Resident Evil makes its way to Netflix this month as the streaming giant premieres an original eight-episode series that takes place after the ongoing events of the games. The show centers on Jade Wesker (Tamara Smart, Ella Balinska), daughter of Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick), as she encounters an apocalyptic outbreak event in her teens. Years later, she’s fighting daily for survival and answers. If the recent release of Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City has left you longing for more zombie horror, and a fresh angle on the series’ lore, then read on for our guide on how to watch Resident Evil online.
Resident Evil is one of the most popular gaming franchises with over 25 games released since 1996. Surprisingly, in spite of a fast and loose approach to the source material, the franchise is also one of the most successful video game adaptations for film and TV. With seven live-action theatrical releases, four animated features and 2021’s animated miniseries Infinite Darkness under its belt, the series has grossed over a billion dollars in box office and home video sales alone.
While the critical response to a number of these adaptations hasn’t always been kind, there’s clearly an audience that’s eager to sink its teeth into more. Fans of the games should give this one a shot as the showrunner has expressly stated it will treat the games as canon, something previous adaptations have mostly avoided. If that best describes you, then here is our guide on how to watch Resident Evil online in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia.
Resident Evil official trailer
How to watch Resident Evil online in the US, UK, Canada and Australia
Resident Evil is the latest game adaptation effort from Netflix (having previously released The Cuphead Show! and the League of Legends animated series Arcane) as part of its ongoing push to bring more popular video game franchises into live-action and animated spaces. It will also pave the way for future video game adaptations, including Splinter Cell, Bioshock and Cyberpunk 2077.
Audiences around the world will be able to watch Resident Evil exclusively on Netflix when it launches worldwide on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Those in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia can stream all eight episodes of the show’s premiere season from midnight PT (3 a.m. ET, 9 a.m. BST and 7 p.m. AET).
How to watch Resident Evil while abroad
Place your finger on an atlas at random and you’re likely to land on a country with Netflix coverage. As such, you won’t have too much to worry about when it comes to watching your favorite shows and movies while abroad. That being said, there are still Netflix no-go-zones in countries such as China, Syria, and due to the conflict in Ukraine, Russia.
Even if you’re not traveling to these regions, Netflix libraries are curated and differ from region to region. Some changes may be subtle, involving minor censorship or edits. Other changes can be more drastic, with entire shows missing from the streaming giant’s sizable library.
Download a VPN (opens in new tab) (or Virtual Private Network) and you’ll be able to bypass these kinds of geo-blocks by setting your virtual location to a more familiar watch region. Doing so will grant you unrestricted access to all of your usual content from anywhere in the world.
The best VPNs will also increase the security of your connection through encryption, ensuring that your data is kept safe and private while making use of public Wi-Fi in places like airports and hotels. Invest in a VPN to make sure that the next time you leave the country, your library of entertainment comes with you.
Resident Evil official teaser
Resident Evil plot
The plot of Netflix’s Resident Evil follows two timelines that are separated by a span of fourteen years. The first timeline in 2022 centers on 14-year-old siblings Jade (Tamara Smart) and Billie (Siena Agudong), the daughters of Dr. Albert Wesker (yes, that Wesker) as they move to New Raccoon City — a seemingly idyllic location designed and built by the mega-corporation Umbrella. Jade and her sister grow suspicious of their new surroundings, and over the course of time begin to realize that the city, and their own father, may be hiding something sinister. And deadly.
The Umbrella Corporation is, as usual, up to no good. Their latest product is a miracle drug called Joy, an antidepressant that can cure OCD, lower anxiety and increase focus. It’s even set to be marketed by a cute teddy bear mascot. The catch? Joy also contains the T-Virus. A pathogen that can also create bloodthirsty mutants and monsters.
Cut forward to the year 2036, and we enter the second timeline. Jade, now in her late 20s (and portrayed by Ella Balinska), fights for her survival in a future, rather predictably, devastated by Umbrella’s T-Virus. The outbreak has spread to much of the world, resulting in a plague of infected humans and animals over six billion strong.
Stalked, hunted and under constant threat, Jade does all she can to stay one step ahead of the horde while haunted by the secrets of her past and the fate of her sister.
Resident Evil release schedule: When will new episodes be released?
In keeping with Netflix’s usual binge-friendly approach, Resident Evil will be made available to stream in its entirety on July 14, 2022. The opening season will consist of eight episodes that average 60 minutes each and will debut simultaneously across all Netflix regions from midnight PT (3 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. BST and 7 p.m. AET).
The following is the confirmed list of episodes for Resident Evil releasing July 14, 2022:
- Resident Evil S01E01: “Welcome to New Raccoon City”
- Resident Evil S01E02: “TBC”
- Resident Evil S01E03: “TBC”
- Resident Evil S01E04: “TBC”
- Resident Evil S01E05: “Home Movies”
- Resident Evil S01E06: “TBC”
- Resident Evil S01E07: “TBC”
- Resident Evil S01E08: “Revelations”
