Resident Evil Spoiler Interview: Zach Cregger & Austin Abrams on Monster Design, Alternate Ending

[SPOILER WARNING: This interview contains full story, creature, and ending spoilers for RESIDENT EVIL (2026).]

Collider's Perri Nemiroff sits down with director Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons) and star Austin Abrams (Whalefall) at Fantastic Fest for a deep-dive spoiler interview about Resident Evil.

The duo discusses bringing the survival horror gaming franchise back to screen in a fresh way, balancing terrifying jump scares with character-driven comedy, and the film's wild set pieces. Cregger details the mix of practical creature effects from Legacy Effects and digital visual effects by Weta — from a 2,000-pound sewer puppet to the infamous "Human Tumbleweed." Plus, Austin Abrams shares his acting process, perfecting his uninhibited scream, and how a last-minute contingency shoot completely reshaped the film's final monster transformation and emotional climax.

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00:00 - Resident Evil Interview Introduction
01:06 - Why Zach Cregger Wanted to Direct a True Survival Horror Movie
01:48 - Austin Abrams on Developing His Character's Backstory & Demeanor
04:45 - The Story Behind Austin Abrams’ Iconic Uninhibited Scream
06:10 - The "McFly to McCallister" Scale: Finding the Right Tone for Comedy
07:10 - Which Set Piece Was the Most Difficult to Pull Off? (Jump Street vs. Maternity Ward)
10:00 - Naming the "Human Tumbleweed" Monster
10:20 - Practical Effects vs. VFX: Legacy Effects' 2,000lb Puppet & Weta Digital
12:28 - Redesigning the Puker Creature to Avoid Looking Like Slimer
13:15 - Working with Practical FX Babies & a "Maniac" Movie Dog
15:05 - Zach Cregger's #1 Rule for Directing Effective Jump Scares
16:26 - Zach Cregger's Favorite Frame in the Movie
17:12 - Austin Abrams’ Final Monster Transformation
18:50 - How Zach Cregger Changed the Ending Using Contingency Footage
20:10 - The Most Joyful Moments on the Set of Resident Evil

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