We’ve been hearing so much recently about Netflix’s CG animated Resident Evil series, Infinite Darkness, that it can be tough to remember that the streaming service also has a live-action Resident Evil series in the works, too. But, thanks to Netflix’s Geeked Week, we finally our first major news about the show: Fringe and John Wick star Lance Reddick will play Resident Evil’s most iconic antagonist, Wesker.
Wesker made his first appearance in the 1998 PlayStation game Resident Evil 2, but has shown up many, many times since. He’s been a scientist, a spy, and a super-powered maniac determined to destroy all of humanity. Given that part of the show takes place in a future timeline — that’s the word Netflix used in the show’s official synopsis — where only 15 million humans have survived, Wesker may have gotten (most of) his wish. The other timeline will follow Wesker’s young daughters Jade and Billie Wesker after they move to New Raccoon City, where the zombie virus first breaks out.
Reddick will be the first person of colour to play (or voice) the role of Wesker. Additionally, the live-action series has added actors Ella Balinska, Tamara Smart, Siena Agudong, Adeline Rudolph, and Paola Nuñez in unknown roles.
Meanwhile, Netflix has also released the first three minutes of Infinite Darkness’ first episode, which, uh, shows a military operation that seems to be overseen by Wesker, but nothing else recognisable Resident Evil-y:
However, it does match the series’ official synopsis: “Six years ago (2000), the helicopter belonging to the U.S. special forces who were intervening in the Penamstan civil war fell from the sky. The U.S. Army Mad Dogs, who were in the same battleground, refused orders from the command centre to stand their ground and instead went to save survivors of the crash. However, the special forces were already annihilated. The Mad Dogs, led by their captain Jason, were also forced to escape in order to survive. However, in that place, Jason and his unit saw the supposedly dead special forces moving in strange ways…
“Meanwhile, while staying in Penamstan to provide support for refugees, Terra Save staff member Claire Redfield encounters a strange image drawn by a nonverbal boy. Haunted by this drawing, which appears to depict a victim of viral infection, Claire starts her own investigation. She eventually finds a terrifying experiment that was conducted during the Penamstan civil war. Leon and Claire draw closer to an unimaginable truth that all began in Penamstan. They also discover that a terror that can shatter peace is slowly approaching…”
And don’t forget Leon is dealing with a “hacking incident” at the White House while Claire’s investigation is going on. It’ll be interesting to see how the two stories are connected when Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness premieres on Netflix on July 8, starring the Resident Evil 2 remake’s Nick Apostolides and Stephanie Panisello as Leon and Claire, respectively. As for the live-action series, which will be helmed by Supernatural’s Andrew Dabb, we’ll just have to wait and see.