Walking Dead Star’s RE7 Fan Film Tops Entire Franchise

A fan-made Resident Evil adaptation has become the highest-rated entry in the entire franchise, dethroning the critically acclaimed theatrical film released just weeks earlier.

Chandler Riggs, known for his role in The Walking Dead, directed and starred in a 19-minute Resident Evil 7 short film that premiered on the RE Biohazard channel this week. The project has already accumulated an average IMDb rating of 8.3 out of 10, surpassing all official Resident Evil movies and television productions. The 2024 theatrical Resident Evil film, which had become the franchise's previous highest-rated entry at 7.6, now ranks second. The original 2002 film sits at 6.6, with most other entries in the series falling between 4.2 and 6.4.

The timing creates an unusual coincidence: Austin Abrams, who played Ron Anderson in The Walking Dead alongside Riggs, starred in the theatrical film that held the top spot before Riggs' short took over. Both actors have now appeared in two of the franchise's best-reviewed adaptations consecutively.

Following the release, Riggs participated in a question-and-answer session on the Resident Evil subreddit where fans inquired about future projects. While enthusiastic about the possibility of adapting additional games or expanding the Resident Evil universe, Riggs acknowledged the financial and logistical barriers to self-funding another production. He explained that the considerable personal investment required to complete the short film, combined with the inability to generate revenue from fan-made content, makes repeating the effort challenging without external support.

However, Riggs expressed openness to collaborating with Constantin, the production company behind official Resident Evil adaptations, should they seek to develop his vision further. He proposed that Resident Evil 7 and its sequel, Village, would be better suited to a television format than a feature film. Riggs suggested a two-season series with approximately six episodes per season would allow the narrative to unfold properly without requiring a blockbuster-level budget. He noted that condensing the story into a traditional 90-minute film would be difficult while maintaining the approach he took with his short.

The success of Riggs' project comes at a moment when the Resident Evil franchise appears to be gaining critical momentum after years of poorly-received adaptations. Whether Constantin will pursue an official partnership with Riggs remains uncertain, but his demonstrated passion for the source material and proven ability to create well-received content has positioned him as a potential asset for future franchise development.