Watch order
Resident Evil film & TV timeline
Live-action films, Netflix series, and Capcom-linked CGI movies in US release order—with separate canon layers (Anderson, reboot film, Netflix, game-adjacent animation) and a clear split from the games timeline on Resident Evil games timeline.
Release order
When each Resident Evil film or series premiered in the US—one entry per theatrical film, CGI movie, or full season drop. The Paul W.S. Anderson six-film arc (2002–2017) is its own universe; Welcome to Raccoon City, Netflix, and the CGI line are separate branches.
- Anderson movies only → 2002 → Apocalypse → Extinction → Afterlife → Retribution → Final Chapter
- Game-adjacent CGI → Degeneration → Damnation → Vendetta → Infinite Darkness → Death Island (optional)
- Reboot era → Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) OR Netflix series (2022)—not connected to each other
- Newcomers → pick one universe; do not mix Anderson Alice plot with Netflix Wesker daughters
Story order tips
When events happen in each adaptation's fiction—Anderson's Alice timeline, Welcome to Raccoon City's 1998 reboot, Netflix's 2022 and 2036 split, and CGI side stories that loosely track game-era Leon and Claire. None of these entries merge into Capcom game Story order on Resident Evil games timeline.
- Anderson films → Alice-focused sci-fi arc—not game canon
- Welcome to Raccoon City → 1998 game reboot film—standalone
- Netflix → New Raccoon City 2022 and post-outbreak 2036—cancelled after one season
- CGI films → optional Leon/Claire side stories near RE4–RE6 game eras—FAQ on games page
Story order
When events happen in each adaptation's fiction—Anderson's Alice timeline, Welcome to Raccoon City's 1998 reboot, Netflix's 2022 and 2036 split, and CGI side stories that loosely track game-era Leon and Claire. None of these entries merge into Capcom game Story order on Resident Evil games timeline.
- Anderson films → Alice-focused sci-fi arc—not game canon
- Welcome to Raccoon City → 1998 game reboot film—standalone
- Netflix → New Raccoon City 2022 and post-outbreak 2036—cancelled after one season
- CGI films → optional Leon/Claire side stories near RE4–RE6 game eras—FAQ on games page
Timeline
When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.
Release order
Resident Evil
TheatricalFilmAndersonPaul W.S. Anderson’s first film drops amnesiac Alice into the Hive beneath Raccoon City as the T-virus turns Umbrella staff into zombies. Milla Jovovich’s Alice becomes the saga’s spine—Umbrella branding and undead horror, not Capcom’s 1998 mansion plot.
- Overview
- Screen Gems’ live-action launch traded survival-horror puzzles for sleek corridor action and the Red Queen AI. It locked Alice as an original protagonist and set the tone for five Anderson sequels that name-check game icons without adapting their stories beat-for-beat.
- Related games
- Separate Hollywood universe—borrows Umbrella and zombies, not game plot. For Capcom’s Raccoon City 1998, use Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- Start here only if you want the Anderson Alice saga. Skip for Netflix, Welcome to Raccoon City, or game-adjacent CGI—those are different branches.
- Premiere dates
- US theatrical premiere March 15, 2002 (Screen Gems / Constantin Film); later home video and streaming.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
TheatricalFilmAndersonAlice returns as Raccoon City collapses under a full citywide outbreak, with Nemesis hunting survivors in the streets. Jill Valentine joins the Anderson cast for a louder, more comic-book sequel that still ignores Capcom’s RE3 storyline.
- Overview
- Alexander Witt directs while Anderson stays on story—scale jumps from Hive corridors to downtown chaos, rooftops, and a blockbuster Nemesis reveal. Game character names arrive as fan service, then immediately follow original film plotting.
- Related games
- Nemesis and Jill echo Resident Evil 3, but this is still Anderson continuity only. Compare game Raccoon City on Resident Evil games—do not merge timelines.
- Where it fits
- Direct Anderson sequel—watch after the 2002 film. Not a bridge to Welcome to Raccoon City, Netflix, or the CGI Leon films.
- Premiere dates
- US theatrical premiere September 10, 2004; widely available later on DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming.
Resident Evil: Extinction
TheatricalFilmAndersonYears after Raccoon City, Alice leads a desert convoy of survivors toward rumored safety in Alaska while Umbrella clones her from afar. The series pivots into sun-bleached wasteland sci-fi—closer to Mad Max energy than mansion horror.
- Overview
- Russell Mulcahy’s entry expands the Alice clone mythology and stages a memorable Las Vegas set piece against undead hordes. Global extinction replaces city quarantine as the franchise’s new baseline threat.
- Related games
- No matching game chapter—pure Anderson wasteland fiction. Capcom’s story order stays on Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- Third Anderson film in release order. Continue here only if you are mid-saga; newcomers should not jump in without 2002 and Apocalypse.
