teaser trailer Resident Evil: Death Island hit the internet on Tuesday. Set for a summer 2023 release, the new CG-animated film will follow up on 2017’s Resident Evil: Vendetta, serving as the fourth film overall in the animated tie-ins of Capcom’s formative survival horror series.
Starting with Resident Evil: Degeneration in 2008, these CG animated films told new stories set in the universe of the original Resident Evil games. Each one so far has focused on Leon S. Kennedy as the main character supported by cast members from both the games and new to the movies, Degeneration followed up with Resident Evil: Damnation in 2012, and Resident Evil: Vendetta in 2017.
Now six years later, Resident Evil: Death Island picks up where Vendetta left off. The new trailer, originally posted by IGN, shows that Leon will return, now sporting a noticeably similar look to his casual outfit from the upcoming remake of Resident Evil 4. Chris Redfield can also be seen, and the trailer also indicates that Rebecca Chambers will return. Having played her previous role in Vendetta. However, the most exciting part for fans is definitely the surprise appearance of Jill Valentine at the end of the teaser.
The exact role Jill and all the others will play in this story remains unknown. IGN’s description of Death Island describes a story involving a zombie outbreak in San Francisco that may have originated on Alcatraz Island. Being the apparent “Island of Death” from the movie’s title, the plot will see characters converge on the place to unravel the mystery, potentially shooting hordes of the undead in the process.
Death Island is directed by Eiichiro Hasumi, who previously directed Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, the 2021 CG animated web series, for which he also contributed scenarios. Hasumi is also known for directing live-action assassination classroom films. Death Island will be scripted by Makoto Fukami, who wrote the aforementioned Resident Evil: Vendetta, and is also known for scripting the Psycho-Pass anime.
These Resident Evil CG projects have had their ups and downs in terms of reception by critics and audiences. How Death Island turns out remains to be seen once it lands this summer. Either way, the return of Leon and company will at least make for a proper accompaniment after the Resident Evil 4 remake arrives next month.
