Resident Evil Requiem's latest trailer gets everyone talking about "hot uncle" Leon Kennedy, including RE2 director Hideki Kamiya himself: "Uncle Leon, I hope you at least live a happy life in old age"

Resident Evil Requiem
(Image credit: Capcom)

Resident Evil is returning to Racoon City with the upcoming game Requiem, and a familiar face will be along for the ride. During The Game Awards 2025, Capcom revealed that Leon Kennedy will be joining newcomer Grace Ashcroft. He's older, but that hasn't stopped fans from continuing to thirst over the veteran Resident Evil protagonist.

In fact, talk of hot old Leon has gotten so extreme that even Resident Evil 2's director is weighing in.

Yes, the man who directed Leon's first outing has some thoughts on seeing Leon again. Taking to Twitter (as translated by Automaton Media), Hideki Kamiya posted about the reveal in a particularly existential way: "It's kind of alarming how Leon, Dante and Ryu are becoming old geezers' day by day."

In addition to Leon, Kamiya is referring to protagonists of Devil May Cry (which he also directed) and Street Fighter. It seems that perhaps Kamiya is reckoning with a character he helped shape slowly showing the passage of time.

Yet, even though so much time has passed since we last saw Leon, he seems to be back doing the same things. Namely, roundhouse kicking zombies and trying to put a stop to evil scientists. The more things change the more things stay the same it seems.

Well, hopefully Leon won't be doing this song and dance forever. At least that seems to be the wish of Kamiya, who writes, "Uncle Leon, I hope you at least live a happy life in old age."

What are the chances Requiem lets Leon get some rest after the credits roll?

Capcom says Resident Evil Requiem's "stalker" enemy will only be "a small part of the game," improving the worst thing about my favorite game franchise

Willa Rowe
Contributor

Willa Rowe is a queer games critic based in New York City whose writing has been featured in Endless Mode, Digital Trends, Kotaku, and more. She also hosts the Girl Mode podcast. When she isn’t talking games she can be found on Bluesky bemoaning the state of the New York Mets.

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