The Real Reason Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City Cut This Major Villain

The "Resident Evil" franchise has been home to some of the scariest villains in video game history. From Nemesis to Lady Dimitrescu, players have fought (or run away from) some incredible characters over the years, but one of the most memorable undead baddies must be the bio organic weapon known as Mr. X. And although Mr. X has become infamous for his ability to tirelessly chase Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield from room to room in "Resident Evil 2" and its remake, one place he will not be entering is the upcoming "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City."

During an interview with the ComicBook Nation podcast (per ComicBook), "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" director Johannes Robert explained that although he desperately wanted to include the infamous Tyrant, the hulking enemy did not quite make the cut. Though the director still tried to squeeze in an Easter egg referencing the character, it sounds like this may also have been scrapped — and for good reason.

"The one thing that I wanted to put in and I didn't, I just couldn't find a way to put in was Mr. X," Johannes Roberts explained. The director still tried to include a reference in the character, but it sounds like this may also have been scrapped. "There is a nod. It's tricky to see in the shot and I was like, 'Just use that shot,' but it doesn't work in the movie."

Roberts didn't specifically say why the proposed Mr. X reference "doesn't work" in the final cut, but the director hinted that focusing on the reference would have detracted from the story too much. As he told ComicBook Nation, "with a movie you have to actually tell a proper movie rather than just use the shots that you want."

Although everyone's favorite Tyrant may not quite be ready for his close-up, "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" still promises to bring a number of recognizable monsters and enemies from the games to life. The trailers have featured appearances from zombified Cerberus dogs and the Licker, while a recent clip gave fans a look at the terrifying introduction of the deranged Lisa Trevor. The adaptation is also set to feature more human evils, like Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick) and Chief Irons (Donal Logue), so "Welcome to Raccoon City" should have no shortage of game-based horrors. 

Mr. X might have simply been one villain too many for the packed horror flick. Fans will just have to find out when "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" releases on Nov. 24.