17 Sept 2026
Resident Evil (2002)
Resident Evil (2002) | The Most Successful Video Game Adaptation Ever? | Dark Talk
BONUS EPISODE - To celebrate the release of Zach Cregger’s upcoming Resident Evil reboot - and to shamelessly piggyback on all the searches - the Dark Talk crew revisit Resident Evil (2002), the action-horror film that launched one of cinema’s longest-running video game franchises. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson - the man behind such classics as Mortal Kombat and Event Horizon - this adaptation divided fans by creating an original story instead of faithfully adapting Capcom’s legendary survival horror games.
The journey to bring Resident Evil to the big screen was far from straightforward. After Constantin Film acquired the live-action movie rights in 1997, the project went through several different versions before becoming the 2002 horror action film starring Milla Jovovich. Early attempts included scripts from writer Alan B. McElroy and a much-discussed adaptation from legendary horror filmmaker George A. Romero.
Romero’s involvement remains one of the most fascinating “what if?” stories in video game movie history. After directing a commercial for Resident Evil 2 in 1998, Romero was approached to write and direct a feature adaptation. His screenplay stayed much closer to the original game, featuring Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine as the leads, along with familiar characters including Barry Burton, Rebecca Chambers, Albert Wesker and Ada Wong. The story focused heavily on the Spencer Mansion, the Umbrella Corporation and the creatures from the game, including the iconic Tyrant.
However, Romero’s version was ultimately rejected. Producers felt the script was extremely violent and expensive, with concerns that it would receive the restrictive NC-17 rating. Constantin Film also felt that adapting only the first game would feel outdated once later Resident Evil titles had been released. Romero reportedly wrote several drafts before the project moved in a different direction.
After several abandoned versions, filmmaker Paul W. S. Anderson became attached to the project. Having previously directed the successful video game adaptation Mortal Kombat, Anderson saw the cinematic potential of Resident Evil and developed a new screenplay that would become the final film. Rather than directly adapting the games, Anderson created a new story set within the same universe. The film introduced Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, an original character who would become the central figure of the franchise - which although it moved away from the games’ original storyline, it became the foundation for one of the most successful video game movie franchises ever made.
During this episode we discuss:
● Our history with the Resident Evil games and why the franchise became so iconic.
● Paul W. S. Anderson’s adaptation and why it split fans of the games.
● Milla Jovovich’s debut as Alice and the creation of an original protagonist.
● The Umbrella Corporation, The Hive and the Red Queen AI.
● The laser corridor, zombie dogs, Lickers and the film’s best action sequences.
● How the movie differs from the original Resident Evil games.
● The cast, performances and memorable characters.
● Behind-the-scenes trivia and production stories.
● The unforgettable nu-metal soundtrack featuring Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Static-X and more.
● The legacy of the six-film Resident Evil series.
● Our hopes for Zach Cregger’s upcoming Resident Evil reboot.
● Final thoughts, ratings and whether the film still holds up today.
Let us know your memories and favourite moments from Resident Evil! And if you enjoyed the episode, please consider leaving us a rating or review as it helps more horror fans find us!
Dark Talk is the podcast where we explore horror, cult cinema, sci-fi and exploitation films through reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, film making discussions and movie history.
The Cast:
● Mila Jovovich as Alice
● Michelle Rodriguez as Raine
● Eric Mabius as Matt
● James Purefoy as Spence
If you enjoyed this episode of Dark Talk, why don’t you check out other episodes:
● The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974): https://darktalk.substack.com/p/the-living-dead-at-manchester-morgue (https://darktalk.substack.com/p/the-living-dead-at-manchester-morgue)
● Disturbing Behaviour (1998): https://darktalk.substack.com/p/disturbing-behaviour-1998-029 (https://darktalk.substack.com/p/disturbing-behaviour-1998-029)
● Kill List (2011): https://darktalk.substack.com/p/kill-list-2011 (https://darktalk.substack.com/p/kill-list-2011)
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