What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedResident Evil
Paul W. S. Anderson · Film · 2002
If you loved Resident Evil, start with Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Resident Evil across media.
What hooked you in Resident Evil was the way a catastrophic containment breach transforms controlled environments into desperate survival scenarios.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Film · 2004
Adaptation
Resident Evil: Extinction
Russell Mulcahy · Film · 2007
Adaptation
Resident Evil: Degeneration
Makoto Kamiya · Film · 2008
Books on the same thread
The Passage
Justin Cronin · Book · 2010
Shares a thread with Resident Evil: Genetic Experimentation.
Like Resident Evil, this story centers on a catastrophic security failure at a secret government facility that unleashes a viral nightmare upon the world, forcing a fight for humanity.
The Keep
F. Paul Wilson · Book · 2000
Explores: Ancient Evil, Nazi Occultism, Good vs Evil.
Much like the military task force in Resident Evil, these soldiers encounter a terrifying, unnatural threat inside a confined space, forcing them to confront forces beyond their comprehension.
Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton · Book · 1991
Explores: Genetic Engineering, Ethical Dilemmas of Science, Man vs. Nature.
Resident Evil fans will recognize the familiar pattern of unchecked genetic experimentation leading to a lethal containment breach where science turns against its creators with deadly, predatory results.
Cell
Stephen King · Book · 2022
Shares a thread with Resident Evil: Zombie Horror.
The sudden, chaotic collapse of society in this narrative mirrors the rapid viral outbreak that defines Resident Evil, stripping away safety and leaving only the instinct for survival.
Series on the same thread
All of Us Are Dead
Chun Sung-il · Series · 2022
Shares 2 threads with Resident Evil: Zombie Horror, Survival Horror.
If you enjoyed the claustrophobic tension of Resident Evil, you will appreciate how this outbreak traps students in a restricted setting, turning their school into a lethal, infected battleground.
The Walking Dead
Frank Darabont · Series · 2010
Shares 2 threads with Resident Evil: Zombie Horror, Survival Horror.
This series captures the same post-outbreak dread found in Resident Evil, focusing on the brutal reality of navigating a world overrun by the infected where every day is survival.
The Strain
Guillermo del Toro · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Resident Evil: Viral Outbreak.
Like the medical team in Resident Evil, these investigators must trace a mysterious, viral infection back to its source, revealing an ancient threat that demands a desperate armed response.
Attack on Titan
Series · 2013
Explores: Survival, Existential Horror, Loss of Innocence.
The desperate struggle against overwhelming, man-eating monsters behind fortified walls echoes the intense survival horror found in Resident Evil, where humanity is constantly on the brink of total annihilation.
Podcasts on the same thread
This Podcast Will Kill You
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: pathogen history, public health awareness, scientific curiosity.
If the scientific horror of Resident Evil piqued your interest, this podcast provides a grounded, fascinating exploration of the real-world pathogens and outbreaks that inspire such terrifying fictional scenarios.
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
Wes Larson, Jeff Larson, Mike Smith | Daylight Media · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Human-wildlife conflict, Apex predators, Biological survival.
The visceral, high-stakes encounters with apex predators here mirror the tension of Resident Evil, where biological survival is the only thing standing between you and a gruesome, fatal end.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I watch the Resident Evil movies in?
You should start with the 2002 Resident Evil film. Following that, the chronological release order for the sequels is Resident Evil: Apocalypse in 2004, Resident Evil: Extinction in 2007, and the animated film Resident Evil: Degeneration in 2008.
Is Resident Evil: Apocalypse a direct sequel to the 2002 film?
Yes, Resident Evil: Apocalypse is the 2004 follow-up to the original 2002 Resident Evil movie. It continues the story after the virus leaks from the top-secret facility and the elite military task force attempts to contain the resulting outbreak of zombies and mutated creatures.
Does Resident Evil: Extinction continue the plot of the original Resident Evil?
Yes, Resident Evil: Extinction is the 2007 sequel that builds upon the events established in the original 2002 Resident Evil. It follows the progression of the virus outbreak that began when researchers were turned into zombies and lab animals were mutated into hounds at the secret facility.
How does Resident Evil: Degeneration fit into the Resident Evil film series?
Resident Evil: Degeneration is an animated entry released in 2008. It serves as part of the broader franchise that began with the 2002 Resident Evil movie, which depicted the government sending an elite military task force to contain a virus outbreak at a top-secret research facility.