Movies Shouldn’t Directly Adapt Games

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Paul W.S. Anderson, director of the first Resident Evil films, believes that adaptations should not directly follow video games because doing so spoils the source material. He emphasizes the importance of experiencing the game firsthand, ensuring his production designers watch “Let’s Plays” of the games they are adapting before beginning their work. Anderson has said that he needed to make a scary film, given the terrifying nature of the game itself. This hands-on approach informs his perspective on adapting video games. Explaining his approach, Anderson recently commented that he never considered a direct adaptation of the games because the film’s primary audience would already know the plot. “I didn’t want to make a direct adaptation of one of the games because that was horror and action in horror, you can’t reveal all the secrets. If I adapted the first game, as a fan, you’d already know Wesker is a traitor. Imagine watching Alien, going to the cinema, and someone telling you everyone dies except Sigourney Weaver.” He argues that such foreknowledge “significantly undermines the film’s power.”

Adapting Resident Evil Differently Sparked Debate and Successful Film Series

Though the first Resident Evil film diverged in some ways from the source material, it still sparked discussion and led to a successful series that included five sequels.

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