As a franchise, Resident Evil is well versed in bringing back characters from earlier in the series, and now new reports have confirmed that the last episode will be pulling off that trick as well. It turns that Ali Larter is set to make a comeback in the series and reprise her role as Claire Redfield.
Deadline has the scoop on this development, though the article doesn't mention exactly how the character will be fitting into the plot of the new film, which is being titled Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. Larter first started appearing in the movies with 2007's Resident Evil Extinction, and continued her run for Resident Evil: Afterlife, though she wasn't a part of 2012's Resident Evil: Retribution. Apparently director Paul W.S. Anderson believes it fitting that Larter be a part of the franchise's end, so he's written a role for Claire to play in his screenplay.
While the character didn't die in Resident Evil: Afterlife, Claire's absence from Resident Evil: Retribution is explainable. At the end of Resident Evil: Afterlife, she and her brother, Chris (Wentworth Miller), wind up being captured by a brainwashed Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) and taken hostage by the Umbrella Corporation. Exactly what has been happening to her in the time since then is a mystery, but knowing the villains that captured her, she probably hasn't been getting treated well. The truth about both Claire and Chris was kept ambiguous in the last movie, which we can now presume was on purpose. Of course, this also makes us wonder if we may soon hear that Wentworth Miller will be coming back for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter as well (though his commitment to Legends of Tomorrow may prevent that from happening).
As of now, all that's really known about the plot of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is that it picks up shortly after where Resident Evil: Retribution left off. At the end of that movie, Alice (Milla Jovovich) got her superhuman abilities returned to her, and she essentially agreed to team with Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts) to try and stop The Red Queen from destroying the human race for good. Within the series, the movie will be the fourth in a row to be directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, the filmmaker having passed on making both Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Resident Evil: Extinction.
Filming for The Final Chapter is scheduled to commence in South Africa next month, and knowing the history of the video game adaptation, Ali Larter won't be the only actress from a previous movie making a big return. Expect to hear a few more reports about the blockbuster in the next few weeks.
Courtesy of Screen Gems, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter will be in theaters on September 2, 2016.
