How Zach Cregger Pulled Off Resident Evil’s Most Disgusting Scenes
Director Zach Cregger’s upcoming Resident Evil film showcases elaborate production design centered on creating viscerally disgusting scenes that bring the horror of the t-virus to life. In a behind-the-scenes visit to the Prague sound stage where production took place in December, the sensory experience of the set was overwhelming—thick clouds of latex prop odors mixed with the acrid scent of burning metal from welding equipment, alongside the sweet stench of fake blood applied so liberally it clung to the floor. The production design effort appears focused on translating the grotesque body-horror elements of the game franchise into practical, tactile filmmaking. The narrative follows Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams, navigating the horrors unleashed by the t-virus across a series of meticulously constructed sets depicting Raccoon City. Polygon’s exclusive set visit provided rare access to the filmmaking process, with particular focus on how the filmmakers engineered three of the movie’s most disgusting sequences. The comprehensive behind-the-scenes access reveals a production committed to practical effects and set design rather than relying solely on digital visual effects, prioritizing the authentic sensory experience of the horror elements central to the Resident Evil franchise.