Resident Evil: Afterlife is the fourth movie in the Resident Evil franchise.  It will be filmed in 3D and will be released August 27, 2010.

Director Paul W.S. Anderson recently confirmed Resident Evil: Afterlife would be the first in a new Resident Evil trilogy, adding that he regarded the next film as “a re-tooling and rebirth of the entire franchise.”‘

So I’m somewhat surprised to hear the rumor that Sony Screen Gems are looking to turn Resident Evil 5 into a complete franchise reboot.

According to a report on Bloody Disgusting, Resident Evil 5 will be titled Resident Evil Begins and it won’t continue with the ongoing story.  Their sources claim the fifth movie will be a “quasi-reboot”, with the idea being to tell a story about a special military unit who fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident.

Although Bloody Disgusting are a credible news site and although they claim they have confirmed the rumor, I’m dubious about it given it seems in complete conflict with writer/director Anderson’s ideas. Whilst it remains possible that the second film in Anderson’s new trilogy may go back to the beginning, the idea that Anderson would remain at the helm whilst dumping his wife Milla Jovovich, whose character Alice is Resident Evil, seems unlikely to me.

The report on Bloody Disgusting alludes to the idea that Jovovich may not be involved with Resident Evil Begins due to costs, but given the franchise remains profitable and given that hasn’t stopped Sony from moving throwing more money at Resident Evil: Afterlife that any of its predecessors, I’m not so sure her increasing salary is going to be a big enough deal to warrant risking the franchise by removing her from it.

I’m chalking up a complete reboot for Resident Evil 5 as nothing more than rumor until such time as it’s official.

Resident Evil: Afterlife will be released August 27, 2010.

Meanwhile, if you’re a BIG fan of Resident Evil and you have some money to burn, this collectible might be right up your ally:

Resident Evil: Extinction Glass Virus Vial Movie Prop

It’s an original Glass Vial Virus Tube prop direct from the set of Resident Evil:Extinction and it’s on eBay with a Buy it Now price of $3,799.99.

It’s legitimate as it is listed by Premiere Props who are the worlds largest Movie Memorabilia store. Premiere Props will supply a signed Certificate of Authenticity.

Visit the product page for more.

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• Fourth ‘Resident Evil’ Film To Hit Theaters Next Year?
• Resident Evil 5 definitely being made, will be ‘interactive’
• Norman Yeung and Kacey Barnfield Join ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’
• Production Begins on ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’
• Three New Cast Members For ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’
• Three Weeks Less to Wait for ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’
• ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’ Will Have Many Milla’s
• ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’ in 3D, Start of a New Trilogy
• Further Updates on ‘Resident Evil 4′
• Sumthing Else Releases ‘Resident Evil 5’ Game Soundtrack