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Resident Evil Director Zach Cregger Reveals Star Austin Abrams Almost Died Shooting That Zombie Scene From the Trailer
Resident Evil director Zach Cregger said actor Austin Abrams narrowly avoided being struck by a falling, explosive prop while filming a zombie attack sequence shown in the trailer. The incident highlights the production’s reliance on practical effects for the scene and raises questions about on-set safety, despite Cregger’s joking reaction that the near miss made the footage worthwhile.
Abrams, who plays medical courier Bryan, ran through a street while crane-released, body-sized blood bags weighing about 150 pounds fell and exploded around him; one was released early and missed him by inches. Cregger also described difficult night filming in the Czech Republic involving a threatening dog, and reiterated that the film follows an original civilian protagonist rather than established game characters such as Leon or Claire.
In short
- Abrams narrowly escaped a 150-pound falling prop.
- Cregger used practical effects for zombie explosions.
- The film avoids Resident Evil’s familiar game heroes.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A 150-pound explosive prop missing an actor by inches represents an unacceptable safety failure, regardless of practical effects' inherent risks. The fact that the prop was released early—a preventable operator error—demonstrates systemic gaps in execution, and the director's joking response trivialises a genuinely dangerous situation. Productions have a duty of care to minimise preventable hazards, and this incident suggests that obligation was compromised in pursuit of spectacular footage.
The case against
Practical effects inherently involve controlled risks, and what matters is whether proper safety infrastructure—trained specialists, spotters, informed consent from performers—was in place, not whether near-misses occur despite precautions. The director's humorous response may simply reflect how professionals process dangerous-but-managed situations, and openness about the incident suggests transparency rather than recklessness. Ambitious filmmaking has always involved calculated risks, and accidental errors during otherwise safe operations do not necessarily indicate systemic safety failure.
Explained simply
Resident Evil is a long-running video game franchise that has been adapted into multiple films. A new Resident Evil film is currently in production.
During filming, actor Austin Abrams performed a stunt for a zombie attack sequence in the film. The scene required him to run through a street whilst large blood-bag props weighing about 150 pounds were dropped from a crane around him, with one prop released early and narrowly missing him.
The incident reflects the production's reliance on practical effects and real stunts rather than digital techniques. The film is being made in the Czech Republic and features an original civilian character rather than established figures from the game series.