Resident Evil films have a varied history. Paul W. S. Anderson’s efforts are imaginative, action-packed, but connected only loosely to the source material. The animated movies, like the recent Resident Evil Death Island, are definitely consistent with the Capcom survival horror game series, but sometimes feel more like extended cutscenes than fully-fledged films. And then there’s Welcome to Raccoon City, my own personal favorite, but far from flawless. For Resident Evil fans, especially those of us enamored with RE 1996 and the terrifying tale of the Spencer Mansion, it’d be great to see a movie that stays as true as possible to the source material. Well, now might be the time, as a new Resident Evil film, starring the original Chris Redfield and based on the famous ‘itchy, tasty’ Keeper’s Diary, is fully funded and on its way.
It’s that little room just opposite the tiger puzzle. Unassuming and seemingly empty, it contains a few helpful essentials and an innocuous diary. The first few entries are bland and everyday, but then something strange – and horrible – starts to happen. “Fever gone but itchy, the diary reads. “Hungry and eat doggy food. Itchy itchy Scott came. Ugly face so killed him. Tasty.” The Keeper’s Diary is still the high watermark for collectible, readable files in survival horror.
And now it’s being adapted into a fan-made, but very professional-looking, new film. Starring Charlie Kraslavsky, who played Chris Redfield in the live-action cutscenes for Resident Evil 1996, The Keeper’s Diary has smashed its funding goal, and is now expected to launch in either late 2023 or early 2024. You can see a trailer below:
More than 600 people have backed the project, which has so far raised over $48,000 / £38,000. “Respecting the source material is key to successfully adapting any media, and any creative liberties thereafter should first and foremost, respect this,” the projector’s creators say. “It is our intention to ensure this serves as a backbone to our adaptation.”
The Keeper’s Diary will be available to watch for free on YouTube. In the meantime, it seems that Welcome to Raccoon City is getting a sequel, while Capcom is canvassing opinions on a Resident Evil Code Veronica remake.
You might also want to try some of the best zombie games, or maybe some of the best old games, if you miss the days of classic Resident Evil.