Capcom may have already introduced fans to Grace Ashcroft as the central figure of Resident Evil: Requiem, but new reports suggest series veteran Leon S. Kennedy is set to play a key part as well only in a very different tone.

According to well-known insider reports, Leon’s sections in Requiem are said to focus far more on action than on the creeping dread that defines Grace’s storyline. Where Ashcroft’s campaign leans into tight corridors, atmosphere, and psychological unease, Leon’s reported sequences are described as larger in scale, complete with wider environments and even the use of a vehicle at one point.

These claims line up with Capcom’s own explanation for not making Leon the primary protagonist this time around. The studio has gone on record saying that Leon, as an established action hero, doesn’t fit neatly into scenarios where vulnerability and fear drive the horror experience. Instead, Ashcroft an introverted FBI analyst represents the “ordinary person in extraordinary danger” angle that keeps Resident Evil rooted in survival horror.

That doesn’t mean Leon’s presence will be toothless, though. Sources suggest his portion of the game is set years earlier, in 2020, offering not only a shift in timeline but also a change of pace. Players can reportedly expect grounded, combat-oriented encounters that still retain the series’ sense of tension, but without the over-the-top spectacle that some fans criticized in Resident Evil 6 and certain moments of Village.

Capcom itself has not officially confirmed Leon’s role beyond noting that he is not the protagonist. For now, all details about his gameplay remain in the realm of leaks and speculation. Still, the idea of a split structure one path rooted in classic horror and another built around a veteran’s decisive action could give Requiem a welcome sense of contrast.

With the game due out on February 27, 2026, fans won’t have to wait too long to see how Capcom balances horror and action this time around. If the reports prove true, Leon’s inclusion might provide long-time players with a familiar thrill, while Grace introduces the kind of fresh perspective that helps keep the franchise unsettling.