How Many Resident Evil Movies Is There? The Full Franchise Count Explained

The Hard Number: Six Mainline Films

Six films. That is the current total for the Resident Evil movie franchise under Paul W.S. Anderson's direction. The saga started in 2002 and concluded in 2016 with The Final Chapter. Many fans assume the tally stops there. Guys, explore more in Guides And Explainers and how many resident evil movies is there.

It does not.

The live-action saga is dead. The animated universe is thriving. The real answer depends entirely on what you mean by a "Resident Evil movie."

Breaking Down the Six Anderson Films

Paul W.S. Anderson built a unique timeline. It shares little DNA with the Capcom games. The story follows Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, through a zombie apocalypse.

The Original Trilogy (2002–2007)

1. 1. Resident Evil (2002). A direct lift from the first game. The Spencer Mansion opening remains iconic.
2. 2. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004). Street-level Raccoon City chaos. Jill Valentine finally appears on screen.
3. 3. Resident Evil: Extinction (2007). Desert wasteland. Las Vegas in ruins. Alice goes solo.

The Expansion Phase (2010–2016)

1. 4. Resident Evil: Afterlife (3D conversion). Anderson used this to showcase 3D tech. Aliens replaced zombies for a moment.
2. 5. Resident Evil: Retribution (2012). The most ambitious entry. Multiple timelines and settings collide.
3. 6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016). Jovovich returns for one last battle against the Red Queen.

Each film grossed over $100 million globally. The series earned a collective half-billion dollars. It remains the highest-grossing video game adaptation ever, a record recently challenged by The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Check the official Capcom franchise page here.

The Animated Branch: Four Feature Films

Capcom greenlit a separate computer-animated franchise. These films honor the source material closely. They sit apart from the live-action timeline.

- Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008) - Resident Evil: Damnation (2012) - Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017) - Resident Evil: Death Island (2023)

None appear on the main Netflix watchlist. They serve a different audience. Hardcore fans praise their gore and canon fidelity.

The Netflix Animated Series (2022–2024)

Netflix reimagined the franchise. They dropped a 12-episode series in 2022. The second season followed in 2024.

Is the series a "movie"? Strictly speaking, no. It is episodic television. The runtime totals match a feature film. For binge-watchers, it functions as one long movie.

The show ignores the Anderson films entirely. It follows a new cast through Raccoon City. Leon Kennedy and Chris Redfield anchor the story. The animation quality improved significantly between seasons.

The Upcoming Projects (Beyond the Current Count)

The Live-Action Reboot

A new live-action Resident Evil movie is in development. Legendary Pictures and CAPCOM are producing. The project promises a grounded horror approach. It resets the timeline completely.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)

Johannes Roberts directed this standalone reboot. It adapts the first two games directly. The film underperformed at the box office. Many fans consider it the "true" adaptation.

A Third Film?

Rumors suggest Roberts planned a trilogy. Studio backing remains unconfirmed. If greenlit, the trilogy would add two more films to the count.

The Current Tally (For the Hard-Core Counter)

Let us do the final math. You asked, "how many Resident Evil movies is there?"

- 6 Paul W.S. Anderson live-action films - 4 CGI animated features - 1 Standalone live-action reboot (Welcome to Raccoon City)

That gives us 11 distinct movies in the franchise canon.

If you include the Netflix series as a singular long-form film event, the total shifts. It becomes a multimedia franchise rather than a simple collection of theatrical releases.

Why the Count Keeps Shifting in People's Minds

Fans argue over the number constantly. Some only count Anderson films. Others refuse to acknowledge the reboot. The Netflix series adds fresh confusion.

The answer depends on the viewer's criteria. The franchise refuses to stay in one lane.

What Comes Next for the Franchise

Capcom has endless source material. New games release constantly. The movie universe could expand again. A new director or format might redefine the number.

For now, six live-action films stand as the definitive saga. Add the animated titles, and the story grows larger. The undead franchise shows no signs of stopping.