- Premiere dates
- US theatrical premiere September 21, 2007; later home-video and digital releases.
Resident Evil: Degeneration
DVDStreamingCGIAnimationLeon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield collide at a Harvardville airport bioterror attack in Capcom’s first fully CG feature. It sits after Resident Evil 4 in spirit—game faces and tone, optional side story rather than a numbered mainline entry.
- Overview
- Digital Frontier’s CG film proved Capcom could ship theatrical-adjacent animation starring game heroes without the Anderson Alice plot. Airport and WilPharma set pieces aim for RE4-era action pacing instead of Hollywood original characters.
- Related games
- Game-adjacent optional story—best after Resident Evil 4 on Resident Evil games. Not part of Anderson, Welcome, or Netflix live-action canons.
- Where it fits
- Start of the CGI path: Degeneration → Damnation → Vendetta → Infinite Darkness → Death Island. Skip entirely if you only want Anderson or Netflix.
- Premiere dates
- Japan theatrical September 26, 2008; US DVD / Blu-ray premiere December 30, 2008, later streaming.
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Theatrical3DFilmAndersonAlice hunts the Arcadia refuge while Chris Redfield and Claire appear in Anderson’s continuity for the first time. Shot for 3D, it trades desert convoy vibes for prison corridors, aerial stunts, and an Umbrella sea-base climax.
- Overview
- Anderson returns to the director’s chair with stereoscopic set pieces that defined the saga’s late-era look. Adding Chris and Claire as Anderson versions of game names keeps fan recognition without adopting Capcom’s plot.
- Related games
- Chris and Claire here are Anderson-timeline characters only. Game Chris/Claire arcs live on Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- Fourth Anderson film—continue after Extinction. Still unrelated to Welcome to Raccoon City or Netflix.
- Premiere dates
- US theatrical premiere September 10, 2010 (also 3D); subsequent Blu-ray 3D and digital editions.
Resident Evil: Retribution
Theatrical3DFilmAndersonCaptured Alice wakes inside an Umbrella underwater testing facility packed with simulated city blocks and clone armies under the Red Queen. The franchise hits peak VFX spectacle—Tokyo cold open, suburban Raccoon mocks, and returning faces as clones or allies.
- Overview
- Anderson leans hardest into meta Umbrella simulations and celebrity cameo density. Environments deliberately wink at game iconography while the plot remains pure Alice-saga mythology.
- Related games
- Simulation nods to games do not create shared canon. For real Capcom continuity, stay on Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- Fifth Anderson film—watch after Afterlife; leads directly into The Final Chapter.
- Premiere dates
- US theatrical premiere September 14, 2012 (2D and 3D); home video and streaming followed.
Resident Evil: Damnation
DVDStreamingCGIAnimationLeon goes undercover in the Eastern European republic of Eastern Slav as Las Plagas–style bioweapons fuel a civil war. The second Capcom CG feature plays like a spy thriller side mission between mainline games rather than a Hollywood reboot.
- Overview
- Darker political tone and Licker/Plaga action push the CGI line past Degeneration’s airport set piece. Leon carries most of the runtime—Claire sits this one out—reinforcing the CG films as agent-focused supplements.
- Related games
- Optional near Resident Evil 6–era Leon fiction. See placement tips on Resident Evil games; ignore for Anderson or Netflix paths.
- Where it fits
- CGI release order after Degeneration. Same week as Retribution theatrically, but a completely different universe—do not treat as an Anderson companion.
- Premiere dates
- Japan theatrical October 27, 2012; US DVD / Blu-ray premiere September 25, 2012, later streaming.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Theatrical3DFilmAndersonAlice returns to the Hive and the ruins of Raccoon City for Anderson’s intended finale, racing an Umbrella doomsday clock. Six films of clone lore, Red Queen conflict, and Alice mythology resolve here—still not Capcom’s game ending.
- Overview
- Anderson closes the Alice arc with frantic editing, origin reveals, and a full-circle Hive siege. It is designed as a saga endpoint, not a soft reboot into Welcome or Netflix.
- Related games
- End of the Anderson universe only. Capcom finales and remakes stay on Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- Finish the Anderson path here (2002 → … → Final Chapter). Afterwards, pick a new branch—Welcome, Netflix, or CGI—rather than expecting continuity.
- Premiere dates
- International rollout from late 2016; US theatrical premiere January 27, 2017 (also 3D).
Resident Evil: Vendetta
Theatrical eventDigitalCGIAnimationLeon, Chris Redfield, and Rebecca Chambers team up against bioterrorist Glenn Arias and his A-virus plot across US cities. The third Capcom CG film leans into buddy-action set pieces for fans of the game cast.
- Overview
- Fathom Events one-night theatrical exposure widened the CGI line beyond straight-to-video. Rebecca’s return and Chris–Leon banter sell it as a game-cast reunion movie rather than an Anderson-style original.
