Resident Evil: Zach Cregger reveals Austin Abrams nearly died while filming dangerous scene
Resident Evil director Zach Cregger has revealed that lead actor Austin Abrams came dangerously close to a serious accident while filming an action sequence for the upcoming horror survival thriller. The filmmaker recalled how a scene involving falling bodies required Abrams to perform the sequence amid real explosions and practical effects.
Scheduled to release in cinemas on September 18, Resident Evil stars Austin Abrams as Bryan, a medical courier who finds himself in Raccoon City as a night of chaos and bloodshed unfolds. The film is directed by Cregger, known for Weapons and Barbarian, and presents an all-new story set within the Resident Evil universe.
Speaking during a recent Q&A, as reported by Deadline, Cregger explained why he opted for practical effects instead of relying entirely on visual effects for one of the films action sequences. He said, “[Abrams is] running down the street, and there’s zombies on the roof of the buildings on either side, and they’re all leaping at him. And so, we had to basically design this thing where he’s just running, and bodies are just falling and detonating all around him. And I knew I didn’t want to do it with VFX because I feel like it would just look like VFX. So, I was like, ‘How do we do this where all these explosions are real?’”
The sequence required detailed choreography, with Abrams running as 150-lb “body-sized blood bags” were dropped from cranes around him. According to Cregger, one of the bags came dangerously close to hitting the actor. “It would’ve killed him. If he had been one step to the right, he would’ve died. [The shot is] in the movie, so it’s f*cking worth it. I was pretty stunned. … That’s what’s so great about making movies is you have this scene, you have this amazing idea in your head, and then you just have all these people help you realize that idea and immortalize it on the screen. And there’s a real sense of teamwork and accomplishment. I’m very proud of this movie. I feel like I grew a lot making it, just as a filmmaker,” he added.
In Resident Evil, Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier who is drawn into a dangerous situation in Raccoon City and is forced into a fight for survival as events spiral out of control. Resident Evil is set to release in cinemas on September 18 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Also Read: From Barbarian to Resident Evil: Meet Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind the new horror film
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