Resident Evil: Retribution

Director Paul W.S. Anderson Talks RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION and DEATH RACE: INFERNO at WonderCon

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: March 21st, 2012 at 10:10 am

One of the many films to show off new footage at last weekend’s WonderCon was writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson‘s Resident Evil: Retribution.   In the series’ fifth installment, Alice (Milla Jovovich) continues her search across the globe for those responsible for the deadly outbreak.  Things take a twist, however, when she runs into a few familiar faces.  Resident Evil: Retribution stars Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand, Shawn Roberts, Colin Salmon, Johann Urb, Boris Kodjoe, and Li Bingbing.  For more on the film, here’s the first teaser trailer, 25 things to know about the movie from my set visit, Dave’s recap of the WonderCon panel, and Christina’s interview with Anderson and Jovovich.

Shortly before the panel, I got to sit down with Anderson for an extended interview.  We talked about the footage he was going to show, where he is in the editing process, the locations they filmed at around the world, the running time, deleted scenes, the music, would he consider showing all five Resident Evil films back to back, and how Resident Evil 5 is the beginning of the end of the franchise.  In addition, with Anderson producing Death Race: Inferno, he talked about seeing a recent cut of the film, and describes it as both a sequel and a prequel.  Hit the jump to watch.

Milla Jovovich and Writer-Director Paul W.S. Anderson Talk RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION and the Future of the Franchise

by Christina Radish    Posted: March 19th, 2012 at 5:42 pm

Resident Evil: Retribution, from writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson, is the fifth installment of the wildly successful film franchise adaptation of the popular video game series, due out in theaters on September 14^th. This time around, Alice (Milla Jovovich) awakens in the heart of the Umbrella Corporation’s most clandestine operations facility and continues to hunt those responsible for the deadly T-virus outbreak, with the help of both newfound allies and familiar friends. The film also stars Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand, Johann Urb and Boris Kodjoe.

Prior to their panel presentation at WonderCon 2012, actress Milla Jovovich and filmmaker Paul W.S. Anderson spoke to the press about the development of this installment, how personal this franchise is for both of them, their passion for the video game, and what the scriptwriting process is like. Check out what they had to say after the jump.

WonderCon 2012: RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Panel Recap; Milla Jovovich and Writer/Director Paul W.S. Anderson Host a Preview and a Q&A

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: March 18th, 2012 at 10:53 am

Today at WonderCon 2012, Sony Screen Gems presented footage from their big fall release, Resident Evil: Retribution. Good move on their part as there was a huge burst of crowd support when the panel was announced. The fifth film in the series by director Paul W. S. Anderson and star Milla Jovovich features Alice’s return to the fight against the Umbrella Corporation. Also returning are some fan-favorites from Resident Evils past. Anderson and Jovovich were on hand to screen the trailer and an action sequence from the film, which promises to be the biggest yet as Resident Evil goes global. You can get caught up on all of our previous coverage of Resident Evil: Retribution here.

Resident Evil: Retribution, also starring Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez, Oded Fehr, Boris Kodjoe, Johann Urb, Kevin Durand and Bingbing Li opens on September 14th. Hit the jump to see our coverage from the event.

Full Schedule for WonderCon Announced; Presentations for RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION, BATTLESHIP, COMMUNITY, and More

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 28th, 2012 at 8:52 am

WonderCon 2012 has announced its programming schedule and attendees are in for some good stuff.  In addition to the wide variety of panels devoted to comic artists and writers, beloved genre figures, and career tips, there are some exciting movie and TV presentations lined up.  On the film side, there will be presentations for Resident Evil: Retribution (along with other Screen Gems films) Sound of My Voice (very cool that a Sundance indie flick is making an appearance), Battleship, Snow White and the Huntsman, Lockout, plus surprise presentations for upcoming films from 20th Century Fox (if there’s a sneak peek of Prometheus, the price of your WonderCon pass was worth it).

On the TV side, there will be presentations for Community, Fringe, Alcatraz, Person of Interest, The Secret Circle, Once Upon a Time, and more.  WonderCon, you had me at “Community”.  Hit the jump for the dates and times of the convention’s major highlights.  WonderCon 2012 will be at the Anaheim Convention Center and runs from March 16 – 18th.

