Resident Evil Requiem is an upcoming installment in the overwhelmingly popular survival-horror series Resident Evil. To much fan excitement, Masato Kumazawa, the game’s producer, has since confirmed that some characters from former games in the series will make an appearance in Requiem. Despite telling fans not to expect too much based on that statement, countless theories have sprung up surrounding which former characters will get to bathe in the game’s spotlight. It has since been confirmed that fan-favorite Leon Kennedy will not be serving as one of the game’s protagonists.
Kumazawa was interviewed by the publication Well Played. The interview surrounded Requiem’s connection to the Resident Evil series more broadly. Some topics of conversation included the game’s protagonist Grace Ashcroft, the series’ return to Raccoon City, and how the game’s mechanics will differ from previous Resident Evil entries.
Given that Grace is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak, Well Played asked if any characters from Outbreak would be present in Requiem. Kumazawa confirmed that there would be, saying “yes, there are going to be some characters from the past series to come in, but don’t over-expect or hype it…the only thing I can say is that there will be characters that have been involved in the Raccoon City incident involved in the game.”
Some people interpreted Kumazawa’s words as supporting previously existing theories that Leon Kennedy, a fan-favorite character and protagonist of Resident Evil 4, would be returning as a secondary protagonist for Requiem. Per his interview with Stevivor, Kumazawa has since confirmed that leaks claiming Leon is coming back are “fake news.” Furthermore, in June’s Capcom Spotlight, the game’s director Koshi Nakanashi claimed that Leon Kennedy is incapable of being frequently scared, thus making him an ineffective horror game protagonist.
It is currently unclear which, or how many, previous Resident Evil characters will be featured in Requiem. At this point in time, it appears that fans will have to wait until the game is released on February 27th, 2026 to know for sure.