Capcom continues its marketing push for Resident Evil Requiem ahead of its February 28, 2026 release, unveiling a short film that explores the series’ darkest moment and confirms the true age of Leon Kennedy.
Capcom Unveils New Details About Resident Evil With Short Film
New Short Film Highlights the Franchise’s Darkest Chapter
Earlier today, Capcom just dropped a 3-minute live-action short film starring Longlegs star, Maika Monroe, as part of their marketing spree for Resident Evil Requiem.
Titled, "Evil Always Had a Name," it saw Monroe’s character taking care of her daughter during the harrowing September 30th, 1998 Raccoon City incident, the epicenter of the T-Virus outbreak, turning everybody into mindless undead. In the short film, both Monroe and her daughter escape from the clutches of a swarm of zombies and Lickers. Fans even notice that Resident Evil 3's Nemesis can be heard saying, "S.T.A.R.S." and can be briefly seen in the background.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Monroe shares details about the production, saying, "We had a lot of extras with zombie makeup running around... police officers, dogs, and smoke machines... it was chaos."
While the live-action short film did not expand on the series’ overarching Raccoon City lore, it highlighted the human cost of the infestation. Maika Monroe and her daughter’s unnamed characters are among the countless victims that populate every Resident Evil game.
The short film concludes with its title, suggesting that while the undead and bio-organic weapons are terrifying for players, the true evil in the series lies with Umbrella Corporation, the pharmaceutical company responsible for most of the zombie outbreaks.
In relation to the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem, the short film emphasizes that while the series’ staple monsters are far from alive, some retain traces of their humanity despite the spreading infection. The film also serves as a buildup to Requiem, where Capcom officially confirmed from the Resident Evil Showcase that the new Raccoon City virus strain allows the undead to "retain elements of their former personalities," for example, an infected hotel staff member still turning lights on and off, or a maid continuing to wipe the bathroom mirrors.
Resident Evil Requiem Timeline Confirmation Seemingly Confirmed Leon’s Age
In the Resident Evil Showcase released a few weeks ago, the developers confirmed that Resident Evil Requiem takes place 30 years after the Raccoon City incident of 1998. This would suggest that the series is set in 2028, two years ahead of the current year.
However, eagle-eyed fans have pointed out that the "30-year" timeframe may simply be Capcom rounding up their numbers. In the latest Resident Evil Requiem trailer, where Leon is seen examining a computer, a desk calendar shows the date as Tuesday, October 10, which aligns with the 2026 calendar.
In Resident Evil 2 (and the Remake), Leon Kennedy is born in 1977, making him 21 during the Raccoon City incident. In Resident Evil 4, which takes place in 2004, he is 27. Resident Evil 6, on the other hand, is set around 2012–2013, which makes him about 35.
Now, if Requiem takes place in 2026, this means Leon Kennedy is approaching "true unc status," reaching the ripe age of 49, which is one year shy of 50.
While this may seem trivial to some Resident Evil fans, discovering Leon’s true age highlights just how much he has been through since his early days as a rookie cop in Raccoon City. He went from being a survivor to serving as part of the President of the United States’ security detail (even going through lengths to save the President’s daughter). It remains unclear whether Leon is still working for the government in Requiem, but his trailer suggests he still maintains connections with his friends in high places.
Resident Evil: Requiem launches this month, February 28, 2026, for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC (Steam and Epic Games).
Source:
Entertainment Weekly Interview with Maika Monroe
Leon's Age Debate in Resident Evil Requiem Has Been Settled
