Live Action RESIDENT EVIL Concept

[Bran]

Hello. I am ronin_akikage from The Horror Is Alive forum. A few years ago I also began a Resident Evil movie project. Life issues and military service put the project on hold, but a few weeks ago I began anew and have been feverishly working to bring the concept to fruition. The old concept is on this page: http://www.the-horror.com/forums/sh...emake-Project-(a-vision-for-a-new-adaptation)

Because I can't get the admin to send me a new password, I am effectively locked out of my account on that site, so I am going to be setting up shop here. I look forward to hearing thoughts and suggestions from other fans. I have been working on the concept over the years, but the awkward plotting of some of the games have created issues that, as I continue to study films and screenwriting, have caused me concern regarding how accurate the story should be to the game series.

The linked thread above represents an older version of what I had planned. I will be posting ideas and concepts here, but for now I wish to ask questions. I am hoping that as many of you fellow fans take the time to answer some of these. It helps with my writing process, and gives me input into the story.

HOW ACCURATE SHOULD A FILM ADAPTATION BE? Does it have to follow everything [including glaring faults in logic] or is it about respecting the themes and atmosphere? (One example is the first Silent Hill film; replacing many of the characters, yet still respecting many of the things that make up Silent Hill... On a side note: The film wasn't really terrifying, but at least Rose wasn't Karate-kicking monsters or punching Pyramid Head in the face.) If Resident Evil, as a film series, were rebooted, would it be necessary to have the video game characters, or much like Silent Hill, would you want new characters?

HOW SHOULD ACT 1 OF THE STORY PLAY OUT? Resident Evil 1 has had various comic and novel adaptations. The game has had at least 6 variations [original, Director's Cut, Sega Saturn, REmake, Mobile, and DS/Deadly Silence], each with alterations to events and story. Act 1 of a script should usually be 20-30 minutes/pages. Does the story begin with Alpha team searching for their missing team members (like the game)? Should we see S.T.A.R.S. as they are investigating the crimes only hinted at in the original? Should there be an extended first act as the characters are introduced and we begin to understand their personalities. Or maybe we spend Act 1 with Alpha Team searching the mountains, with a structure not much different than the first Act in the original Predator [before the rebel camp]. What do you think?

My concept is to start with a web series, much like STREET FIGHTER: ASSASSIN'S FIST. I want to adapt the original video game as a high-tension, visceral "haunted house" story of a specialized SWAT team that uncovers illegal research causing a viral outbreak in the nearby mountains. Drawing on classic films such as Day of the Dead, Aliens, The Shining, and The Thing, I want to craft a slow-burning horror film that begins with search and rescue operations in the Arklay Mountains as S.T.A.R.S. attempts to find missing persons, and slowly escalates into a race for survival as they are besieged by zombies and monsters. This web series, tentatively titled RESIDENT EVIL: ORIGINS would be the first step into something possibly larger. But at this point that's neither here nor there.

I look forward to sharing more as this develops. I know other fans have their own concepts for what a live-action Resident Evil should be. My goal is to finish a script treatment, write the screenplay, and then eventually do concept art to share with you. All in due time. Best regards, and hope to hear your opinions.

 

[ResidentDevil]

Hi, first of all welcome to the forums.

HOW ACCURATE SHOULD A FILM ADAPTATION BE? Does it have to follow everything [including glaring faults in logic] or is it about respecting the themes and atmosphere? (One example is the first Silent Hill film; replacing many of the characters, yet still respecting many of the things that make up Silent Hill... On a side note: The film wasn't really terrifying, but at least Rose wasn't Karate-kicking monsters or punching Pyramid Head in the face.) If Resident Evil, as a film series, were rebooted, would it be necessary to have the video game characters, or much like Silent Hill, would you want new characters?

I think the adaptation should not too loosely based on the games. It would be awesome if the movies were actually set in different timelines related to the game's storyline and also canonical to the games. New characters unrelated to the RE universe are not the best idea, I believe if RE movies were to be rebooted the fans definitely wouldn't want Alice or any new character to be in again.

