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Resident Evil Show Cracks Netflix Top 10 In 92 Countries
Despite division amongst franchise fans, the new Resident Evil show has cracked Netflix's Top 10 in 92 countries. Developed by Supernatural alum Andrew Dabb, the series marks the second TV adaptation of Capcom's video game franchise after fellow Netflix project Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, which was created and produced directly by the publisher. Constantin Film, who holds the rights to all live-action adaptations of the property, have helped produce Resident Evil with Netflix and Amalgamated Nonsense.
Resident Evil centers on Jade and Billie, half-twin teenage sisters who move with their father, Dr. Albert Wesker, to the recently built New Raccoon City, now headquarters to the Umbrella Corporation and where Wesker continues his dark experiments. The series also picks up 14 years in the future in which Jade, grown up and haunted by her past, fights to try and stop the T-virus outbreak that has decimated the world's population, leaving just over 300 million people alive across the world. Lance Reddick leads the cast of Resident Evil as Albert Wesker alongside Ella Balinska as adult Jade, Tamara Smart as teenage Jade, Adeline Rudolph as adult Billie, Siena Agudong as teenage Billie and Paola Núñez as Umbrella owner Evelyn Marcus.
Following the show's premiere on the streaming platform, Netflix has revealed how well the Resident Evil show fared in its opening weekend. The adaptation of the Capcom video game franchise clocked in over 72 million hours viewed, putting it in the No. 2 spot on its Top 10 list across 92 countries. Resident Evil lost the No. 1 spot to Stranger Things season 4, which held firm with over 102 million hours viewed this past weekend.
Though a new show racking in large viewership numbers is generally not a surprise when it comes to Netflix, the fact that Resident Evil not only cracked Netflix's Top 10 but also came in at No. 2 in its opening weekend may come as a surprise to some. While critics have been more favorable to the series than the Resident Evil movies, fans of the video game franchise have been openly dismissive about the latest effort to adapt the source material, with some comparing it to the teenage dramas of The CW's programming roster while others have expressed frustrations at the explanation of Albert Wesker's return following his canonical death in the games. This negative reception has seen Resident Evil get one of the lowest Rotten Tomatoes audience scores in the site's history, clocking in at a dismal 25 percent approval rating.
Despite this backlash, those who did enjoy the Resident Evil show may be encouraged to hear that it cracked Netflix's Top 10 in its opening weekend. The series ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger with a number of plot threads left to be explored in future seasons, including the arrival of iconic video game character Ada Wong, and should the series remain strong in its viewership numbers over the next couple of weeks, Netflix could very well feel confident enough to greenlight season 2. For those eager to help boost the show's chances, Resident Evil is available to stream in its entirety on Netflix now.
