Resident Evil Movie's Terrifying Zombie Monster Was Practical, Video Reveals

A new video shows stunt performers bringing the Resident Evil movie's Merged Monster to life practically, with real people tied together to create its creepy rolling motion.

Did you catch that horrifying rolling zombie monster in the new Resident Evil movie and assume it was all CGI? Think again. A new video has revealed that the most terrifying creature in the film was actually performed by real stunt people.

In the movie, a grotesque amalgamation of zombified victims chases Austin Abrams's character Bryan as he tries to reach the Raccoon City hospital. It rolls around in a tangle of limbs and pursues him all the way to the end. And according to movement coordinator Jakub Hudlický, that creepy motion was created by actual performers tied together.

Hudlický shared a video on his Instagram showing the stunt team producing the creature's unsettling rolling movement. In the caption, he wrote: "Let’s take it all the way back to the beginning – July '25 – when @filmka_stunt_team, @cirk_la_putyka and I first came together to explore one big question: how can the Merged Monster moooove?"

Now, it's not entirely clear if the final version in the movie is performed practically or if this was just a test for VFX reference. But either way, it's seriously impressive. The fact that real people were able to create such a disturbing effect speaks to the creativity and skill of the stunt team.

Interestingly, this zombie monster doesn't appear in any of the Resident Evil games. That fits with director Zach Cregger's statement before the film's release that it wouldn't directly adapt the games but rather be inspired by them. The movie takes place "on the periphery" of Resident Evil 2, so expect plenty of nods to the source material without a strict adaptation.

The Resident Evil movie has been incredibly well received, scoring 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Our own review awarded it 4 stars, calling it "Frightening, funny and exceedingly bloody" and "an easy frontrunner for the best video game movie to date." Cregger's hot streak continues, and it seems audiences and critics alike are loving this horror-comedy take on the beloved franchise.

You can watch Resident Evil in theaters now. So, what do you think about practical effects bringing this monster to life? Will you be checking out the movie to see it in action? Let us know!