First Teaser Poster and New Artwork from RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 30th, 2012 at 9:05 am

Screen Gems has released the first teaser poster and new artwork from Paul W.S. Anderson‘s Resident Evil: Retribution.   RE5 marks the fifth entry in the popular post-apocalyptic series. This time, Alice (Milla Jovovich) continues her search across the globe for those responsible for the deadly outbreak. Things take a twist, however, when she runs into a few familiar faces.  RE5 was written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and it stars Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand, Shawn Roberts, Colin Salmon, Johann Urb, Boris Kodjoe, and Li Bingbing.  Hit the jump to check out the poster and artwork and here’s the first teaser trailer and 25 Things to Know About the movie from my set visit.

25 Things to Know About RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION From Our Set Visit; Plus On Set Interviews with the Cast

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:03 pm

As the snow falls steadily somewhere in Russia, I watch Alice (Milla Jovovich), Leon Kennedy (Johann Urb) and Luther (Boris Kodjoe) exit a vehicle called the Spryte.  It’s been flipped on its side on a thick patch of ice because of an Umbrella submarine that’s come up through the ice.  As our heroes climb down from the door to get their footing and prepare their weapons, nearby I see the massive Umbrella submarine that’s come up through the ice.  As our heroes get ready, Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) and “Bad Rain” (Michelle Rodriguez) escort their prisoner Ada Wong (Li BingBing) from the exit door of the Umbrella sub.  Both groups see each other.  Then, without warning, “Bad Rain” shoots something into her neck and hits Ada Wong with the back of her gun and she falls to the ice.   As this happens, Jill Valentine and Alice run towards each other and start to fight.  Welcome to the set of Resident Evil: Retribution.

But let me back up a second.

As I type these words, it’s December 14, 2011 and I’m flying back to Los Angeles from Toronto.  While I was in the great Canadian city yesterday, I got to spend all day on the set of the 5th Resident Evil movie with a number of other reporters and learned a lot about what’s probably the second-to-last installment of the very successful franchise.  For more on the visit, hit the jump.

Writer-Director Paul W.S. Anderson RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Last month I got to visit the set of Resident Evil: Retribution with a few other online journalists when the production was filming in Toronto.  While it was near the end of the shoot and everyone was trying to film the beginning of a big action scene in the 3rd act, during a break in filming we got to speak with writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson.  During our extended interview, Anderson talked to us about what still excites him about the franchise, the decision to bring in fan favorite characters like Leon Kennedy, Ada Wong, and Barry Burton, the action sequences, the new and returning cast, if he knows where the final Umbrella Corporation base is located, the soundtrack, and so much more.   Hit the jump to either read or listen to what he had to say.

Milla Jovovich RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Last month I got to visit the set of Resident Evil: Retribution when the production was still filming in Toronto.  While the majority of interviews were done either on set or really close by, when we got to speak with Milla Jovovich, it was actually in her trailer right outside the soundstage.  Imagine a group of ten online journalists sitting on the floor of a trailer in a circle around Jovovich.  It was an interesting sight.

Anyway, while Jovovich has been on Twitter during the entire shoot answering fan questions about the movie, I actually found her guarded during our Q&A and careful with how much she wanted to say.  While she clearly didn’t want to reveal the twists and turns of the film, she was really happy to talk about the returning cast, the 3D, the action scenes, the new zombies, the big Alice and Jill fight, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to what she had to say.

Michelle Rodriguez RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:02 pm

If you’re a fan of the Resident Evil franchise, you’re probably wondering how Michelle Rodriguez is back in the fifth installment after what happened to her in the first film.  It’s called cloning.  Also, it’s Resident Evil.  What I’m trying to say is, don’t spend too much time thinking about it.  The fact is, while the newest installment of Resident Evil is called Retribution, it really should have been called All-Stars because director Paul W.S. Anderson has brought back a lot of the previous cast in what’s probably the second to last film.  If you’re a fan of the franchise, it should be a lot of fun to see your favorite characters one more time.

Last month I got to visit the set while the production was filming in Toronto and participated in a group interview with Rodriguez.  She talked about returning to the franchise, how she’s playing two versions of the same character, working with the weapons and the action scenes, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to what she had to say.