Sienna Guillory (the actress who potrays Jill Valentines in the movies) responded on how RE adaptation should be on her twitter: "guilloryguillorybe@merose87 I'm sure it will be everything you hope for in a movie but the films are not at all reliant on the games, the films strive to be original and exciting in their own right so if you love the films put your faith in Milla and her husband to write and produce something they feel will be the best they can do. I have nothing but love for them and believe in their unity". I gotta admit despite the reactions the movies receive I still enjoy them and will definitely watch the final RE movie.

By the way if you didn't know there is actually already indie fan made RE film called "Resident Evil Red Falls".

 

[Bran]

Thanks for the reply. I have been wracking my brain for weeks regarding how to approach an adaptation. I also agree, that while I am not a fan of the films, the original three are presented logically in presentation of story, character development, and delivery of necessary information. It just wasn't what the majority of fans wanted.

The major problem I have with the original video game, and a reason I suspect that elements were changed throughout the various drafts done for the original film before Anderson got involved, is that there is no "flow" to the story. Whereas, for example, Resident Evil 2 revolves around characters getting to the precinct, then realizing they need to escape the precinct as it becomes overwhelmed with zombies and monsters, and the need to travel through the sewers like a hellish crucible, only to need to go into the belly of the underground laboratory to save Sherry from her G-Virus infection. There is a nice flow to the plot, with raising stakes, and a basic need felt by all the characters. Escape.

The first game starts off well enough, with an investigation that goes sour. The S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team being flushed into the mansion essentially becomes the break into Act 2 of the plot (even though we as gamers never see Act 1, written as a screenplay that event would be roughly 20-25 pages into the script). The problem comes from where the story flows from there. Even though it does become another example of a group of characters needing to escape, there technically is no reason for the characters to enter the labs underneath. Not if they want to escape.

One example I had to counter this was for Jill to be taken hostage into the labs by Barry under orders by Wesker. Now I would be writing this for general audiences that never played the games; so I would naturally set up Barry to be a red herring villain until the climax when it is discovered that Wesker is behind everything. But having Jill be taken down into the labs with clues left for Chris, he would naturally follow, being led into a trap set by Wesker.

I've also heard of Red Falls. Wasn't bad from what I remember.

 

[Bran]

Now, I have my own original ideas on how to do a film series. While I envision a trilogy that boils the convoluted game series down to three entries, I don't feel that being 100% faithful to the games is doing the film justice. It comes down to what the fan base wants, which is divided. Some only like the older games, some like the newer games, and some claim the series needs a reboot. I always felt that a game to film adaptation should be faithful to the themes of the property, and feature elements that fans would identify with the property.

With that being said, I only envision two web series for now that would cover the original two games. I have nothing against Zero or Nemesis, its just that the first two cover the themes and feature characters that would be followed heavily into my envisioned trilogy. The first, RESIDENT EVIL: ORIGINS as I said above, covers the original game more or less, though streamlined for a rough 100 minute time frame and composed of elements of the various incarnations of the original story, as well as original ideas/scenes I have thought up over the years. There are large changes to the story concerning characters, situations, and themes. Another thing is that it has been 17 years since the events of the original game. The world has changed. Much for the worse. But many things have happened that have brought Resident Evil closer to the real world: militarization of police, fear of disease and infection, terrorist attacks, and illegal or indecent medical practices.

Even with changes, I still plan to respect the characters from the games, and their roles within the Resident Evil universe. The monsters (many of them) will be in the script. As time goes on I will continue to post concepts and eventually portions of the script itself.

 

[Bran]

Thought I would write an update to this. I took some time off to work through a few story issues and to let my ideas simmer until I felt the story worked better. I finally nailed down what I want the concept to be, and how it would work as a trilogy. As above, I have heavily revised the story so each chapter is fresh and represents a slice of the Resident Evil world and continues its themes.

Below is a rough concept for a trilogy of films:

RESIDENT EVIL: Follows a heavily revised draft of George Romero's Resident Evil script. In this, Chris Redfield is a former member of S.T.A.R.S. (a military Special Forces unit that goes into combat zones to rescue POW's and downed pilots) discharged after insubordination against his commander, Albert Wesker, when he refused to execute enemy combatants. Now a member of the Raccoon Police Department, he is caught up in a string of violent attacks. When the town is evacuated by the military, he follows a team of commandos into an abandoned mansion, where its revealed that his former unit are conducting a rescue operation to pull out top Umbrella scientists. As per the script, there is sexual tension between himself and Jill Valentine, thought its only hinted upon that they had feelings. Much of the script's characterization, dialogue, and general scenes are reworked, and many of the monsters are deleted. [I decided to use the Crimson Head concept for zombies to give something fresh to the genre, and the scene with the sharks remains. The snake and Plant 42 scenes are replaced with more scenes with Romero's Hunters, and Crimson Heads attack the S.T.A.R.S. members in the forest, with a scene in the middle of the script having an encounter with the Cerberus dogs in a kennel.] At the climax of the film, it is revealed that Wesker has personal motives, killing the surviving scientists, and attempting to steal all the research. Chris discovers that Wesker has injected himself with a virus, and after he shoots Rebecca, Chris fights his former Captain. When Wesker goes for a killing blow, Jill sacrifices herself by throwing herself and Wesker over a balcony into darkness. The story ends with the survivors battling the Tyrant throughout the ruins of the mansion, eventually killing it with a rocket launcher, and barely escaping before the mansion blows. [for more detail, refer to Romero's draft.]

RESIDENT EVIL II: Heavily inspired by Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 6, and a general pacing of the World War Z film and Revelations 1. Chris Redfield, suffering from his experience in the first film, is now a Captain of a BSAA unit combating various black market monsters in viral warfare across the world. Umbrella has been shut down once the events of the first film are made known to the world. Eastern Europe is hit with an outbreak, followed by Shanghai. During this, the President of the United States decides to announce to the public that the government had a hand in Umbrella's funding and research. He intends to make a speech held in Raccoon, when an outbreak occurs. Rookie Officer Leon Kennedy, acting as security during the event, is forced to kill a zombified President, and preceeds to barricade himself in the police precinct, along with other survivors including Claire Redfield and Secretary of Defense Simmons (Wesker's inside man from the first film). During the night, they are assaulted by waves of undead, until they decide to escape through the sewers and make it to an old train yard. [Highlights of the film include: the characters being stalked by Mister X - a perfected form of the Tyrant - on orders to secure Sherry Birkin. Turns out, her father did research on her to create a vaccine. The discovery of Simmons being the one that started the outbreak, intending to silence the President from revealing the truth. Ada Wong being revealed as an agent for a mysterious person. That person turns out to be a much-alive Albert Wesker. During the climax, Chris Redfield arrives to rescue the survivors, only for Wesker to kidnap his sister. Simmons is killed by Wesker.] Raccoon is destroyed by the military dropping bombs, and the incident sparks the world to become united in destroying all traces of the viruses. Chris sets out to find his sister.

RESIDENT EVIL III: Using material from Resident Evil 5, Code: Veronica, and Revelations 1 & 2. Chris Redfield (now bulked from weight lifting to prepare for battle against his nemesis) tracks Wesker to an abandoned base in Antarctica, that turns out to be the origin of the original T-Virus. The facility has been abandoned since the 1970's, when Umbrella's founder, Lord Spencer, had the facility personnel eliminated to cover up all research. The virus originates from core samples discovered beneath the ice. Chris leads a team into the facility, along with Leon Kennedy and other faces, to end Wesker's terror. [Many of the monsters are taken from Revelations 1]. During the story, Chris discovers old research on a new weapon called Uroboros, and finds out Wesker has been planning to release it onto the world. Jill is discovered to be alive, but is under control of Wesker. At the end of the story, Wesker discovered that he was a test tube baby in an attempt to prolong Spencer's life, and goes insane when he discovers that he is just spare parts for his "father". He attempts to release Uroboros into the atmosphere. Chris rescues Claire, and they have a brief reunion. He also saves Jill from Wesker's clutches, and the climax has Chris fighting Wesker on a stealth bomber. [unsure at this point whether Chris makes it, or sacrifices himself for the better good.]

Some notes:

1. Wesker's abilities don't have the Matrix feel as the games or movies make him to be. I had in my mind that his speed has a jerkiness to it that is unsettling to an audience watching it movements. No bullet time. Any fight against Wesker takes on more of a survival feel, similar to the climax of Blade Runner.

2. The second film would probably be the longest, dealing with dual storylines, and set over several areas of the world. While it has a feel of World War Z, I still haven't nailed down further pacing for how the story unfolds, other than wanting to tell parts of RE2, as well as elements of RE6.

3. The overall tone is horror. No bullet time, no action scenes, just straight horror. Because of the setting and themes, the third film would be the darkest of the all... at least in my head.

Thoughts?

 

[Bran]

I am hard at work on a script that follows the first game. While I did have an idea (see above posts), really it came down to wanting to adapt the game as logically as possible, be faithful to the themes set down, and to not rely on other adaptations that have come already (Romero's screenplay or even the novels). I want this to feel fresh and interesting.

More as it develops. Currently writing Act One of the screenplay.

 

[slack]

Not bad at all. Good use melding different games together. Over all, very interesting concepts, true to the games, on the broad spectrum of things it sounds nice.

My advice, since you're dealing with a trilogy here, it helps big time to have everyone's motives flushed out and articulated before you dive into writing. Not an outline, just a list of questions that you should know the answers to this way if you decide to add a scene or a new element into the mix it doesn't create a massive plot hole. Just constantly ask yourself 'why is this person here? what do they gain from it, what's at stake? how will this end' constantly be back checking and forward checking everything that is said and done in order to ensure the story is solid.

 

[Bran]

I have not been completely sold on my idea. I think many fans would be upset that it doesn't follow the games, never mind that the newer games don't respect what made Resident Evil a classic. As much as I want to adapt the games directly, I keep circling back to Romero's initial draft, and how it can be the basis for a good trilogy. Amidst fans arguing that the games themselves need rebooted, I looked at the series as a whole, at the themes set forth, and how the games could be adapted as a terrifying story that follows the spirit of the games. Characters may not be 100% accurate, but what is more important isn't whether a character is a certain ethnicity, or whether they live or die, it is how they are represented on film: does the film respect that character's story arc and his characterization.

Slack, you have given me renewed interest in perhaps following what I initially set forth. I cannot guarantee what I wrote above would be 100% accurate to what gets written, but it means a lot when someone looks at someone else's work and understands changes set forth. Most of the changes I made to Romero's draft were to bring his story closer to the video games, while respecting the structure of his plot. I still want to finish the screenplay and do some concept art to show that Romero's pitch is viable as a film. Hopefully if I get it finished others will agree.

 

[slack]

Write it for you as a fan, not for the other fans. If you love the series you're gonna want to hit as many points to touch from the original source material as possible. You choose the events to take inspiration from. Stop thinking what the other fans want to see and write what you want to see while throwing on your original take on things. What really matters is what drives the story forward.

With the TV adaptation i'm writing, I'm toying with the notion of having the events of RE4 happen before Code Veronica because I think it would be very fitting and interesting to see what a character like Alexia would do if she had a sample of the plaga (or something based off plaga... i hate the look of plaga parasite from the game) . That's an idea that probably wouldn't sit well with most 'fans' at first, but it would sure as hell propel the story forward and once the fans see that it puts a fresher take on things they begin to accept it.

 

[Bran]

Very true, but I also want to create something that fans can get behind. I know that not everyone will be satisfied, but I want fans to realize that the project is a labor of love, not a cash grab like Anderson's films.

As for your series, one way to connect the Plagas parasite into the series better would be to have it as the Nemesis parasite. The Nemesis parasite was attached to a Tyrant. If it were to be attached to a normal person, not an 8-foot-walking-death-machine, it would probably not be too different from what the infected were in RE4.

 

[Bran]

I don't plan on catering to every fan, and it IS next to impossible. One of the great aspects of combining the video games into one story is that it allows a tighter narrative. Personally, I am against most film series that go over three films. In the case of Resident Evil, there is really no reason for Anderson to make 6 films, especially since the last two really haven't expanded Alice's story arc. The films constantly undo plot points (especially what is set up in the previous ending) and at this point the films feel like padding.

 

[slack]

Everything about Anderson's movies are awful. The ironic thing is I like the cast he has, but I hate them for the roles they were assigned. Love Ali Larter but shes not a good Claire, same goes for Oded Fehr, Sienna Gulliory, Jonathan Urb and Kevin Durand the closest they came in character semblance was Wenworth Miller as Chris and Bingbing Li as Ada. And they must have been smoking some hardcore stuff when they decided to cast Sean Roberts as Wesker -- clearly sexual favors were exchanged somewhere for that role.

But yeah, I totally agree with you in that things should have a reasonable end anything over 4 movies becomes redundant.

 

[Bran]

One of the issues I have is with structuring Act One. The end of Act One is essentially the opening of the first game. As you know, Slack, the ends of acts 1 & 2 should have the characters in a situation that they cannot escape from (because if a character can just walk away from the problem there is no conflict). So about 25-30 pages/minutes in is the end of the first act.

My issue is the flow of information to the audience, finding conflict in each scene/making the scenes interesting for the audience, and introducing the main cast in a way that leads into the first game's story. I am using a few pieces of Biohazard: The Beginning, but nothing from the American novels, and at this point I would like to scrap any revision of Romero's draft to create something closer to the games.

So far, the biggest plot points I have are:

* Chris driving through the mountains, where he encounters corpses on the road (much of this is inspired by the Biohazard novella). A great tense scene, with Chris plowing this truck into the mountains, reacting to the bodies, and ending with something off-screen dragging a corpse away silently.

* Chris arguing with Chief Irons about the case (again, inspired by the novella). One of the things I was considering is making the S.T.A.R.S. members part-time, with the rest of their duties being patrol officers (not too different from real-world SWAT). This scene ends with Chris finding out that S.T.A.R.S. is being activated, and I wanted to end the scene with a stinger... a line of dialogue that Chris reacts to. Thought about it being the discovery that a group of hikers went missing.

* A briefing scene for the operation. This is where the audience finally gets some answers to their questions. Wesker lays out the body count, what S.T.A.R.S. is doing, and we go from there. Thought about a montage scene with the State Police, Forestry Service, and the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team mounting up and searching the mountains. In this plot, Brad and Kevin are pilots of the chopper doing aerial surveillance, while the Bravo Team are in mountain vehicles. Eventually, a tropical storm is brewing and they realize its not going to pass by. Search teams are called back. The Bravo Team is furthest out in the mountains... they also discover an abandoned mansion... the old city guest house. Before they can explore, they are called back due to the storm.

* There is a long, tense scene that shows the Bravo Team returning in a tropical storm (we get those from time to time in Pennsylvania), and the members being attacked by monsters in the dark. This is intercut with Wesker and members of the Alpha Team attempting to keep contact during the storm, with the transmission eventually cutting out (mostly due to the mountain range and the storm).

*And then, of course, a quick montage scene of the Alpha Team suiting up and flying out over the city and into the mountains. By now, the storm has slowed. This is roughly page 25-30.

The problem is, I want to introduce the scenes seamlessly. I don't want the pacing to feel like I have random scenes thrown in. I am also a fan of the older horror films with a slow build, so I am still not sold on the opening scene. You have any insight? Once I get the first act written, I'm golden... I have the majority of acts two and three, but it's how I want the story to be set up that is affecting me...

 

[Anguis]

Do you have a crew to execute these ideas?

 

[Bran]

Do you have a crew to execute these ideas?

At this time, no. I do have a few favors I can call in, as I worked with independent film makers that have gone on to making a few titles. I have a specific method for having this develop, though there is a slim few I would want involved to have this project brought to life. It certainly would not be a "Hollywood film", and no big names attached. I would not mind getting Theatrical Chicken involved; their series of shorts and trailers for a live action Resident Evil were good for the budget they spent.

If I could I would have the movie filmed in my area, as I scouted potential locations that match perfectly to the places needed to film everything from the game.

For now, I am only concerned with finishing the script. At the very least it could be years. I have to wait for the current films and follow-up TV series to end to avoid product confusion (grounds for a cease & desist).

Thanks for your question.

 

[Bran]

Here is a Screen Treatment for act one of my proposed script. For those that don't know, a treatment is kind of like a script in novel form. There isn't really a form for it, but can contain some dialogue, camera shots, notes. It is meant to give an overview of the movie. It can be anywhere from just a couple pages, to James Cameron's 60+ page novellas.

Anyway, what follows is my outline treatment for act one. I have been solely concentrating on act one for now because of laying the framework for character arcs and following the basic plot structure for films.

*******************************************​

We open on ESTABLISHMENT SHOTS of the ARKLAY MOUNTAINS, Raccoon Forest, and the haunting beauty of Pennsylvania OLD-GROWTH FORESTS. It is pre-dawn. A thick MORNING MIST clings to a ROAD snaking through the mountains.

A late-70s model FORD PICKUP is driving the desolate road through the mountains. The driver, CHRIS REDFIELD, taking steep curves in the road... Until a SILHOUETTE is outlined by the headlights. A person. A WOMAN, covered in BLOOD. Chris' EYES almost pop out his skull. He stomps the brakes, cuts the wheel. Too sharp. The TRUCK dovetails, doing almost a dance around the woman, plowing into the side of an embankment. The engine sputters and cuts out.

Groaning, the door opens and Chris lunges over to the woman, now collapsed in the middle of the road. The scene is barely lit by his HIGH BEAMS. Deep shadows conceal details, but we get broad strokes of images. Chris' forehead is cut. The woman, covered in blood, is hurt bad. She has been EVISCERATED and her arms, legs, have DEEP LACERATIONS. Her hands are the worse, as if she had fended off something attacking her. Chris is horrified, but attempts to work on her. Attempting to form words, but fails... too much blood in her throat. She dies.

CHRIS looks over, sees ANOTHER BODY laying 50 feet away. Instinctively draws a pistol from his waist that we never noticed. A Beretta M9. Cautiously, he walks over. We get the sense that he's had training, his movements fluid. Chris begins calling 911: “This is Officer Chris Redfield, Badge #0738. Unidentified Male and female. Massive lacerations and blood loss. Request backup and emergency services on Rural Route 6 at mile marker 4.”

The body is worse than the woman, the CORPSE nearly picked clean of flesh. Shreds of RED MUSCLE and gallons of BLOOD splatter the scene like a gory roadkill. Most of the HEAD IS MISSING. Chris holds back bile. Behind him, the Woman's corpse is illuminated through the HEADLIGHTS, though partially hidden by Chris' frame. The woman begins sliding off, silently, as if DRAGGED AWAY by some unseen animal. TWIGS SNAP, LEAVES RUSSLE. Chris snaps around, gun pointed. Nothing is there. He is left there, alone.

With a MUSICAL STING, the frame CUTS TO BLACK, as a single TITLE CARD fades into view: RESIDENT EVIL. CREDITS SEQUENCE.

PATROL CARS, MEDICAL PERSONNEL, and LAW ENFORCEMENT have secured the CRIME SCENE. The Man's CORPSE is being bagged and tagged. CAUTION TAPE is streamed across as FORENSICS snap PHOTOS and take NOTES. Chris' truck is being hooked up by a tow truck to be hauled away. CHRIS is by a patrol car, smoking a cigarette and visibly shaken. An unmarked car shows up and a man gets out and barks orders. This is CHIEF BRIAN IRONS (50). Heavy-set. Thick mustache. A slimy politician type.

