Resident Evil Requiem’s new trailer sparks buzz over “hot uncle” Leon Kennedy, with RE2 director Hideki Kamiya chiming in: “Uncle Leon, may you enjoy a happy life in your golden years.”

Resident Evil is making its way back to Raccoon City with the upcoming title, Requiem, and fans can expect to see a familiar face. At The Game Awards 2025, it was announced that Leon Kennedy will be teaming up with newcomer Grace Ashcroft. Although he’s older now, that hasn’t diminished the fanbase’s admiration for this iconic Resident Evil character.

The buzz around “hot old Leon” has even caught the attention of the director of Resident Evil 2, who has shared his thoughts on the matter.

レオンおじさん…せめて老後は幸せに暮らして欲しい…

Hideki Kamiya, who directed Leon’s debut, took to Twitter to express his feelings about the reveal, noting, “It’s kind of alarming how Leon, Dante and Ryu are becoming old geezers day by day.”

In his tweet, Kamiya references characters from Devil May Cry and Street Fighter, reflecting on the passage of time for these beloved figures he helped create.

Despite the years that have gone by, Leon appears to be back in action, still roundhouse kicking zombies and thwarting evil scientists. It seems that while time marches on, some things remain constant.

Kamiya’s wish for Leon is clear: “Uncle Leon, I hope you at least live a happy life in old age.” One has to wonder if Requiem will finally give Leon a chance to rest after the credits roll.

Capcom has mentioned that the “stalker” enemy in Resident Evil Requiem will only play a “small part of the game,” which is a welcome change for fans of the franchise.