Resident Evil: Why Did Milla Jovovich Stop Playing Alice & Will She Return?
Long before "The Last of Us" became required Sunday night viewing or "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" raced past $1 billion at the global box office, Sony pushed the boundaries of video game movies. They didn't invent the concept, but making one, let alone six "Resident Evil" movies proved they were ahead of the times, even if the final product wasn't the best.
Although Mila Jovovich was integral to bringing "Resident Evil" to the big screen, her character Alice has been notably absent from any recent attempts to reboot the franchise. In an interview with ComicBook.com, Jovovich's husband and "Resident Evil" director Paul W.S. Anderson stated "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter," his and Jovovich's final outing, wraps up Alice's story, a character he created for Jovovich to play. Recent "Resident Evil" reboots have focused on characters from the video games, so that could explain Alice's absence from the projects.
Another reason could be that an on-set accident pushed her away from "Resident Evil." While Jovovich wasn't directly injured, her stunt double Olivia Jackson suffered severe injuries on the set of "The Final Chapter," suing Anderson after an accident left her in a coma and with an amputated arm. A traumatizing accident like that is more than enough to drive someone away, but Jovovich isn't swearing off one day returning to "Resident Evil."
Resident Evil is near and dear to Jovovich's heart
The "Resident Evil" series made Mila Jovovich a star in Hollywood, and despite departing the franchise after "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter," she will always remain open to returning to the world of Umbrella and the T-Virus.
"'Resident Evil' is such a huge part of my life, on so many different levels," Jovovich told ComicBook.com in 2020. "I was such a big fan of the game. That's what made me want to be in the movie to begin with. So, I would always love to go back to the Resident Evil universe. I think it's such a fun place to be in, and it's such a great reality. And, listen, I spent half of my career in that world. I would love to be a part of it again."
In 2021, Sony rebooted the franchise with "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City," giving fans a more video-game-accurate adaptation. A year later, Netflix dipped its toes in the franchise with its TV series, "Resident Evil," putting a different spin on Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick). Jovovich's Alice was noticeably absent from both projects, despite being the face of "Resident Evil" for nearly a decade. In a conversation with SFX Magazine, the actress doubled down on her willingness to return, saying, "Never say never," while stating her love for Netflix. Although the streamer ultimately canceled the series she was referring to, Jovovich doesn't seem likely to ever close the door on returning to the "Resident Evil" franchise.