George Romero’s Resident Evil: Better Than All the Crap We Got

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George Romero’s Resident Evil: It Had Flaws, But At Least It Respected the Game Why is it that The Last of Us can get a faithful, emotional, critically acclaimed TV adaptation—while Resident Evil fans are stuck with garbage movies that only use the title and throw the rest in the trash? Comic book fans are getting more source-accurate films than ever. Video game adaptations are finally leveling up. But for Resident Evil? We’re still watching Hollywood spit in our face.There was one moment of hope. Back in the ’90s, horror legend George Romero wrote a script for a Resident Evil movie based on the first game. Capcom rejected it. Since then, it’s been a never-ending circus of embarrassments, reboots, and fake adaptations that somehow always miss the point. Let’s walk through the wreckage—and remind ourselves that even though Romero’s version wasn’t perfect, it still deserved to exist more than anything we actually got. Paul W.S. Anderson: Resident Evil’s First Betrayal Instead of Romero’s version, we got Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil movies—six of them. He threw out the entire game storyline and replaced it with a brand-new character: Alice. A generic, overpowered, movie-exclusive Mary Sue played by his wife, Milla […]
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George Romero’s Resident Evil: Better Than All the Crap We Got

George Romero’s Resident Evil: It Had Flaws, But At Least It Respected the Game Why is it that The Last of Us can get a faithful, emotional, critically

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[gohan210]

I’ve been a Resident Evil fan since the original PlayStation release. I played it in Japanese before it even got localized, that’s how deep it goes for me. Reading this article just reminded me how long we’ve been disrespected as a fanbase. Paul W.S. Anderson’s movies were the first stab in the back. Romero’s script wasn’t flawless, I agree, but the intent was honest. He understood the tone. He knew this was horror first, not action sci-fi.

What baffles me is how studios continue to butcher this franchise. It’s like they never played the games. Welcome to Raccoon City was made by someone who thought the games were some kind of lore soup. And don’t even get me started on the Netflix show. That wasn’t even Resident Evil. That was someone’s failed YA zombie script that got duct-taped with Wesker’s name.

We’re now in 2025. Games are getting proper adaptations. Fans are begging to be respected. Yet Hollywood still acts like Resident Evil is just a name to slap on anything vaguely undead. I’m just tired. Romero at least gave a damn. He should’ve gotten the chance.

 

[FalconPunch77]

I never played the original games, but I’ve watched a few playthroughs on YouTube. From what I understand, they’re spooky and kind of claustrophobic. Like, you feel trapped. None of the movies gave me that feeling. Especially the Netflix one—that felt like I was watching a teen drama that randomly had zombies.

Even as someone not super deep into the fandom, I could tell they were doing something wrong. Romero’s version sounds like it tried, at least. I’d honestly watch that more than another reboot with no familiar characters. Why even call it Resident Evil if it’s just a new story every time?

 

[Dwight in a Box]

From a design standpoint, what Romero aimed for had internal consistency. I’ve read the script—it wasn’t perfect, but it clearly tried to translate gameplay into film. He chose a single setting, kept a limited cast, and prioritized slow tension. These are fundamentals of survival horror.


The modern adaptations ignore these core elements. Anderson turned it into science fiction. Welcome to Raccoon City had pacing issues because it tried to do too much. Netflix’s version was just surreal. No stakes, no horror atmosphere, just concepts floating in a script that had no identity.


Cregger’s upcoming film? If it’s another “Resident Evil in name only,” then the cycle continues. Romero’s work deserves re-evaluation not because it was flawless, but because it was sincere. As a developer, I value effort rooted in understanding the medium. Romero respected the mechanics of horror. That’s rare in Hollywood adaptations.

 

[RascalCoon]

I’m 19 and only started playing RE with the remakes. Even I can tell the movies suck. They don’t even try to follow the stories. Romero’s idea sounds better just because it actually uses the characters I like. I don’t get why it’s so hard to just do the game’s story. People already love it.

 

[Travis]

I read Romero’s script a while back, and honestly, turning Chris and Jill into a couple didn’t sit right with me. That’s not who they are in the games. Their bond is strong because it’s built on trust, respect, and teamwork—not romance. Making them lovers just feels like the most basic Hollywood shortcut to add emotion, and it kind of cheapens their dynamic.

That said, as much as I dislike that change, I still have to admit it sounds way more grounded than anything we’ve actually gotten. Compared to Alice being the center of the universe or vegan teenagers triggering the apocalypse, Romero’s version is at least still in the same universe as the games. It has Spencer Mansion. It has zombies. It focuses on fear and isolation.

So no, I don’t love every choice he made. But I would’ve taken that over the mess we’ve had to watch for the last two decades. At least Romero tried to tell a story that felt like Resident Evil, even if it wasn’t perfect. That already puts it above most of the others.