Today, Leon Kennedy is almost as synonymous with Resident Evil as his zombies. The hyper-macho action hero has been around since 1998's Resident Evil 2 and has since appeared as the face of the franchise in numerous games (and remakes).
However, the debate over how the character got his name has long raged, and now, nearly 30 years later, the creator of Resident Evil 2 has finally confirmed that the popular fan theory is correct.
The protagonist of Resident Evil 2 was named after a French film
For years, a popular theory has been floating around the internet suggesting that Leon S. Kennedy was named after the French movie Leon: The Professional. The film's main character is aptly named Leon, played by Gary Oldman, and as part of the film's plot, he is forced to take care of a young girl named Mathilda. Leon's special gun in Resident Evil 4 happens to be called Matilda. It all lined up too perfectly to be a coincidence.
After 28 years of silence, this theory has now been confirmed by none other than Resident Evil 2 creator Hideki Kamiya.
In response to this tweet, when the Leon: The Professional comparison came up again, Kamiya said, “Leon's name comes from that,” but stopped short of admitting that he named the weapon and attributed it to his colleague.
“As for the name of the weapon, it seems my junior (who is at Capcom) gave it in recent years,” he said.
The revelation quickly went viral on social media, surprising Kamiya.
“I'm surprised by all the reactions to Leon's appointment… I didn't mention it…? It's nothing to hide and I think I would have answered if asked,” he stated. “While still in development, I consulted with Mikami-san about naming the main character, and after shooting down a few ideas, I suggested, 'How about we take it from that movie I saw recently?' and suggested 'Leon', to which he said, 'It works, doesn't it?'…”
A simple but effective naming method and a behind-the-scenes look at how random situations during game development can shape an entire series.
Ahead of Resident Evil Requiem's release, we spoke to the series' newest Leon actor, Nick Apostolides, who told us how he ad-libbed many of the character's most iconic lines. You can view our entire chat here.
- Released
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January 25, 2019
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence
