A childhood connection The Resident Evil films are very loosely based on the video game series of the same name – which Macken admits “scared the bejesus” out of him when he was younger. “My friend had a basement garage and we’d play it together. It was always dark. He loved horror and being scared, but I didn’t enjoy that. “It was first time I ever played a computer game that actually scared me. Up until that point I’d been playing things like Mario Kart.” Movies based on games have a poor cinematic reputation. But Macken believes the Resident Evil series is, in its own way, a worthy representation of the games on the big screen. “A video game adaptation doesn’t have to follow it exactly. You can create your own expression within the game. “But Paul [W.S. Anderson, director] understands the game because he knows them. “I think that’s what comes across within every Resident Evil movie, and especially this one. That’s the most important thing – to care about your source material.”

He regularly creates work for himself too. Macken wrote, produced and directed the independent feature Leopard, and recently wrote and directed short film The Green Rabbit and The Ice Cream Girl. But there’s another passion he’s aiming to tap into. “I actually wanted to be a marine biologist and make documentaries,” he says. “I’m getting there.” “I want to get involved in conservation stuff. I want to try and do a David Attenborough.”

Fortunately, there’s still time to do so. The global apocalypse isn’t here just yet.

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