Summary
- “Resident Evil: Death Island” brings together five iconic heroes as they battle a dangerous new villain on Alcatraz.
- The movie is set between “Resident Evil 6” and “Resident Evil: Vendetta,” and before the events of “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.”
- Creators Eiichiro Hasumi, Makoto Fukami & Masachika Kawata explain how the film explores the legacy of the franchise while introducing new dynamics between the beloved characters, especially with the return of Jill.
Resident Evil: Death Island finally brings together five iconic Resident Evil heroes when Leon’s mission to track down the missing Dr. Antonio Taylor leads him to Alcatraz. Simultaneously, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, and Rebecca Chambers are investigating a new outbreak, with the only commonality between the infected being the island. The team will need to work together to take down a dangerous new villain with horrifying machinations that could make him their most dangerous enemy yet.
Resident Evil: Death Island is directed by Eiichiro Hasumi and written by Makoto Fukami. Resident Evil: Death Island is set in 2015, between Resident Evil 6 and Resident Evil: Vendetta, before the events of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The animated movie has a star-studded voice cast, including Matthew Mercer, Nicole Tompkins, Stephanie Panisello, Kevin Dorman, Erin Cahill, and Salli Saffioti.
Eiichiro Hasumi, Makoto Fukami & Masachika Kawata on Resident Evil: Death Island
Resident Evil: Death Island finally brings together five iconic Resident Evil heroes when Leon’s mission to track down the missing Dr. Antonio Taylor leads him to Alcatraz. Simultaneously, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, and Rebecca Chambers are investigating a new outbreak, with the only commonality between the infected being the island. The team will need to work together to take down a dangerous new villain with horrifying machinations that could make him their most dangerous enemy yet.
Resident Evil: Death Island is directed by Eiichiro Hasumi and written by Makoto Fukami. Resident Evil: Death Island is set in 2015, between Resident Evil 6 and Resident Evil: Vendetta, before the events of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The animated movie has a star-studded voice cast, including Matthew Mercer, Nicole Tompkins, Stephanie Panisello, Kevin Dorman, Erin Cahill, and Salli Saffioti.
FilmmakerFocus spoke with Resident Evil: Death Island director Eiichiro Hasumi, writer Makoto Fukami, and producer Masachika Kawata about their new
Masachika Kawata: We’ve been making animated movies for decades, but this time with Hasumi-san, I believe we have created the best film yet. With Jil as the main character, it’s probably the best animated movie of all time. So, we have successfully adapted the game into a remarkable film.
What were you most excited about bringing all these different characters together in this movie for the first time?
Makoto Fukami: Jill has been missing since RE 5, so it’s been a decade. I’m really excited to bring her back.
I actually have a question about Jill, so that works out. What did you want to explore with Jill in the aftermath of her losing herself to mind control and now coming back from that?
Masachika Kawata: We don’t have any future plans for Jill yet, but in this movie, we focused on her comeback. This opens up the possibility for her to return in other stories later on.
Zombies are such a popular horror genre. What do you think makes Resident Evil stand out from other zombie properties?
Masachika Kawata: The Resident Evil franchise has been around for 30 years now, three decades. What’s unique about it is that the characters age along with the fan base. So the fans and the characters are experiencing the same journey together. This is one of the reasons why the fans love it so much, because they feel like they’re a part of it.
Makoto Fukami: Another thing that sets this franchise apart from other zombie movies is the inclusion of BOWs or bio organic weapons. These weapons were developed early on in the game and they serve as a means of making money. It’s not just humans, but also these BOWs that add a different element to the horror and zombie genre.
Yeah, which is terrifying. 100% was terrified by the virus stuff going on in this movie. How do you balance capturing the legacy of Resident Evil especially with the games while bringing something new and unique to the world with the movie?
Eiichiro Hasumi: The animated films are all canon to the game, so we always make sure that the decisions we make for each character align with the game’s history. We have a chart of the game’s timeline that we refer to in order to keep everything current and consistent.
I found the villains so compelling in this because you do such a great job of making the audience understand their motivation. Can you tell me a little bit about the inspiration for this film?
Eiichiro Hasumi: The inspiration for this film comes from the…
In this movie, we wanted to create a unique challenge for our five main characters. They are physically strong, so it seemed impossible for them to be defeated. However, we wanted to introduce a villain who could challenge them on a philosophical level, beating them in terms of logic and reasoning. This added an interesting dynamic to the story and made it more engaging for the audience.
One of the biggest challenges we faced was finding a balance between the five legendary characters. We wanted to give each of them enough time to shine and satisfy their individual fan bases. At the same time, we wanted to celebrate the coming together of all five stars. It was a difficult task, but ultimately rewarding.
When it comes to the different dynamics between the protagonists, there were many enjoyable moments. One that stands out is when Leon and Chris have a conversation and Leon jokingly says, “I need a vacation.” It’s a relatable moment that adds some humor to the story.
Another favorite moment is when Jill manages to escape and Leon and Chris confidently declare, “We got Jill.” It’s a powerful moment that showcases their unity and determination.
For me, personally, the most fun part was the meeting between Jill and Leon and the subsequent dialogue between them. It added depth to their characters and was a joy to explore.
Overall, this movie delves into the effects of trauma and the continuous warzone these characters have been living in. It explores the impact this world has had on them after fighting for so long. It’s an aspect of the story that I found particularly impressive and exciting to explore.
Eiichiro Hasumi: So the villain in the Raccoon City he kills its buddy, but after that there’s nothing in this movie that is depicted. Meanwhile you can easily remember the fact that Raccoon City was bombed. So maybe he was trying to find justice, but couldn’t make it and then his mind got twisted. So we’re asking the audience to think about it and how he came to that.
About Resident Evil: Death Island
Resident Evil: Death Island takes place between the events of Resident Evil 6 and Resident Evil: Vendetta. Leon S. Kennedy is on a mission to track down the missing scientist Dr. Antonio Taylor, while at the same time Chris Redfield, Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Rebecca Chambers are investigating a new outbreak that leads them to Alcatraz. These five iconic characters will come together for the first time on screen to fight their most dangerous enemy yet.
Check out our interview with Resident Evil: Death Island Matthew Mercer, Stephanie Panisello, and Nicole Tompkins.
Resident Evil: Death Island is available on Blu-Ray, 4k Steelbook, Digital, and DVD now.
