'Resident Evil' Has A Musical In The Works

Sensing that perhaps the film franchise got derailed somewhere between its first and final outings, the makers of iconic video game series Resident Evil are turning their eyes to the world of musical theatre for their next adaptation plans.

As Kotaku reports (via translated press release), the Capcom franchise, which is known as Biohazard in its home country, will be re-envisioned as Musical Resident Evil from September this year, when it kicks off in Tokyo for a two-month run before opening in Osaka this November.

Encouragingly, for (bilingual) fans of the original series, Capcom producer — and original Resident Evil programmer — Hiroyuki Kobayashi will have a hands-on role in shaping the musical. Playwright and director G2 (My Fair Lady, Wuthering Heights) will be steering the new production.

There's little (well, basically no) information regarding the planned plot or character prospects, but the musical has attracted the star power of well-regarded theatrical performer Reon Yuzuki, who, as Kotaku notes, has spent the majority of her career with the all-female Takarazuka Revue (responsible for the truly wonderful and wacky Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney musical), where she specialises in playing male roles. (We don't think that information is necessarily relevant to the Resident Evil musical, though, as this is not a Takarazuka Revue production.)