The short answer to the question posed by the headline is: no, "Resident Evil" is not getting a second season. The reason for this will probably not surprise you.

Deadline has the story that Netflix is not moving forward with "Resident Evil" season 2 and also revealed some curious details about the decision behind that. We all know that Netflix is currently in a bit of a crisis as their competitors close the gap, subscribers are dropping at record rates, and their stock has taken a John Wick-style beating. They've announced they're reining in their spending, and "Resident Evil" apparently didn't make the cut.

The Netflix series debuted July 14, 2022, and follows two timelines: One showing Albert Wesker's daughters, Jade and Billie, as they first discover their father's ties to the evil Umbrella Corporation, and the other where one of them is trying to survive in the wake of the next zombie apocalypse. The show took elements from the games for backstory but didn't follow any of the popular video game's pre-established storylines. But it did give us a bunch of Lance Reddicks which was thoughtful, and we do appreciate it (he played the many clones of Albert Wesker).

It's Hard To Argue With The Reasoning Behind The Cancellation

The issue is that while it's a massive IP in Netflix's eyes, it underperformed, reportedly debuting at the #2 Most Popular slot while logging in a decent 72.7 million hours viewed, but trailing off quickly. That's the equivalent of a movie having a big opening weekend and then dropping like a stone the next.

There are a few reasons for this, not the least of which is the fact that the show debuted in the shadow of Netflix's monolithic "Stranger Things," which dominated eyeballs on the platform and social media engagement for weeks afterward. If you sit quietly, cross your legs and reach out with your mind you can still hear echoes of the "Chrissy Wake Up" song reverberating through the pop culture consciousness.

"Resident Evil" also just didn't catch on with audiences or critics, collecting a 55% critic score and an abysmal 27% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Netflix only cares about the audience side of that, really, and they have some complicated algorithm that decides if the number of hours watched is worth the price they have to pay for a second season. That algorithmic deity took a look at "Resident Evil" and gave a thumbs down, dooming it to a one-season-only limbo for all eternity.

So, no more "Resident Evil" for Netflix, but fear not. Like its many monsters, "Resident Evil" will likely not stay dead for long. Someone always wants to take a stab at a live-action adaptation even though we haven't gotten a fully successful one yet.

Read this next: The Horror Movies We Can't Wait To See In 2022

The post Will Netflix's Resident Evil Series Get A Second Season? appeared first on /Film.