Posted in: Movies | Tagged: Avan Jogia, film, horror, resident evil, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, Screen Gems

Resident Evil Director Talks Casting Avan Jogia as Leon Kennedy

The new Resident Evil cinematic reboot just received its first official photos, promising an adaptation that aims to stay faithful to the original IP. Now the director of the film is explaining the obstacles associated with casting for these iconic characters.

With the upcoming theatrical release of Resident Evil, fans have been curious to get a taste of what's to come. In the past, we've had six films without virtually any connection to the plot of the video game franchise it's inspired by, and the new film by Johannes Roberts (The Strangers: Prey at Night) has pivoted back to the horror themes we love.

When talking to IGN about the upcoming film and the casting process for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, he admitted, "I think often in-game adaptations one of the big flaws can be just casting someone to look visually like the characters – giving them the identical haircut and clothes but not really trying to give the audience the thing that a movie does better than a game – which is to create a three-dimensional character that you can really connect with and believe in."

The first photos revealed a cast of fan-favorite characters and the exciting addition of Leon S. Kennedy, played by the talented Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap). In the same interview, the director goes on to add that Leon was particularly difficult to cast, explaining, "We must have seen so many people – it was really quite a tricky role because of the balance of humor and weariness. Then Avan read, and I was like, he's the one! He gets it."

Jogia will be alongside his Resident Evil 2 remake companion Claire Redfield (Maze Runner's Kaya Scodelario), as shown in the first photo, in major respect to the video game cover art itself. Other characters in the film include the beloved Chris Redfield (Robbie Amell), Albert Wesker (Tom Hopper), Richard Aiken (Chad Rook), and last but certainly not least, Jill Valentine (Hannah John-Kamen), all re-creating the magic of the first video game.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is already off to a promising start with a lot of content to look forward to, so we'll be eagerly awaiting the film's November 24, 2021 release.

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