New Resident Evil film won't feature Leon or Jill, director says

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Resident Evil movie director Zach Cregger says it would be "inorganic" to place the likes of Leon Kennedy and Jill Valentine into his "self-contained story."

"To try and shoehorn in any of those characters would feel inorganic to this self-contained story," Cregger told Empire magazine . "I have to put the story first and foremost."

"The concept here is that we're following an idiot," Cregger said, referring to movie protagonist Bryan (Austin Abrams) and, apparently, not my attempts to skulk around the Care Center unseen in Resident Evil: Requiem. "Not that he's stupid, but he's not your typical game character." The director says Bryan has "no combat skills whatsoever" and is "completely inept at survival."

If you've been paying attention recently, you'll know Cregger – who has already stamped his authority on the horror genre with Barbarian and Weapons – is keen to move away from plots and characters already covered in established Resident Evil canon.

"It's an entirely original story," Cregger explained to Entertainment Weekly last year. "When you watch it, you'll be like, 'This is very Zach.' It's just [that] it takes place in the Resident Evil world. I don't think fans of the games are gonna be bummed."

For his part, Cregger has already got plenty of Resident Evil credit to his name. He beat Requiem twice not long after release, and has even snuck in a Resident Evil 4 Easter egg that only diehards would have recognized.

Cregger also revealed to GamesRadar+ that, sadly, the Nemesis wouldn't feature – despite the events of the movie running "parallel" to Resident Evil 2. So, no, we're unlikely to be seeing S.T.A.R.S during the horror movie's runtime.

Resident Evil opens in cinemas on September 18. For more, check out the upcoming horror movies coming your way very soon.