Austin Abrams Recalls 'Harrowing' Resident Evil Stunt — SkimNews
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- Austin Abrams said filming the snow-covered road stunt — where zombies fell from rooftops and splattered on the pavement around him — was 'harrowing,' noting he ran in grip-less sneakers on wet ground mixed with fake and real snow while worrying about both 'fucking up the shot' and making a 'wrong move.'
- Zach Cregger told Deadline the stunt 'would've killed' Abrams if he had made a wrong step, underscoring the physical risk of the sequence.
- Austin Abrams admitted he had never played the Resident Evil games or seen the films before joining the project, saying horror gaming 'really goddamn rocks your nervous system' and recalling panic-quitting the opening of Dead Space.
- Abrams plays Brian, an original character not from the games, built as a 'player avatar' — he described the creative challenge of avoiding a 'blank slate' by asking 'who do you want to see go through this.'
- Brian's arc hinges on learning his girlfriend wants to deepen their relationship, forcing him to confront commitment avoidance just as real horror begins; Abrams said the experience 'puts everything into perspective.'
- Abrams singled out the practical sewer set as a favorite filming environment, describing one creature as looking like a real 'humongous dude' and praising practical effects over green-screen work.
Why it matters: Abrams had never played the games or seen the films before joining — meaning Cregger cast him on performance fit, not franchise loyalty. The 'harrowing' snow stunt, which Cregger said would've killed Abrams if mishandled, shows the director's commitment to practical, physical filmmaking over CGI shortcuts typical of video game adaptations.
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