Austin Abrams from Resident Evil Had a Near-Death Experience on Set

Austin Abrams discovered that going above and beyond for a movie can lead to unforeseen consequences.

While shooting the upcoming film Resident Evil, Abrams, 29, encountered a near-fatal incident, as recounted by director Zach Cregger, involving a “body-sized blood bag” that nearly struck him.

“It appears momentarily in the trailer, but [Austin is] sprinting down the street, with zombies leaping from rooftops on either side,” Cregger, 45, explained during a Q&A, as reported by SlashFilm on Thursday, July 23, about the intense scene.

In the film, Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier who fights for survival amidst a zombie apocalypse.

Though the movie is inspired by the popular video game of the same name, Cregger aimed for the scenes to resonate with realism.

“We essentially had to design it so that he’s running, with bodies dropping and exploding all around him. I wanted to avoid VFX because I thought it would look too artificial,” he recalled, discussing the typical reliance on computer-generated effects. “So, I asked myself, ‘How can we create real explosions?’”

Cregger mentioned that he circumvented VFX by employing choreography, staging, and dropping 150-pound “blood bags” from cranes as Abrams performed take after take.

However, the director noted that disaster nearly struck when one of the bags came alarmingly close to hitting the actor.

“It would’ve been fatal. If he had taken one step to the right, he wouldn’t be here,” Cregger disclosed. “[That shot is] in the film, so it’s f***ing worth it. I was pretty shocked.”

Cregger admitted that the blood bag incident wasn’t the only dangerous moment Abrams faced on set.

In fact, he revealed that Abrams “split his head open in an elevator shaft” after another mishap.

Despite these challenges, Cregger expressed that the film ultimately came together, reminding him of his passion for filmmaking.

“What’s wonderful about making movies is having an incredible scene, an amazing idea in your mind, and then collaborating with so many people to bring that vision to life on screen,” he shared. “There’s a genuine sense of teamwork and achievement. I’m very proud of this film. I feel like I’ve grown significantly as a filmmaker during this process.”

Resident Evil premieres in theaters on Friday, September 18.