Resident Evil: Leon's Covert Role in New Trailer

While our first look at Resident Evil Requiem introduced a new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, fans are already speculating that a familiar face, Leon S. Kennedy, may be secretly playing a major role.

Veteran Resident Evil leaker Dusk Golem has long hinted at the floppy-haired fan-favorite's involvement, but for now, let's break down the game's debut trailer.

The trailer opens with a lengthy introduction to Grace Ashcroft, who appears to be the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak, before revealing the ruins of Raccoon City—leveled by a missile strike at the end of Resident Evil 3.

While Raccoon City has appeared in many Resident Evil titles, its most iconic portrayal was in Leon S. Kennedy's Resident Evil 2. In this new Requiem trailer, we see the crumbling remains of his former workplace, the Raccoon City Police Department. The building is visibly worse for wear, yet still recognizable—and some eagle-eyed fans even think Leon's old car is still parked out front.

Is that Leon's Jeep parked in front of the R.P.D.?
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Returning to this iconic location strongly hints at Leon's involvement, especially when paired with Grace's role as a government agent. After the Raccoon City incident, Leon became a special agent directly serving the U.S. President in Resident Evil 4 and 6. This has led to speculation that Leon and Grace may already be acquainted, or are destined to cross paths.

I might be imagining things, but in my latest rewatch of the trailer, the third framed photo looks a lot like Leon from RE6.
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Some fans are convinced Leon makes a subtle appearance in the trailer. At the 2:45 mark, an unidentified character asks, "Investigating all these strange deaths, huh?" Many believe the voice belongs to Nick Apostolides, the actor who has recently provided Leon's voice and performance capture in titles like the Resident Evil 2 Remake, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, and the Resident Evil 4 Remake.

Apostolides' online resume offers another potential clue. It lists an undisclosed "AAA Video Game" under a non-disclosure agreement, with his role described as voice and performance capture—mirroring his work on the aforementioned Resident Evil projects.

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Finally, we turn to Dusk Golem, the prolific Resident Evil insider who has leaked details about Requiem for years. The leaker asserts that Leon is the primary (though not the only) playable character.

"Leon is the main character of RE9 Requiem," Dusk Golem wrote before the trailer's release. "You won't see him fully revealed immediately, but you'll ultimately play as Leon far more than Grace. This will become clearer as more promotional material is released leading up to the game's launch."

Dusk Golem also suggested that Requiem is intended as the final chapter in Leon's trilogy, concluding his journey from rookie police officer to government agent, and now, a mentor to a younger character like Grace. If true, here's hoping Leon finally gets the happy ending he deserves.

Resident Evil: Requiem was announced at Summer Game Fest 2025 and is scheduled for release on February 27, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.