"Without Extra Calories": Zach Cregger and Austin Abrams Shared Details of the New "Resident Evil"
The director and lead actor spoke about the runtime, references, and features of the upcoming horror film.
Director Zach Cregger and lead actor Austin Abrams revealed new details about the film "Resident Evil". In an interview with Deadline, they discussed their approach to the adaptation, references to Capcom games, and the main character who must survive in Raccoon City during a virus outbreak.
According to Cregger, one of his main conditions was to preserve the key elements of Resident Evil: the T-virus, the Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City, and the atmosphere of a gradual descent into nightmare. The director emphasized that he did not want to turn the film into an action movie with a hero who effortlessly dispatches hordes of zombies:
"The story gradually plunges the hero deeper and deeper into hell. In the first act, he cautiously makes his way into the darkness, and then at some point, he's running for his life. It sounds like an action movie, but this is survival horror, not survival action. He's not a cool guy walking around kicking zombies."
Cregger also said that he deliberately avoided the appearance of well-known characters from the series such as Leon Kennedy, Wesker, or Lady Dimitrescu. According to him, he did not want to repeat existing versions of the heroes and compete with how the games themselves portray them:
"I want to pay homage to these games and make a film where other fans of the series will recognize Resident Evil. But I definitely don't think I can portray someone like Leon better than the games already have."
At the same time, the director promised many direct references to the original source. The film will feature elements familiar to fans, such as herbs, typewriters, and locks, and the structure of the film itself will resemble playing a game: the hero moves from one dangerous location to another, encountering unique threats.
Cregger specifically noted that the film's runtime will be only 95 minutes. According to him, he deliberately aimed to make the story as dense as possible and not overload it with unnecessary scenes:
"I think movies have become too long. I'm half-joking, but for me, it was a challenge: to tell a really effective story without extra calories. I wanted to make it lean, mean, and dense."
Austin Abrams, in turn, spoke about the complex camera work. Cregger wanted to recreate the feeling of a third-person game, so the cameraman had to follow Brian and turn with his gaze:
"It was a real dance with the camera. Our cameraman, James Van der Reyden, had to frame every shot with extreme precision, and I had to move just as precisely, turn at the right time, and be in front of the camera. We had to develop our own language."
Abrams also said that at the beginning of the story, his character is scared by relationship problems, but the virus outbreak forces Brian to look at his own experiences in a new way:
"He had difficulties in his relationship, and right after that, he has to escape and fight for his life. Thanks to this, he begins to look differently at the things he feared in ordinary life and in relationships."
Cregger added that Brian is just starting his adult life. He has a job, but not yet a career, and his girlfriend is expecting a child:
"He loves his girlfriend, but their relationship is going through a crisis. She's pregnant, and he's not ready for it and thinks, 'How will my life turn out now?' He feels like he's already in his own little horror movie. And then real horror suddenly bursts into his life and puts everything in its place."
The premiere of the new "Resident Evil" will take place on September 18, 2026.
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