Resident Evil Netflix series announced and here are the first story details

(Image credit: Capcom)

We’re heading back to Raccoon City. The Resident Evil Netflix series has been officially announced by the streaming service after reports last year indicated that a live-action show was in the works. But here’s the kicker: this is a completely new time period, one where the T-Virus has taken over.

As per Netflix, the Resident Evil series will operate on two timelines. “In the first timeline, fourteen-year-old sisters Jade and Billie Wesker are moved to New Raccoon City. A manufactured, corporate town, forced on them right as adolescence is in full swing. But the more time they spend there, the more they come to realize that the town is more than it seems and their father may be concealing dark secrets. Secrets that could destroy the world.”

The second timeline has a serious time jump, 16 years into the future and with a whole lot more zombies on the scene. “There are less than fifteen million people left on Earth,” reads the synopsis of the second timeline. “And more than six billion monsters -- people and animals infected with the T-virus. Jade, now thirty, struggles to survive in this New World, while the secrets from her past - about her sister, her father and herself - continue to haunt her.”

So, her father is definitely Albert Wesker, right? If so, this is one of the furthest leaps ahead into Resi canon in the series’ history. More iconic figures (and foes) from the series would even be on the way.

Showrunner Andrew Dabb, who previously worked on Supernatural, said: “I'm incredibly excited to tell a new chapter in this amazing story and bring the first ever Resident Evil series to Netflix members around the world. For every type of Resident Evil fan, including those joining us for the first time, the series will be complete with a lot of old friends, and some things (bloodthirsty, insane things) people have never seen before."

No release date of casting yet – it’s clearly very early days – but we do know the Resident Evil Netflix series will, for now, consist of eight hour-long episodes. In the meantime, check out some of the best shows on Netflix.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.