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Spoilers (3)
Natasha Henstridge was asked to play the role of Jill Valentine, but could not accept due to other work commitments.
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The film was originally entitled 'Resident Evil: Nemesis' after the third game in the 'Resident Evil' (aka 'Biohazard') video game series, of the same name, which had a similar plot. The title was later changed to 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse' after the release (and subsequent box-office failure) of Star Trek: Nemesis.
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The film contains many visual and thematic references to the games. Here's what references are seen from the games in storyline chronological order:
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- All Games: There is a shot near the end of the film of Alice's eye close up. This is a reference to the first game in the series - the close up eye shot is the logo/title screen of the games, a white goddess statue can be seen in the church, Goddess statues always play a big role in the puzzles of all Biohazard games.
- Resident Evil Ø: Alice kills the Lickers in the church in a bullet time effect identical to Billy Killing the Leech Queen.
- Resident Evil In the opening scene with the weather map and the ending, both mention the Arklay Mountains. This is where the mansion in the original game was located.
- Resident Evil (Gamecube remake) Terri's death is recorded by her fallen camera, as is Joseph's death in the intro in the remake of the original game.
- Resident Evil 2 Alice's visit to the gun shop may be a slight reference to Resident Evil 2, in which Kendo's Gun Shop is one of the first locations a player visits, The helicopter that delivers Nemesis' weapons is similar in look to the helicopter that delivered Mr. X in Resident Evil 2, Angela Ashford plays a character similar to Shirey Birkin from Resident Evil 2.
- Resident Evil 3: Nemesis: The sequence in which RPD members are surrounded by zombies at an intersection is taken almost shot for shot from an FMV in Resident Evil 3 (the most noticeably similar shot is the slow zoom in on the police helmet), The character of Jill Valentine wears the same outfit she wore in Resident Evil: 3, Zombies also rise from their graves in Resident Evil: 3, Jill also uses gas stoves to create an explosion in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Jill,Terri, Alice and Peyton hide out in a red cable-car, in Resident Evil 3 Jill, Carlos, Nicholai and Mikhial also hide out in a red cable-car and use it to get to the Clock tower. And in both Resident Evil 3 and the Movie, Nemesis shoots down a helicopter with his rocket launcher.
- Resident Evil Code: Veronica: The sequence in which Alice runs down a hallway while a helicopter shoots out the windows is identical to the opening cinema in Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Ashford is the name of the family that created Umbrella, as told in Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Alice's superhuman abilities are similar to those exhibited by Albert Wesker in Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Milla Jovovich's move in which she drops her handgun and grabs it just before hitting the ground was lifted directly from Resident Evil Code: Veronica in which Claire Redfield pulls this in the opening movie and takes out a room full of guards.
- Miscellaneous: The idea of Dr. Ashford pulling strings to save people inside a zombie-ridden area contains shades of Trent, a character from the Resident Evil books, written by S.D. Perry. Another similarity is that Trent's parents, like Dr. Ashford, created the T-Virus for benevolent purposes before it was hijacked by Umbrella.
During the church scene, when Alice fires at the motorcycle to kill one of the Lickers, the slow motion bullets have the Umbrella logo on the rear of the shells.
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The word Biohazard appears many times in the movie. This is a reference to the Japanese versions of the games. In Japan the series of games is called Biohazard.
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When Jill, Alice, Carlos, and LJ have Angie and Alice is talking on the phone to Dr. Ashford. Jill is holding her waist like she's in "Caution", a term used in the Resident Evil games to show what your health status is. There are for levels of health status "Fine", "Yellow Caution", "Red Caution", and "Danger". Earlier Peyton was in "Danger" because he had to be carried by Jill and Terri which is another relation to the Resident Evil game Resident Evil Outbreak when you can carry your fellow players by carrying them when they limp.
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According to the writer/producer commentary, Paul W.S. Anderson mentions that the character of Dr. Isaacs (Iain Glen) is a homage to actor Jason Isaacs, who made an uncredited cameo as Dr. Birkin and the film's narrator during the opening credits of the first film.
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Aside from archive footage from the first film featuring shots of Eric Mabius, the only person to return after the previous film is Milla Jovovich.
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The character of Dr. Ashford is named after the Ashford family of the Resident Evil game series. However, unlike the sympathetic film character, the Ashfords of the games were villains.
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"STARS" is the only word ever mentioned by the Nemesis, it's also the only word he ever mentions (repeatedly) in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.
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In the ending fight, the words "Finish him" are used, this is straight from the Mortal Kombat games, Paul W.S. Anderson also created the Mortal Kombat movie.
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Sienna Guillory based her movements of Jill by watching the way Jill moved in the game Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.
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When L.J. is driving around the zombie-infested Raccoon City, he runs down a zombie that walks out in front of him, and then yells "GTA motherfucker! 10 points!" This is a reference to the early Grand Theft Auto point system, where the player is awarded money when committing specific criminal offenses (including running over pedestrians). Coincidentally, Capcom, which develops the Resident Evil series, also distributes Grand Theft Auto games in Japan.
