Resident Evil: Apocalypse

By: Corona's Coming Attractions
Date: Friday, August 06, 2004

Genre:
Horror/Action/Video Game Adaptation/Sequel.

Studio:
Screen Gems.

Production Company:
Constantin Film.

Project Phase:
Post-production.

Who's In It:
Milla Jovovich (Alice); Oded Fehr; Sienna Guillory (Jill Valentine); Jared Harris (Dr. Ashford).

Who's Making It:
Alexander Witt (Director); Paul W.S. Anderson (Screenwriter, Producer); Jeff Danna (Musical Score).

Premise:
See Scoop Feedback.

Release Date:
September 10, 2004.

Comments:
After crafting a prequel to the popular video game series, RESIDENT EVIL director Paul Anderson returns to blend in elements from the games into the live-action sequel.

Scoop Feedback:

July 18, 2003... THE MUMMY RETURNS's Oded Fehr and THE TIME MACHINE's Sienna Guillory have been added
to the cast of RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE.

Guillory's character is Jill Valentine, familiar to fans of Capcom's RESIDENT EVIL video game series; however,
unlike the game history the Valentine character will be a cop and not a member of th Special Tactics and Rescue Squad.

Fehr will play the commander of the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Force, the elite special ops soldiers called in to
clean up the Umbrella Corportaion's biological nightmare.

The first day of filming is scheduled for August 11. And yup, Milla Jovovich is coming back to play Alice in the sequel.
[The Hollywood Reporter.]

July 25, 2003... Actor Jared Harris has been cast in RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE. Harris plays a wheelchair-bound scientist named Dr. Ashford who helped create a formula that turns regular humans into superpowered humans. Naturally, the formula falls into the wrong hands and is subverted to create superpowered soldiers.

Filming starts on August 11. [The Hollywood Reporter.]

August 20, 2003... It appears that the filmmakers working on RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE are borrowing a trick originated by THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. A website has sprouted at www.insideresidentevil.com that purports to be an outlet for an investigator researching the APOCALYPSE sets. According to the anonymous website writer, the evidence is pointing to the conclusion that there's far more reality to this threat of undead attacks than the public is being led to believe.

"The screenplay, (or is it really a blueprint to disaster?) is tightly controlled," writes the "journalist" in their latest update. "Those who do require this document are forced to agree to keep all details of this movie and of the Umbrella Corp in the strictest confidence.

"Tell people what is happening. Tell anyone. Tell everyone.

"Safe yourself. Save your loved ones."

Also

appearing on the site was the first image of new character Jill Valentine (played by Sienna Guillory), prowling through a dark corridor armed with a flashlight and pistol. [InsideResidentEvil.com.]

September 2, 2003... In the interests of brevity, let's keep this scoop short and to the point:

First, it comes from someone who's told you plenty of things in the past and they've turned out to be true. They just don't want their boss to know who they are and who they're talking with.

Second, they tell us that the first trailer for RESIDENT EVIL 2 will debut with UNDERWORLD. Makes sense, doesn't it? They're both Screen Gems pictures.

Third, the plan right now is to attach the trailer for SPIDER-MAN 2 to THE MISSING, Ron Howard's period thriller set for release in December. Both are Sony films. Posters should also start popping up in theater lobbies in this month.

Finally, there will be a trailer for HELLBOY seen sometime in October. But which film will it run with? No one's sure of that just yet.

Just to give you some peace of mind: this spy was also the first to tell us about the re-release of Ridley Scott's ALIEN well before anyone else knew of it.

[We're going to start calling this guy the 'Magic 8-Ball'.]

September 12, 2003... The FilmJerk website has published a script review of RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE. Inside Chris Faile's assessment of Paul Anderson's story is a wealth of information (and spoilers) about the film's characters and their story arcs, as well as general breakdowns of what happens in each of the picture's three acts.

Faile gives a mixed mark for the script, saying that it's got more of a connection to the popular Capcom video game series but it also seemed like Anderson was marching on familiar territory. In the wake of 28 DAYS LATER, the script's first act action in a besiged Raccoon City was a little too reminiscent for the reviewer. "I was hoping to be dazzled, for Andersen to redeem himself here in the eyes of the fanboys," writes Faile in his review. "I don't think that will happen, as it feels too close to what has come before it in the first film and what was has been seen since there isn't anything within the script that is unique."

Get more at the FilmJerk website. [Where? FilmJerk.]

