10 Movie Franchises Which Got Terribly Adapted TWICE
9. Resident Evil
Few video game franchises seemed more ripe for the big-screen treatment than legendary survival horror series Resident Evil, and yet, of the seven live-action Resident Evil films to date, there's an argument to be made that not a single one of them is actually, genuinely good.
Though Paul W.S. Anderson's original 2002 film has its moments as a kitschy B-movie, it's less successful as an actual Resident Evil adaptation, given how aggressively it takes liberties with the source material.
Ironically, though most of the five sequels were considerably more source-faithful, they were also much worse films, defined by atrocious writing, stiff acting, and clunky, visually garish set-pieces for the most part.
When Anderson's Milla Jovovich-led film franchise wrapped up in 2017, there was hope for the swiftly announced reboot, which producers promised would be more reverent to the video games.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was released in 2021, and while clinging far more closely to the stories of the first two games, the agonisingly low budget, oodles of cringe-worthy fan service, and unconvincing renditions of fan favourite characters (namely Leon) made it a second botched effort.
Yet Resident Evil is a fierce enough name brand - evidenced by the Anderson films actually turning a profit - that it's just a matter of time before Hollywood gives it a second big-screen reimagining.