With three adaptations in the last year alone, the Milla Jovovich-led movies of old are decidedly done and dusted these days. The latest dive into the Resi-verse will see yet another Netflix-produced stab at the IP, telling a fresh story from within the bowels of Umbrella and introducing a new protagonist in Ella Balinska‘s Jade Wesker. Of course, while there’s plenty of new stuff this time around, the showrunner behind this Resident Evil show assures the adventure is still very much steeped in the lore of the beloved Capcom franchise.

Speaking in a recent interview with GamesRadar+, showrunner and executive producer Andrew Dabb explained that while the “Netflix version of Resident Evil” will be different from the movies and video games we’ve experienced thus far, all the characters, places, and events depicted in the source material are confirmed to completely exist in this story. “The games are our backstory,” Dabb said, “Everything that happened in the games exists in this world.”

“So the village is there. We might not get there until season 5, but it’s in our world… The movies are a different story, but everything in the games is a backstory for the show.”

One of the most apparent changes experienced in the Resident Evil show is found with Albert Wesker, a frequent baddie in the RE universe, who is usually portrayed as a white character. Instead, Lance Reddick, a Black actor, has decidedly fulfilled the role of Wesker, a move that Dabb suggested was an incredible get for the project. He went as far as to say the Netflix version may have been considerably “weaker” if the fan-favorite actor wasn’t involved.

“When Lance was interested in doing the part, well you’re not gonna find anybody better,” Dabb said. “Once that clicked into place, you’re not going to do better. So at that point, you’re making the show weaker if you go with someone who may be more aesthetically a match to the game. Why would you weaken the show like that? It makes no sense to me.”

The Resident Evil show runner further explained that while a more traditional narrative could have gone over well with some fans (especially as other video game shows devolve into a hot mess), this new story has the benefit of existing alongside the lore that was built before. ​”This is the most alive IP out there because there are games and movies and TV shows and anime all coming out at the same time, plus novels and comic books,” Dabb explained. “And so for us, it was like, ‘Okay, let’s go and carve our own path while acknowledging everything else’.”

For now, there’s no telling how closely this new Resident Evil show will connect with the source material, but Netflix has been dropping a few teasers in the last few weeks. We know numerous monsters are set to stalk the series’ scenes, such as giant spiders, zombie dogs, and gruesome lickers. While focusing on the likes of Wesker and his children, a number of easter eggs are also expected to feature throughout the upcoming eight-episode run.

The Resident Evil show premieres July 14th on Netflix.

What do you think? Are you excited to see how the Resident Evil show will connect to the games, or are you not so sure about this adaptation? ​Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day!​

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