WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR RESIDENT EVIL (2026)
The new Resident Evil movie does something surprisingly clever with the video game franchise. Rather than directly adapting one particular game, the movie builds its own story while borrowing plenty of familiar ideas from across the series.
That approach makes the movie feel like Resident Evil without simply retelling Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, or any other game. From enemy designs to weapons, locations, puzzles, and even the movie’s structure, there are plenty of references for longtime fans to spot.
Here are 10 of the biggest Resident Evil Easter eggs and references in the movie.
1. The Movie Mirrors the Structure of the Games
One of the biggest references is actually the way the entire movie is structured.
Like many Resident Evil games, the movie starts relatively slowly. Bryan spends time exploring his surroundings and trying to figure out what is happening before the danger gradually escalates. Then everything starts getting much crazier.
The movie eventually builds toward a huge finale, just like the games often do. Even the ending takes place inside a secret Umbrella laboratory, another familiar Resident Evil tradition.
It feels less like the movie is adapting one game and more like it is adapting the basic formula of the entire franchise.
2. Bryan’s Final Monster Resembles William Birkin
Bryan’s infection goes through an evolution throughout the movie, eventually transforming him into something much more monstrous. His final form bears a striking resemblance to William Birkin’s G-creature from Resident Evil 2.
Like Birkin, Bryan’s infection progressively changes his body before turning him into a grotesque creature that barely resembles the person he once was. Like Birkin, you can see a large eye, a claw, and Bryan’s head (barely) in resemblance.
It is not a direct adaptation of Birkin, but the visual similarities are hard to miss for anyone familiar with the game.
3. The Zombie Dog
At first, the dog on the farm seems completely normal. Then the movie pulls the rug out from under the audience.
The dog is actually infected and becomes the classic zombie dog fans know from the games.
Zombie dogs have appeared throughout the Resident Evil franchise, including some of its most iconic entries, making this one of the movie’s most obvious nods to the games.
4. The Tentacle Monsters Echo Las Plagas
Most of the movie’s creatures initially resemble variations on traditional Resident Evil zombies. But some of them have something extra: tentacles.
Those appendages are reminiscent of the Las Plagas parasites from Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5.
The movie does not simply recreate the Las Plagas creatures, but the visual connection is clear. It is another example of the film taking familiar pieces from the games and putting its own spin on them.
5. The Stalker Enemy
One of the movie’s most memorable threats is the mutated woman who continues pursuing Bryan after their initial encounter. Her role feels very similar to the stalker enemies found throughout the games.
Resident Evil has repeatedly used enemies such as Nemesis and Mr. X to create tension by having an apparently unstoppable creature follow the player through different areas.
The woman follows a similar formula. Her mutations also become increasingly extreme as the movie progresses, reinforcing the connection to enemies such as Nemesis and the Tyrants.
6. The Shotgun on the Mantle
Resident Evil loves putting useful weapons in places where players absolutely cannot miss them.
The movie has plenty of different weapons, but the shotgun’s appearance on the mantle feels like a particularly deliberate reference to the games.
It recalls the shotgun found early in Resident Evil 4, which quickly became one of that game’s most recognizable weapons.
The movie even gives the weapon the sort of visual prominence that makes longtime players immediately think, “I know exactly where this is going.”
7. Of Course There Are Sewers
What Resident Evil game would be complete without a trip through the sewers? Apparently, the movie agrees.
The sewer sequence is another familiar location for the franchise. The games have repeatedly sent players underground through disgusting tunnels filled with monsters, secrets, and increasingly unpleasant surprises. The movie follows that tradition almost perfectly.
At this point, a Resident Evil story without sewers might actually be the bigger Easter egg.
8. The First Aid Spray and Green Herb
The movie also sneaks in two of the franchise’s most recognizable survival items.
Two first aid sprays can be spotted in the barn when Bryan is preparing to leave.
Later, a green herb appears during the tunnel sequence.
Neither item needs much explanation for longtime fans. The first aid spray and green herb have become staples of the series, representing two of the most recognizable ways players restore their health.
They are small details, but exactly the sort of details that make the movie feel connected to the games.
9. The First-Person Sequences
The movie features several sequences presented from a first-person perspective.
That immediately calls back to Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village, which moved the main series into first person after years of third person gameplay.
The perspective shift also creates a different kind of tension. Instead of watching Bryan navigate the environment from the outside, the audience is put directly into his point of view.
It is another way the movie borrows from the gameplay experience without literally recreating it.
10. Locks, Keys and Puzzles
Finally, there are the locks and puzzles.
Bryan repeatedly struggles with padlocks and figuring out how to get through certain areas. One lock on the farm even features a symbol that corresponds to a key.
That setup leads to a particularly funny payoff.
It captures one of the defining quirks of Resident Evil: seemingly ridiculous puzzles standing between the protagonist and the next room.
The games have famously asked players to find keys, decipher symbols, collect oddly specific objects, and solve elaborate puzzles simply to open doors.
The movie understands the joke and uses it for one of its more amusing references.
Resident Evil Is More Than an Adaptation
The new Resident Evil movie does not attempt to recreate one specific game. Instead, it takes pieces from across the franchise and builds them into something new.
That is why the references work so well. They reward longtime fans without requiring the audience to know exactly where every reference comes from. The movie ultimately feels less like a direct adaptation and more like someone took the Resident Evil formula, threw a bunch of familiar ingredients into a blender, and somehow made a movie out of it.
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