Copyright ©2026 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Austin Abrams did not need much convincing when Zach Cregger came calling for Resident Evil.
The two had already worked together on Weapons, where Abrams was part of the ensemble cast. Apparently, that experience went pretty well. Cregger liked what he saw enough to want Abrams back for his next movie.
But the admiration was not exactly one-sided.
For Abrams, getting another opportunity to work with Cregger meant teaming up again with a filmmaker he had been following long before they ever shared a set.
Resident Evil reunites Austin Abrams and Zach Cregger
Sometimes an actor and director work together once and immediately realize they speak the same creative language.
That seems to be what happened here.
After working with Abrams on Weapons, Cregger was eager to bring him back for Resident Evil. That is a pretty good vote of confidence, especially when you are stepping into a franchise with as much history as this one.
For Abrams, though, the relationship started from a different place. He was already a fan of Cregger’s work before Weapons ever happened.
So when the chance came to collaborate again, there was already plenty of trust there.
Austin Abrams was a Zach Cregger fan first
There is something a little different about working with somebody whose movies you already admire.
Abrams said his interest in Cregger’s work went back well before Weapons. He had followed the filmmaker from his earlier work and wanted the opportunity to be part of one of his movies.
Then he actually got that chance.
Weapons gave Abrams the opportunity to see how Cregger worked from the inside, rather than simply watching the finished movie as a fan.
Apparently, that only made him want to do it again.
Weapons opened the door to Resident Evil
The nice thing about a second collaboration is that some of the introductions are already out of the way.
Cregger knew what Abrams could bring to a role. Abrams knew the kind of filmmaker he was working with. That gives them a different starting point heading into Resident Evil.
And this is not exactly a small property to step into.
Resident Evil comes with decades of video game history, previous movies and a fan base that has very definite ideas about what the world should feel like. Putting a new spin on something that established comes with plenty of pressure.
For Abrams, at least one part of the experience was already familiar: the person behind the camera.
Click on the video below to hear Austin Abrams talk about why he had wanted to work with Zach Cregger long before Weapons and what made him eager to team up with the filmmaker again for Resident Evil.
A creative partnership continues
Hollywood has plenty of directors who return to actors they trust, and it is easy to understand why.
Once you find somebody who understands your rhythm, your tone and what you are trying to accomplish, there is something appealing about doing it again.
That is especially true when the feeling goes both ways.
Cregger came away from Weapons wanting another project with Abrams. Meanwhile, Abrams had already spent years hoping to work with Cregger in the first place.
Now Resident Evil gives them another chance to see what they can do together.
Resident Evil is now playing in theaters.
You May Also Like:
