In the Resident Evil film franchise, who directed the first film, released in 2002?

Paul W. S. Anderson directed Resident Evil, the first film in the Resident Evil movie franchise.

Released in 2002, the film stars Milla Jovovich as Alice, an original character created for the movies rather than a direct adaptation of one game protagonist. The story takes place around the underground Hive facility beneath Raccoon City after a viral outbreak triggers a deadly containment crisis.

Anderson also wrote the screenplay and later directed or produced several additional films in the series. The movie borrows locations, creatures, concepts, and terminology from Capcom’s Resident Evil video games while telling its own story.

Paul W. S. Anderson is sometimes confused with the unrelated American filmmaker Wes Anderson. The initials in Paul W. S. Anderson’s name are part of the director’s professional name and help distinguish him from Wes Anderson, known primarily for stylized comedies and dramas.