows in the hall and the zombie turning its head to look at you. As of now, it looks like the movie will be an 'R' but unfortunately 20th Century Fox might tone the gore down, to make it 'PG-13' so that they can make more money by letting younger viewers see it." And what's this we hear about a shower scene involving Jill Valentine? [Thanks to anonymous, 'Vamp90210', 'e-man']

December 26, 1998... And we had this comment come across the wire: "The release date at Movietunes.com says the film is due out October 2000. Jesus, why do they wait until the popularity to disappears to bring out the movie. Can we say Street Fighter?" An interesting point. Will the market still be there when the film arrives? Granted, the comparison hopefully isn't valid because Street Fighter sucked rocks and this film will rock, right? Er, right? [Thanks to 'BV1979' for the commentary]

Still, the smart money is betting on that late summer/early fall 2000 release date. That's when the third Resident Evil video game would be most likely released. Can you say 'tie-in'?

Meanwhile, last month at Philicon, Tom Savini spoke about the possibility of working on Romero's next flick. After speaking to Mr. Savini, the implication our reader got was that Tom expected to participate in Resident Evil but that he is not. Now, it's true that Romer usually calls Tom at the last minute to bring him on-board, and so the door isn't completely shut on his involvement with RE...but still, the impression our man got was that he wouldn't be working on the picture. [Go on, just ask Jeff Spivack.]

January 4, 1998... An old rumor is further laid to rest by the man himself. But is another old rumor kicked back to life again? Probably not. We received this: "On Bruce Campbell's official homepage, he answers the question of whether or not he's in Resident Evil thusly: "I AM NOT INVOLVED WITH THAT FILM IN ANY WAY. JASON PATRICK HAS THE LEAD (CHRIS) OPPOSITE SAMANTHA MATHIS." Does he know something we don't, or did he fall for those early rumors about Jason Patrick?" Since we can't imagine The Bruce being fallible enough to fall for a simple rumor, we're going to say that he was just messing with everyone's heads. After all, he is...The Bruce. [Thanks to the anonymous for passing along the words of that eminent sage]

January 7, 1998... We have received word that Ennio Morricone has been tapped to score the project. [Reported by 'BV1979' while he was whistling a very familiar tune...]

January 12, 1999... We're told that something of interest to Resident Evil fans is in a certain video game magazine now on sale..."In the latest issue of EGM magazine George Romero said that he hasn't started filming and has only been working on the script for 3 weeks. No cast has been decided." [Thanks to the anonymous scooper]

January 14, 1999...We sit corrected. We've been informed anonymously that the Romero interview appeared in EGM, Electronic Gaming Monthly, not ECM, Esoteric Cartographers Monthly, as originally reported. We apologize for any confusion and only hope that ECM appreciates the sudden increase of sales for this week; nevertheless, we've corrected our January 12 entry. [Correction supplied by anonymous.]



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