In July 2005, producers mentioned the possibility of following Extinction with a sequel titled Resident Evil: Afterlife, to be shot and set in Tokyo, Japan and Alaska. Despite Resident Evil: Extinction being billed on the official website and elsewhere as the final installment of the Resident Evil film series, Rory Bruer, Sony's head of distribution explained, "It absolutely would not surprise me considering the success of the franchise that they find a way to come up with another. It's a real possibility". Producer Jeremy Bolt also stated that while there was no intention of making a fourth film, that the third had been particularly well done and that Paul Anderson was talking with Sony about the possibility.
In October 2007, reports indicates that casting for the fourth film begun, with Jensen Ackles being considered for the role of Leon S. Kennedy. However, bringing Leon as a character in an upcoming film would contradict promotional information from Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Screen Gems created a faux newspaper, The Raccoon City Times, that detailed the background of Jill Valentine, and included that she was dismissed from the S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Squad) after the death of her partner, Leon Kennedy. Ali Larter confirmed she would reprise her role "100% if asked". In the same month, production began on Resident Evil: Degeneration, a full-length computer-generated animated film based on the original game series. A 60-second sneak peek of the film was included on the DVD and Blu Ray release for Resident Evil: Extinction which was released in January 2008.
Nearly a year later, Anderson noted that negotiations were underway with Sony for creating the film. During an interview with IGN in December 2008, Anderson stated that he was working on the script. The following year, ShockTillYouDrop.com announced that Sony was aiming to release Resident Evil: Afterlife by August 27, 2010. In a subsequent interview, Anderson stated he would now be directing the film as well, and that 'Afterlife' would be a 3-D film that will start a new Resident Evil film trilogy. He also stated the film had the largest budget in the series thus far and confirmed that Milla Jovovich would be returning to portray Alice. It will also feature new characters taken from the video games. At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, Jovovich also confirmed her return in the lead role, and noted that the clones from Extinction would be returning. The sequel is filmed in 3D; it will star Milla Jovovich, Boris Kodjoe, Ali Larter, Shawn Roberts, Kacey Barnfield, Kim Coates, Spencer Locke and Wentworth Miller. Wentworth Miller has also reportedly joined the cast to play Chris Redfield, and Shawn Roberts will assume the role of Alice's nemesis Wesker. Filming has already begun in Toronto in various locations of the city including the University of Toronto's Scarborough Campus