Li Bingbing RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:01 pm

Ada Wong is one of the most popular characters in the Resident Evil video game universe.  However, while she’s been in a large percentage of the games, she’s never made an appearance in any of the movies.  But that’s all about to change.  That’s because when writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson was coming up with the idea for Resident Evil: Retribution, one of the things he really wanted to do was bring in some of the characters that the fans have been waiting to see.  So if you’ve been waiting to see Leon Kennedy, Ada Wong, and Barry Burton, on September 14, you’ll get your chance.

Last month when visiting the set of Resident Evil: Retribution I got to participate in a group interview with Li Bingbing (she’s playing Ada Wong).  During the interview she talked about playing such a fan favorite character, wearing the outfit, the relationship between Ada and Leon, how she got cast, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to what she had to say.

Producers Jeremy Bolt, Don Carmody, and Robert Kulzer RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:01 pm

While it’s always great to talk to actors, if you want to know why certain decisions were made on a movie, you’ve got to talk to the producers.  While an actor can tell you why they delivered a line a certain way or how they got involved in the project, they can’t tell you why certain characters were brought back and why others weren’t.  In addition, they can’t talk about the budget, working with Capcom and Screen Gems, and so many other key behind the scenes decisions.  So when I got to visit the set of Resident Evil: Retribution last month in Toronto, one of the key interviews was with producers Jeremy Bolt, Don Carmody, and Robert Kulzer.  During our wide ranging conversation they talked about what’s different in the fifth installment, what fans can look forward to, and so much more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to what they had to say.

Sienna Guillory RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:01 pm

After making a small cameo in Resident Evil: Afterlife, it’s no surprise that Sienna Guillory is back as Jill Valentine in Paul W.S. Anderson‘s Resident Evil: Retribution (which arrives in theaters this September).  Also, as one of the main characters in the video games, it makes a lot of sense to have her return to the films.

Last month I got to visit the set of the fifth installment with a few other online reporters and we interviewed Guillory in between setups.  During the interview she talked about the fight scenes, what she was filming that day, Jill’s transformation since we last saw her in Apocalypse, if she thinks she’d get to be in a sixth film assuming they make it, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to what she had to say.

Johann Urb RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:01 pm

As he’s the protagonist in both the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 video games, fans have been waiting for writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson to put Leon Scott Kennedy in the movies.  So when he sat down to write the 5th installment, Anderson made sure to include a few of the characters that fans have always wanted to see: Leon Kennedy, Ada Wong, and Barry Burton.   As Anderson told me a few months ago, “We really went out of our way to get people who looked as much like their characters as possible from the game…This actor Johann Urb, who I’m very excited to be working with, not only is he a really good actor but he looks like Leon Kennedy. I mean you put photographs of them side-by-side, it’s almost like he was manufactured by Capcom.”  After seeing him in costume on the set of Resident Evil: Retribution last month, I agree.

During my group interview with Johann Urb he discussed how Leon gets introduced in the movie, the relationship between Ada and Leon, if he played the video games before arriving on set, his weapons, the action scenes, and a lot more.   Hit the jump to either read or listen to what he had to say.

Boris Kodjoe RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Unlike some of the other returning characters from the previous Resident Evil films, Boris Kodjoe survived in the last film (Resident Evil: Afterlife).  So when we asked him on the set of Resident Evil: Retribution last month when he find out that he’d be coming back as Luther West, he told us, “I guess two years ago when I read the script and found out that I didn’t die. That was pretty clear then.”  During the rest of the interview, Kodjoe talked to us about what fans can expect in the fifth film, the action scenes, the gunplay, the fans, what filming in Toronto has been like, and so much more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to what he had to say.

Oded Fehr RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION Set Visit Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:00 pm

If you saw Resident Evil: Extinction, you’re probably wondering how Oded Fehr is returning as the character Carlos Olivera in Resident Evil: Retribution.  It’s an easy answer: cloning.  However, before you start to think that his character is going to be a good guy that teams up with Alice (Milla Jovovich) to kick some Umbrella ass, it’s not that straight forward of an answer.  As Olivera told a group of visiting online reporters last month on set:

“The interesting thing is, I come back as two different guys on this one. There’s a dynamic to the relationship with Milla’s character, and then there’s the other side. He’s working for the Umbrella again.”

Hit the jump for more.

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