Chief Irons sees Chris and heads straight for him, like a shark. He reprimands Chris, asks for details of what happened. An argument ensues, interrupted when an officer exists the forest line, proclaiming he found the woman's corpse before leaning against a tree, noticeably sickened. JOSEPH FROST, another member of S.T.A.R.S. and a friend of Chris pulls Chris away, giving him a ride. Chief Irons takes out his frustrations on other officers. As they get in the car, Chris asks Frost what has the Chief in such a mood. Frost replies that a group of hikers went missing and the Mayor has force Irons to activate the S.T.A.R.S. Unit.

RACCOON POLICE DEPARTMENT. DAYLIGHT. JILL VALENTINE walks through the busy precinct. Exits an elevator into a hallway. CHRIS stands with FOREST SPEYER, chatting about the operation. Apparently BRAVO TEAM, though less experienced than ALPHA TEAM, is being sent into the mountains to search for the missing hikers.

Suddenly, the elevators open and the voice of Chief Irons can be heard. He rounds the corner, two men, CAPTAIN ALBERT WESKER and LT ENRICO MARINI striding beside him. Irons barks orders to the two men regarding the search effort. Chris jumps in, demanding to know why Bravo Team is being sent in. Turns out, Irons authorized it, while Captain Wesker plans to explain everything in detail. There's a briefing in ten minutes.

Chris walks with Forest as they go into the parking garage. We pan out, and see just how large the operation is. There are RPD Officers, State Troopers, the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team, and forestry service personnel loading gear into various vehicles.

Lt Marini jumps into a Jeep with Forest driving. He says something smart-ass to Chris before the convoy leaves, exiting out into the city.

JOSEPH FROST enters an archives room, where he finds BARRY BURTON (late 30's) searching around. Frost tells him about the meeting, and through banter we discover that Barry is looking for architectural plans for something but can't find them. End on one-liner.

INTERCUT SEQUENCE [FOR THE BRIEFING SEQUENCE, INTERCUT THE DIALOGUE WITH FOOTAGE OF THE SEARCH EFFORT. ELEMENTS OF THE HUNTING PARTY FROM DAWN OF THE DEAD. THAT SENSE OF MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER. COMBING THE WOODS. MARKING OFF MAPS. DRINKING COFFEE.]

S.T.A.R.S. OFFICE: Focus on images of crime scenes. Victims. Briefing of what is going on. Wesker explains the timeline of the attacks [ALLOWING THE AUDIENCE TO UNDERSTAND FOR THE FIRST TIME WHAT IS HAPPENING] The animal attacks, the victims, and proposed resolutions. Chris explains what happened the previous night.[Introduce Barry having “nerves”/under stress early – hinting that he is hiding something.]

Wesker explains that the search operation is actually being done to investigate the Spencer Estate, for a possible raid by the Alpha Team. He finally divulges that info has been kept hidden from the public, and that eight of the thirteen deaths have actually been caused by humans. Focus on the reactions.

[INTERCUT THIS SEQUENCE INTO THE BRIEFING SCENE: TIMED WITH WESKER EXPLAINING ABOUT THE MANSION.] BRAVO team in the woods... find a huge DERELICT MANSION overgrown with vines. Windows boarded up. Someone explains its the old SPENCER ESTATE. Report comes in. Search and Rescue is called back due to inclement weather pending. A severe thunderstorm has been advised for the valley. Volunteers and the RPD helicopter head back.

CHRIS is on the rooftop, watching the impending storm. Smoking a cigarette. JILL comes outside and talks with him. Asks him for a cigarette. She knows he's hiding something, and he explains he was still search for his missing friend – he came back from searching his friend's cabin when he came across the two victims. Some introspective dialogue. We find out Chris had a friend that disappeared two months ago. His last phone conversation what to meet with him, but he never showed. Chris has been searching for him since. She also asks him if he's talked with his sister lately. He hasn't. He leaves her, flustered, alone on the rooftop. Begins pouring rain.

