Resident Evil’s animated endeavors have never really had the success or popularity that is associated with the games, and that is largely due to their heavily stylized and CGI-intensive approach to storytelling. None of the animated movies are canon to the primary franchise continuity or its remakes, either, which sidelines them along with the live-action movies which fans also tend to dislike. The live-action movies are starkly opposite to the games while the animated movies at least feature proper resemblances for actual characters from the games, but it is still shaky ground they both stand on.
If nothing else, animated movies such as Resident Evil: Vendetta and Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness are a fun way for fans to see the iconic legacy characters that they have missed in Resident Evil’s games. Leon has not been around in the games since Resident Evil 6 in the main continuity, for example, and even if the movies are non-canon it is a way for fans to fill in the blanks on what he might have been up to between games. However, one iconic legacy character is being brought back for the upcoming Resident Evil: Death Island who should make a similar return to the games.
Resident Evil: Death Island Reveals a Modern Jill Valentine
Jill Valentine is a fan-favorite Resident Evil character after having starred as one of two playable protagonists in the franchise’s original entry, as well as starring as one of two playable protagonists in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Even though Chris Redfield has starred in many more entries since the original Resident Evil, the impact that Jill has had is undeniable and is precisely why fans are still upset that she has not made her own grand reintroduction to the franchise.
Chris was brought back in a staggering way in Resident Evil 7 as he bore a brand-new look that no fans thought was appropriate for the character, and was hastily retconned thereafter for his subsequent appearance in Resident Evil Village. Capcom has really wanted Chris back in the main Resident Evil continuity for whatever reason, and if the trend of remakes continues down the path it is currently on, it will soon feature him as a playable protagonist in two upcoming Resident Evil games.
Chris’ oversaturation might be favorable for some fans, but a lot of players would also like to see more Jill, and Resident Evil: Death Island reveals how that could become a possibility. In the animated movie, it is reported that Jill features her Resident Evil 3 remake look and has not aged as much as other characters have since Resident Evil 5 because of the effects of the T-Virus.
Resident Evil: Death Island Should Lead to Fan Service Tie-In Games
This admittedly sounds like a convenient way for Jill to retain her conventional, youthful beauty instead of allowing her to age like Leon Kennedy or Chris have, but the implications that this explanation could have are legitimately great if they were to also translate to Resident Evil’s games. Having Jill be featured as youthful and physically competent as she was in Resident Evil 5 would be a massive boon for the franchise, as it would mean that she could easily be reintegrated as a playable protagonist for several installments.
Resident Evil: Death Island deciding to examine any trauma or PTSD Jill still experiences would be an interesting character development to see unfold, but it could be even better to see that happen in a mainline Resident Evil game instead. Resident Evil: Death Island may not be canon, though its explanation for why Jill has returned the way she has should absolutely be adapted to the games for the same potential reason.
Resident Evil: Death Island releases this summer.