September 18, 2003... Remember our scoop about when to expect to see a teaser trailer for RESIDENT EVIL APOCALYPSE? The source we call "The Magic 8-Ball" told us to keep our eyes on UNDERWORLD for our first look at more zombie mayhem created by the Umbrella Corporation. Now we've received a description of the RE2 teaser from a theater manager and it sounds like fun. Read on:

"Being a manager at a Regal cinemas, we must view all prints for scratches and defects. Hell, when STAR WARS came out, the print was still wet (LITERALLY!!!) Anyway, the RES 2 trailer is a teaser, but for the hardcore fans, its just enough to make you want to watch DVD prequel.

"Warning, it opens as a cosmetic commercial and then crumbles into the first trailer based upon the best gaming experience of all time.......I built the print myself and secretly removed the green RATING tag identifying it as a trailer. It came with the movie, so as the lights dim they will see what they think is a commercial then be awed. It then goes straight into UNDERWORLD. I even fooled myself."

UNDERWORLD opens in theaters tomorrow.

[Scoop submitted by "Rex Feral", fearless theater manager.]

September 20, 2003... Now that the teaser trailer for RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE is running with UNDERWORLD, Sony Pictures has opened the film's official website and made the trailer available for download. There are also a couple of new photos to look at including the first still image of Milla Jovovich as Alice. [Sony Pictures.]

November 3, 2003... Alexander Witt's follow-up to RESIDENT EVIL, RESIDENT EVIL APOCALYPSE, finished principal photography last Friday in Toronto. The movie brings back Milla Jovovich's character Alice, who survived the events of the first film, and resumes her battle with virus-created zombies right right where the earlier movie left off.

"All the action is above ground in an evacuated Raccoon City," producer Jeremy Bolt told The Hollywood Reporter. "The deadly T-virus is out, and the Umbrella Corp. has sealed the city."

Sienna Guillory and Oded Fehr also star in the film. Guillory plays the RESIDENT EVIL video game character Jill Valentine. APOCALYPSE is schedule for release sometime in 2004. [THR.]

December 19, 2003... The Rope of Silicon website is the first to post two new stills from the upcoming RESIDENT EVIL APOCALPYSE sequel. Both shots show Milla Jovovich's Alice in full-on zombie hating mode, with one group shot showing Alice and Jill Valentine (played by THE TIME MACHINE's Sienna Guillory) with a schoolgirl.

Click on the photo above to see it larger and then follow the link to see the other shot.

May 11, 2004... Screen Gems is inviting armchair artists to once again design the poster artwork for its new zombie actioner, RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE. The movie studio held its first poster contest back when the first RESIDENT EVIL was released in 2001 and picked a subsequent winner back then.

Artists can download a zip file of RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE artwork and read the rules for the contest on the movie's official website. The deadline for contest submissions is June 30, with five finalists selected and announced at this year's San Diego Comic-Con on July 24. The designs by the five finalists will be posted on the movie's website where the public will be allowed to vote for the winner, announced August 2.

The winner of the RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE contest will take home a cash prize of $2,500, 25 movie passes to see the sequel and other goodies. [Sony Pictures.]

June 3, 2004... Music From the Movies reports that composer Jeff Danna will score RESIDENT EVIL APOCALYPSE. It is the biggest profile project for the up-and-coming Canadian composer after scoring THE BOONDOCK SAINTS, O and THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE.

The first RESIDENT EVIL featured a score by Marco Beltrami and Marilyn Manson. The sequel to 2002's RESIDENT EVIL opens in theaters September 10. [Music From the Movies.]

July 7, 2004... The trailer for RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE is now online at Yahoo Movies. Picking up directly after the conclusion of the first film, Alice (Milla Jovovich) now wanders the deserted streets of Raccoon City in search of survivors to the deadly virus that can resurrect the dead. Alice stumbles across a team of special forces led by Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) who are also looking for a way out of the infected city. But deep within the shadows a sinister creature is stalking the group, a nightmarish creation born of science known as "Nemesis".

Click here to download the trailer. RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE hits theaters on September 10, 2004. [Yahoo Movies.]

July 26, 2004... The five finalists in Screen Gems' RESIDENT EVIL APOCALYPSE poster design contest are now up and seeking votes. The studio wants fans to vote on which poster design they like the best, with the winner getting a cool RESIDENT EVIL prize pack which consists of tickets to see the movie along with two dozen of their friends plus the gift that's always welcome, cold hard cash.

Click here to see the five contestants. Voting is open only until August 2, so pick your favorite soon. [Screen Gems.]

August 3, 2004... Sony Pictures, the parent company of Screen Gems, has announced the winning entry in their RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE poster design contest. With over 15,000 votes received from visitors that picked their favorite of the five finalists, the winning poster features a close-up look at one of the ghouls as if seen through a television image. The designer of the poster takes home the grand prize of $2,500 dollars plus 25 movie passes to see the sequel. [Screen Gems.]

Official Web Site:

www.sonypictures.com/movies/residentevilapocalypse