Resident Evil Director Reveals Surprising 1917 Inspiration

Zach Cregger says his new Resident Evil movie was structurally inspired by Sam Mendes' Oscar-winning war film 1917, blending it with Evil Dead 2 energy.

What do a World War I epic and a zombie virus outbreak have in common? More than you'd think, according to Resident Evil director Zach Cregger.

In a chat with Rotten Tomatoes, Cregger revealed that the 2019 Oscar-nominated war movie 1917 was an unlikely inspiration for his take on Resident Evil. "1917. But like it's completely different in tone. But that is structurally maybe the closest," he said. And then he dropped a wild analogy: "It's like if Evil Dead 2 and 1917 were its parents, but that doesn't feel right... like if those movies loved each other very much."

If you've seen 1917, you know it's a relentless, one-shot-style journey through impossible circumstances. Written and directed by Sam Mendes, it follows two British soldiers in World War I on a mission to deliver a message that will call off a fatal attack. The film earned ten nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards and took home Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.

So how does that map onto Resident Evil? Structurally, it's a man on a mission moving through hell with one goal in mind—and survival gets pushed to the back burner. That's exactly the vibe of Cregger's new movie, which tells a new story within the Resident Evil world. It follows a slightly miserable medical courier who agrees to take a mysterious package all the way to Raccoon City... where, unbeknownst to him, a lab-created virus has just begun to destroy humanity.

Cregger directs from a screenplay he penned with Shay Hatten. And according to the source, it's "some of the most fun I've had in a theater in a really long time." That's high praise for a franchise that's been through plenty of ups and downs.

Resident Evil is in theaters now. If you're planning to check it out, you might want to brush up on the Easter eggs hidden in the film and how the movie connects to the games. Trust us, there's plenty to unpack.

What do you think of 1917 as an inspiration for Resident Evil? Will you be picking up a ticket this weekend?