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The first sequence showing Alice waking up in the hospital through to her cocking a shotgun outside, consists entirely of footage shot for the first film.
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The Region 1 DVD release contains just under 12 minutes of deleted scenes, many of which are extended scenes.
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According to Paul W.S. Anderson's commentary for the DVD release, rapper/actor Snoop Dogg was originally chosen to play the role of L.J., but left the project.
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When the Umbrella agents pull up to the first house of the people they're sent to evacuate (the female scientist) the commercial playing on the TV screen in her home is a scene from the movie's own trailer featuring the "Regenerate" product.
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The first trailer released for this movie (which was directed by Marcus Nispel) featured an ad run by the 'Umbrella Corporation' advertising a skin-regeneration product using a special formula called T-cells. In the movies and video games, the virus responsible for zombie mutations is called the T-virus. All the footage in the advert was either shot specially for the advert or from the original film. There was no footage from the film in this advertising.
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Nemesis' weapon in the movie is his trademark rocket launcher and a modified General Electric M134 mini gun that the armorer, Charles Taylor, deconstructed, shortened the barrels to 14" and added muzzle brakes which divert the burning gunpowder to create a unique plasma effect when firing.
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The model of the buildings that is blown up in the movie is modeled after Toronto City Hall.
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The exterior shot of Umbrella's headquarters as seen at the end of the movie is actually Toronto's Exhibition Place.
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The Nemesis suit weighs over 30 pounds. His machine gun, which he had to hold with one hand, weighs about 65 pounds.
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Although the word "zombie" is never used in the film, it is featured in the ending credits. German comedian Tom Gerhardt who portrayed the infected father in the gate closing sequence, is credited as "zombie dad". All other zombies are credited as "undead".
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When Alice, Carlos, Jill, LJ and Angie arrive at the helicopter point, the name Lt. Gen. D. Carmody can be seen on the helicopter that is landing. This is of course, the name of one the producers of the film, Don Carmody.
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The weather map at the beginning clearly shows Raccoon City as being approximately where Philadelphia is in Pennsylvania. Other real-life towns such as Selinsgrove, Hazelton and Pottsville, all appear in their correct geographic locations.
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The trailer for this film was one of the most watched on the Internet, with 8.5 million downloads from November 2003 to May 2004.
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The newspaper with the headline "The Dead Walk!" is an homage to George A. Romero's Day of the Dead, in which exactly the same newspaper headline was displayed.
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Milla Jovovich did the last part of the run down the city hall herself. Her stunt double did the first part at about 200 feet above ground.
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It was Milla Jovovich's idea about having the heat wave in Raccoon City as the reason why her character and Jill Valentine are wearing very few clothes. Unfortunately, the shoot was in November in Toronto.
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This 'Resident Evil' title was the last to be released onto the VHS format, but the first to be released onto the Blu-Ray format.
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As Oded Fehr and Milla Jovovich discuss on the DVD Commentary, the zombie that gets a knife thrown into his head is (ex-)Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody.
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The city standing in as Racoon City at the beginning (right after the weather news) is of course Toronto. The famous CN tower is just to the left outside the frame. You can barely see its shadow. Most exterior shots were made in and around the city.
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Paul W.S. Anderson first started writing the screenplay almost immediately after completing the first film.
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The original plan was for Jill Valentine to meet up with Alice. However, this idea was scrapped as Paul W.S. Anderson wanted to have two separate stories occurring at the same time.
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Paul W.S. Anderson bowed out of directing the sequel as he was embroiled with prepping AVP: Alien vs. Predator at the time.
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Gina Philips was originally cast as Claire Redfield, but dropped out before production began. The character too was scrapped from Resident Evil: Apocalypse when Emily Bergl dropped out from the role. Claire Redfield would surface as a character in Resident Evil: Extinction, this time played by Ali Larter.
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Filming took place in Canada and was threatened with shut-down when there was a SARS outbreak in Toronto. This ultimately didn't affect the production, with filming concluding in October 2003.
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Oded Fehr had little difficulty in playing a character so familiar with handling guns - he was trained in the Israeli army.
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The suit for Nemesis weighed in excess of 60 pounds. Stuntman Matthew G. Taylor could only stay in it for periods of up to 15 minutes before it got too hot.
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As in the first film, the zombies were mainly all professional dancers. They attended an "undead boot camp" where two of the cardinal rules were no dragging feet and no outstretched arms.
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Spoilers
The shot at the end of the movie where we see the nuke flying above a pack of wandering zombies in Raccoon City is taken directly from the ending from the third 'Resident Evil' game, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (aka."Resident Evil 3: Nemesis"-USA).
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During the commentary on the first film in the series, Resident Evil, Milla Jovovich refers to her nipple appearing on screen, saying that this proves her dedication to the film. Director Paul W.S. Anderson adds that had she really been committed (to the project), she would have shown both nipples. In this sequel, she does show both nipples, towards the end while she's in the tank.
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Eric Mabius was due to reprise his role from the first film, with his character evolving into Nemesis. However, Mabius pulled out of the film shortly before production began to be replaced by Matthew G. Taylor.
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