One of the many films to show off new footage at Comic-Con 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.  The film also 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 trailer, 25 things to know about the movie from my set visit, some new images, and our Comic-Con panel recap.Shortly after the panel, I sat down with writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson for an extended interview.  We talked about the scope of Resident Evil: Retribution, how post-production has been going, test screenings, the action, viral marketing, and more.  In addition, Anderson revealed his first cut of Event Horizon has just been found on VHS and he also talks about Death Race: Inferno.  Hit the jump to watch.Paul W.S. Anderson Time Index:

  • 0:20 – Paul W.S. Anderson talks about working with Lawrence Gordon and Lloyd Levin on 1997’s Event Horizon and how they just found his original cut on VHS.
  • 1:10 – Anderson reflects on Event Horizon and comments on the fantastic cast, screening the film for Kurt Russell and still being proud of his work 15 years later.
  • 2:10 – Regarding the post-production on Resident Evil: Retribution, Anderson talks about the progress of it, calling it a “global epic” and talks about the intense complications of post.
  • 3:05 – Commenting further on the effects of the fifth film, Anderson talks about taking the film to a number of locations on the globe and working on the look, sound design and other aspects of post-production for each setting.
  • 4:20 – Anderson talks about test screenings, which they haven’t done since the first movie (which was part of a P&A deal with Sony at the time).  He also comments on getting back to the tension of the first film.
  • 5:55 – Anderson talks about why they no longer screen test films, mostly because he believes he understands how his movies play with audiences.  He also talks up the current film’s twists and turns and unexpected deaths.  The lack of screen tests were intended to prevent the narrative’s surprises being spoiled before Resident Evil: Retribution’s debut.
  • 6:50 – The fifth installment should re-energize the franchise, according to Anderson, because of different narrative approaches, such as Milla Jovovich playing a suburban housewife instead of an action hero for a portion of the film.
  • 7:45 – Anderson talks about returning the fear factor to this film and says this one is a return to form but does not leave out the big action set pieces.
  • 8:40 – The viral marketing for Resident Evil: Retribution includes baked goods in the shape of severed hands and feet, which Anderson says Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez took some bites of.
  • 10:20 – Anderson calls this film “the beginning of the end,” and comments on where the franchise is going from here on out.
  • 11:30 – Death Race: Inferno is finished as far as the rough cut goes and Anderson talks about the cool look of the film.  He talks up the cast in the straight-to-DVD movie.
  • 12:15 – Anderson talks about the timeline of the Death Race films and where the newest one fits into the franchise.
  • 13:35 – Anderson says he has too much stuff from his own movies cluttering up his place and would get killed if he bought anything more at Comic-Con.

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