After His Latest Horror Smash, Zach Cregger Has His Sights on the DC Universe Movie Featuring DC’s Fan-Favorite Villains

Zach Cregger’s new movie Weapons is now in theaters, and it’s already making waves. Sitting at a glowing 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s getting the kind of reviews most filmmakers dream of. Box office tracking shows the film could open big, and the buzz has only grown stronger through the week. Some outlets are even saying it’s almost guaranteed to make their year-end top ten lists for genre films.

While details about the story’s big twist are being kept secret, people are already talking about what Cregger will do next. According to multiple sources, New Line, the studio behind Weapons, wants to keep working with him.

But before that happens, he’s headed to Sony to make a new Resident Evil movie, which is set to film in Prague this fall.

According to THR Newsletter, this new Resident Evil won’t follow the style of the previous seven movies. Sources who have read the script say Cregger wrote it with Shay Hatten and took inspiration directly from the video games. One person described it as a tense, contained thriller about a character trying to get from one point to another with hordes of zombies in the way.

After Resident Evil, Cregger hopes to move forward with a secret sci-fi project he wrote. But the project that’s been getting the most attention online is Henchmen, a DC Studios idea he’s called “the favorite script I’ve ever written.” He actually wrote it before his 2022 breakout hit Barbarian.

The premise is unusual for a DC film. It’s about a low-level Gotham City henchman who becomes famous after accidentally taking down Batman. In the story, Batman only appears briefly, but Harley Quinn and Joker play a role. Sources say DC Studios knows Cregger is interested in making it, though he hasn’t pitched it officially.

That said, there are big challenges. DC still hasn’t chosen who will play Joker or Batman in its new universe, and there’s a question about whether Margot Robbie would return as Harley Quinn.

Plus, DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran are being careful with Batman-related projects. Matt Reeves is currently working on The Batman Part II, with Robert Pattinson returning, and possibly even a Part III later. They want to avoid doubling up on the same villains in different films.

As for Pattinson, before he suits up as Batman again, he’s expected to film a role in Dune: Part III.

For Cregger, the reality is that none of these ambitious projects will happen if Resident Evil doesn’t work out. Still, with Weapons earning praise and his name at the top of every studio’s wish list, it’s clear he’s one of the most in-demand filmmakers of his generation.

If Henchmen ever gets made, it could be one of the boldest DC movies in years. But for now, all eyes are on Resident Evil and whether Cregger can deliver another hit.

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