- Related games
- Optional side story with RE5-era flavor for Chris/Rebecca fans. Context on Resident Evil games; not required for live-action reboots.
- Where it fits
- CGI path after Damnation. Same year as The Final Chapter, but unrelated—Anderson finale vs Capcom animation.
- Premiere dates
- US Fathom Events theatrical premiere June 19, 2017, then digital / Blu-ray; Japan theatrical earlier that spring.
Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness
NetflixAnimationMiniseriesFour CG episodes follow Leon and Claire as a White House–era conspiracy ties US officials to a new viral cover-up. Shorter than a feature but still Capcom’s game-adjacent animation lane—not the later live-action Netflix series.
- Overview
- Netflix’s first RE project is animated and continuity-adjacent to the CGI films, not Alice or the 2022 live-action show. Episode structure lets political intrigue breathe between action beats.
- Related games
- Optional side story around RE4-era Leon. Placement notes on Resident Evil games; unrelated to Resident Evil (Netflix live-action).
- Where it fits
- CGI path after Vendetta (or skip). Same year as Welcome to Raccoon City, but different medium and canon—do not binge as one reboot.
- Premiere dates
- Worldwide Netflix premiere July 8, 2021—all four episodes dropped the same day.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
TheatricalFilmRebootJohannes Roberts’s standalone reboot mashes Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2 beats into one chaotic 1998 night in Raccoon City. Leon, Claire, Chris, Jill, and Wesker share the screen—game-inspired casting with a compressed, altered plot.
- Overview
- After Anderson ended, this film tried a darker, more game-faithful aesthetic without Alice. It compresses mansion and police-station iconography into a single night so newcomers get name recognition without a multi-film commitment.
- Related games
- Inspired by RE1/RE2, not a 1:1 adaptation—and it ignores Anderson entirely. Compare the games on Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- Its own reboot branch—watch alone. Do not sequence after Anderson or before Netflix as if they share continuity.
- Premiere dates
- US theatrical premiere November 24, 2021 (Sony / Screen Gems); later VOD and streaming.
Resident Evil (Netflix)
NetflixTV seriesLive-actionEight live-action episodes cut between teen sisters in New Raccoon City (2022) and adult Jade in a 2036 wasteland after a global outbreak. Lance Reddick’s Albert Wesker anchors an original family drama Capcom did not write into the games.
- Overview
- First live-action RE series uses dual timelines instead of a single Raccoon City night. It invents Wesker’s daughters and a rebuilt “New” city decades after game lore’s 1998 fall—fresh cast, fresh geography.
- Related games
- Not a sequel to Capcom’s Raccoon City 1998 or to Welcome’s reboot night. Game chronology stays on Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- Standalone reboot—ignore Anderson and Welcome continuity. Do not confuse with Infinite Darkness, the 2021 animated Netflix miniseries.
- Premiere dates
- US Netflix premiere July 14, 2022—all eight episodes same-day; cancelled after season 1.
Resident Evil: Death Island
Digital4K UHDCGIAnimationLeon, Claire, Chris, Jill, and Rebecca reunite on Alcatraz when a new virus threat hits San Francisco’s prison island. As of 2026 it caps Capcom’s CG feature line with the fullest game-cast crossover yet.
- Overview
- All-star agent lineup sells Death Island as a victory-lap CG movie for fans who followed Degeneration through Infinite Darkness. Set pieces favor ensemble firefights over solo spy tone.
- Related games
- Optional capstone to the CGI side stories—still not Anderson or Netflix live-action. Mainline context on Resident Evil games.
- Where it fits
- End of the CGI release list. Watch after Infinite Darkness if you want full Capcom animation order; skip if you only care about live-action branches.
- Premiere dates
- US digital and 4K UHD premiere July 25, 2023; limited theatrical event screenings in some markets earlier that month.
FAQ
Which movie universe to pick, Anderson vs Netflix vs games, CGI placement, and cancelled reboots.
Watch order
Resident Evil (2002) → Apocalypse (2004) → Extinction (2007) → Afterlife (2010) → Retribution (2012) → The Final Chapter (2017). Ignore Welcome to Raccoon City and Netflix for this path.
Canon & games
The Resident Evil games timeline (Resident Evil games timeline) covers Capcom's release and story order from RE1 through Requiem. This page is films and TV only.
At least four live-action branches: (1) Paul W.S. Anderson six-film Alice saga (2002–2017), (2) Welcome to Raccoon City (2021 one-off reboot), (3) Netflix live-action (2022, cancelled), plus CGI films that loosely tie to game-era Leon/Claire stories—not the Anderson plot. None replace Capcom game canon.
No single answer—Anderson and Netflix are original fiction. Welcome to Raccoon City adapts RE1/RE2 beats with changes. CGI films are the closest optional supplements to game lore. Play the games without watching any film.
Optional & extras
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Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.
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