STARS BRAVO TEAM in their JEEP WRANGLERS are headed back, but the terrain makes it a slow process. Rain POUNDS DOWN on their vehicle, washing out what little is visible from their HEADLIGHTS. The mountain pass is rough.

THE PRECINCT. The summer storm has hit Raccoon with force. It is almost tropical storm level. JOSEPH FROST sits in the OPERATIONS/RADIO CENTER. Communicates with BRAVO. WESKER and CHIEF IRONS sit in the room as well. INTERCUT back and forth.

SOMETHING RUSHES across the road, the driver SLAMS on his brakes, but the roads have become slick with mud, and it slides across, hitting a tree. The second jeep, attempts to avoid the first but goes down an embankment, stuck on a DOWNED TREE. The STARS MEMBERS get out, shouting. LT. MARINI begins barking orders. One member begins using the HOIST in an attempt to pull the Jeep over the tree trunk. Even in chaos, this is smooth. They are professionals. They don't know that they are being watched from the wood line.

Wesker asks for a SITREP, with MARINI [not wanting support due to being jealous of Chris and Barry and fearing one of them will replace him as Bravo Team Leader] gives comments, while his radioman, RICHARD AIKEN translates his unprofessional comments into professional jargon for those back at Operations. Someone comments that this is a “cluster-****”. The transmission is cutting in and out. Most of it is lost at the Precinct.

Bravo team is stalked and attacked by UNSEEN CREATURES. KEVIN DOOLEY is taken down. RIPPED APART. Shots are fired in all directions as multiple targets present themselves. Marini struggles to keep control. Nerves are shot. Several of the creatures, only DARK SHAPES, are around the functional Jeep. Marini yells to “RUN” as the STARS members begin sprinting through the woods, AIKEN calling in for “QRF” [Quick Reaction Force]. None of it is reaching the Alpha Team.

PRECINCT: The STARS ALPHA TEAM are listening in, in shock. Bits and pieces. From their end, they aren't sure what is happening, but tension is building as FROST shouts into the radio attempting to gain comms with Bravo.

Chief Irons attempts to calm everyone, stating they just have bad comms due to the mountains and the storm. That they should be back within the hour. Wesker gets up, and unlocks a locker. A WEAPONS RACK. CHIEF IRONS scorns Wesker but he ignores the Chief. Takes control. Puts the Chief in his place. The team begins grabbing their gear and weapons.

The Search and Rescue chopper is landing on the rooftop. BRAD VICKERS, the pilot, is severely annoyed when told by Frost that they are going back out.

INTERCUT/MONTAGE: Shots of the Alpha Team putting on their tactical gear and grabbing weapons. This is the big moment. The point fans have been waiting for. The STARS ALPHA TEAM comes out onto the rooftop. Dressed in TACTICAL GEAR. The rain is pouring down but slowing. They board the chopper and head out over the city towards the LOOMING MOUNTAINS. [This sequence set to John Carpenter's “NIGHT” song.] Close shots of the various character's faces. Grim. Determined.

 

[Bran]

A few notes:

1) The S.T.A.R.S. are a type of SWAT unit, but reorganized to have training in rescuing lost hunters and tourists in the mountains. In my plot, Raccoon City is just called Raccoon, with a population of 50,000 (I based it on Pennsylvania's capital, Harrisburg, which has the general look and feel for what I would want Raccoon to be).

2) The Bravo Team uses Jeeps (similar to brush trucks and forestry service vehicles) instead of a helicopter. This is because they are supposed to be looking for missing hikers, and it doesn't make sense for 6 people to be flying in the sky looking. Instead, it is a massive operation. Brad Vickers is piloting the chopper doing aerial searches.

3) There will still probably be changes to what I posted as I keep consolidating material and finding more efficient methods to introduce characters and propel the plot forward.

 

[ResidentDevil]

Nice, you seem very passionate about this.

 

[Bran]

Thank you.

I am VERY passionate about this. My goal is to present the events of the original game in a realistic context. I want the story to feel REAL, and not like a typical video game movie.