Would Milla Jovovich Ever Return To The Resident Evil Franchise?
The scope of the "Resident Evil" franchise can best be summed up in one word: sprawling. Through 10 main games, three game remakes, at least 14 spin-off games, four animated films, six live-action movies, one live-action reboot, and a brand-new live-action streaming series on the way, the franchise at this point is far from being just one thing in one medium.
Yet thanks to the prominence of the six live-action movies released in theaters over the span of 15 years, one could argue that actress Milla Jovovich is really the face of "Resident Evil." Though her character, Alice, does not appear in any of the video games or other ancillary materials, her domination of the "Resident Evil" films has tied her to the franchise in similar fashion to Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones, or Sylvester Stallone and Rambo.
So even though Paul W.S. Anderson — who directed most of the "Resident Evil" films Jovovich appeared in — maintains that 2017's "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter" was the end of Alice's story, Jovovich isn't so sure, stating in an interview that she'd love to return to the series if it were possible.
Jovovich would 'always love' to return to the franchise that made her a star
It would be erroneous to say that Milla Jovovich was an unknown actress before starring in 2002's "Resident Evil." Prior to that, she'd appeared in prominent roles in 1993's "Dazed and Confused" and 2001's "Zoolander," along with essaying her first breakout character, Leeloo, in 1997's sci-fi action trip "The Fifth Element."
Yet it was "Resident Evil" that proved she was not only strong, beautiful, and charismatic, but could carry a movie as a lead, and her subsequent appearances as Alice only further strengthened her reputation as a female action star. Her anchoring the "Resident Evil" films led to her landing more leading roles in films such as "Ultraviolet," "The Fourth Kind," and "Monster Hunter."
Jovovich has a special affection for "Resident Evil" beyond what the series did for her career. As she told ComicBook.com in 2020, "'Resident Evil' is such a huge part of my life, on so many different levels. I was such a big fan of the game." The actress then confirmed her ongoing interest in revisiting the world of the Umbrella Corporation and their zombie-making T-virus, saying she "would always love to go back to the 'Resident Evil' universe. I think it's such a fun place to be in, and it's such a great reality."
Alice's story is over, according to Paul W.S. Anderson
Jovovich's eagerness to return to "Resident Evil" isn't shared by her husband, writer and director Paul W.S. Anderson, who created the character of Alice for the 2002 film. As he told ComicBook.com, he believed "The Final Chapter" was "the time to walk away from it. I did what I said I was going to do and I'm immensely proud of it."
While Anderson's "Resident Evil" films were profitable (enough that six of them were made in total), their reception by the franchise's fanbase was decidedly mixed, with some fans rejecting the films due to the liberties they take with the source material. As parent company Capcom continues to expand the "Resident Evil" series into more mediums and narrative continuities, they seem to be focused on continually adapting the same characters and storylines in order to please this nebulous and finicky fanbase, if the 2021 reboot "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" is any indication.
While there's still a chance Capcom could see the light and find a way to incorporate Alice into either the new films, live-action series, or game series they continue to make, as far as Alice's creator is concerned, her story is over. Anderson stated in no uncertain terms that the filmmakers "achieved what we wanted to" with "The Final Chapter."
The 'final chapter' isn't always final
However, Anderson was well-aware of the reputation garnered by films subtitled "The Final Chapter." He knew fans would see the title and say to themselves "'Oh yeah, right. It's the final chapter. He's a bloody liar." Though Anderson was joking while firmly stating his intention not to make any more "Resident Evil" films, there certainly has been a tendency for "final chapters" to be anything but. For proof, witness the "Friday the 13th" series (which features not one, but two "final" entries), the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" series, the "Puppet Master" series, and even the original "Star Trek" films (though the fifth film's subtitle, "The Final Frontier," is a quote from the show's famous opening speech, it still has the word "Final" in there!).
Thanks to so many horror film franchises making a habit of announcing their demise prematurely, it wouldn't be surprising for "Resident Evil" to come back to life. On the one hand, the ending to "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter" almost blatantly sets up Alice's return, with the character riding off into the sunset promising to rid the world completely of T-virus baddies. On the other, it could be argued that "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" is proof that the series has already resurrected itself. While that film's intention is to break continuity with the prior live-action films, who's to say a new version of Alice couldn't show up and kick some zombie butt? For the fans of Alice, as well as Jovovich herself, that would be a welcome reanimation in the "Resident Evil" world for a change.