According to Screen Rant, director Zach Cregger has drawn a bold comparison between his upcoming Resident Evil movie reboot and the Lord of the Rings franchise — signaling that his vision for the beloved survival horror property is anything but small.
What a 'LOTR-Scale' Resident Evil Actually Means for Casting
When a filmmaker invokes Lord of the Rings, they're not just talking budget — they're talking ensemble. Peter Jackson's trilogy succeeded because it built a sprawling, interlocking cast of characters who each felt essential to the world. If Cregger is chasing that same energy with Resident Evil, then the casting conversation suddenly becomes one of the most exciting in Hollywood. We're not just talking about a lead. We're talking about a full roster: Leon, Chris, Jill, Wesker, Ada, Claire, Barry — the whole S.T.A.R.S. unit and then some. Getting even half of those roles right could make or break whether this reboot becomes a franchise or another false start.
For fans of the games, this comparison is either thrilling or terrifying depending on your relationship with the series' previous film adaptations. But one thing is clear: the scale of ambition Cregger is describing demands serious, thoughtful casting — exactly the kind of conversation the myCast community was built for.
What myCast Fans Are Already Saying
The myCast community has already been putting together dream rosters for this reboot, and the picks are genuinely compelling. Over at the Resident Evil fan cast, voters have assembled what might be the most intriguing ensemble suggestion we've seen so far.
For Leon Scott Kennedy — arguably the franchise's most iconic protagonist — fans have tabbed Paul Wesley, best known for his brooding, action-capable work on The Vampire Diaries. It's a pick that makes a lot of sense: Wesley has the jawline, the physicality, and the ability to carry world-weary charm without going full action-movie robot.
For Chris Redfield, the community has voted for Gerard Butler — a choice that leans hard into the character's built-like-a-tank reputation. If Cregger wants his Chris to feel like a credible match for a bioweapon the size of a building, Butler can absolutely sell that.