Resident Evil film guides Austin Abrams with iconic heroes; actor escapes near‑fatal crane accident

Director Zach Cregger instructed lead actor Austin Abrams to draw on three well‑known characters—John McClane from *Die Hard*, Marty McFly from *Back to the Future*, and Kevin McCallister from *Home Alone*—to shape his performance as Bryan, a medical courier surviving a zombie outbreak in the upcoming *Resident Evil* movie, slated for theatrical release on 18 September 2026.

While filming a practical stunt for the film, Abrams was almost struck by a 150‑pound blood‑filled bag dropped from a crane. Cregger said a single step to the right could have been fatal. The sequence, featured in the trailer, relies on real‑world effects rather than CGI, with bodies falling from rooftops to simulate the chaos of the outbreak, highlighting the production’s emphasis on tangible action.