Who plays Albert Wesker in Resident Evil?

This means that everything terrified gamers have struggled through over the past 25 years, from the initial mansion mission to the most recent nightmare village, is all canon to the world of this Netflix series.

So what does that mean for Wesker? Read on for details.

Who plays Albert Wesker in Netflix's Resident Evil?

Albert Wesker is played by Lance Reddick in Netflix's new take on Resident Evil.

The actor will be very familiar to avid viewers, best known for his roles in popular television dramas The Wire, Fringe and Bosch, as well as Keanu Reeves's brutal action film franchise John Wick.

Previously, the character has been portrayed in live-action by Jason O'Mara (in Resident Evil: Extinction), Shawn Roberts (in Afterlife, Retribution and The Final Chapter), and The Umbrella Academy's Tom Hopper (in last year's reboot Welcome to Raccoon City).

Is it the same Albert Wesker as in the Resident Evil games?

So it seems! In an interview with ComicBook.com, showrunner Andrew Dabb explained that all of the Resident Evil games are considered canon by the television show, which takes place years later in the franchise timeline.

He said: "The games are our backstory. Everything that happened in the games exists in this world. So like, the village is there. We might not get there 'til season 5, but it is in our world. We can play with those... as we're now moving ahead.

"Everything in the games is the backstory for the show. But again, we're doling it out in pieces. We're not being like, episode three, 'meet the Redfields', episode four, 'here's Leon'. And I'm sure there's a certain part of the fanbase that would be like, 'please do that version.'

"But for us, it was more important, [to] take you on this journey. And then as the journey goes on and on, we will touch on different quarters and aspects of the mythology."

That raises a big question, however, as Albert Wesker was killed in 2009's Resident Evil 5, meeting his end in a fiery volcano after confronting longtime nemesis Chris Redfield and his new partner Sheva Alomar.

Those who played through the title, which was re-released on Nintendo Switch in 2019, will know that Wesker's death is pretty hard to come back from – even for someone with augmented genes such as himself.

Additionally, Reddick's Wesker is depicted as a loving father to his two children, which couldn't be more different to the heartless monster that the character was shown to be in the games.

When quizzed on these inconsistencies by SFX Magazine, Dabb said: "The Albert Wesker on our show is the Albert Wesker after [Resident Evil 5].

"I will say there will be a very good explanation of why he is back and why he is the way that he is. That explanation does not include that he happened to be wearing volcano- and rocket launcher-proof clothes."

Dabb has clarified that although Wesker's race has been changed for this adaptation, that decision has nothing to do with the storyline of the show and so Reddick's incarnation of the character should be considered the original.

Who plays Jade and Billie Wesker in Resident Evil?

Jade and Billie Wesker are Albert's daughters and brand new additions to the Resident Evil mythos.

Accounting for the split narrative of the show, which takes place both in 2022 an 2036, both are played by a younger and an older actor.

Jade is played by Tamara Smart (Artemis Fowl) in the present day and Ella Balinska (Charlie's Angels) in the future, while Billie is played by Siena Agudong (No Good Nick) and Adeline Rudolph (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) respectively.

• Read more: Resident Evil ending explained

Resident Evil is available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.