Zach Cregger, director of the horror film "Weapons" and the upcoming "Resident Evil," is being lauded as a key figure in the current resurgence of horror movies. His film "Weapons" was a major financial success, earning $270 million globally against a budget of $38 million. This financial performance, coupled with critical acclaim, including an Oscar win for Amy Madigan for Best Supporting Actress, demonstrates the genre's profitability and growing respectability within Hollywood. Cregger's approach involves drawing from his own anxieties and creating films that personally scare him, a method he believes resonates with audiences.
Hollywood is increasingly looking to horror for hits as traditional superhero blockbusters face declining box office numbers. The genre's low production costs often lead to high returns, with films like "Weapons," Curry Barker's "Obsession" ($350 million), and A24's "Backrooms" proving that low-budget horror can outperform big-budget franchise films. This success has sparked a "gold rush" among studios to find original horror concepts and talent, particularly those with pre-existing appeal to Gen Z audiences online.
Cregger's personal experiences, including grieving his friend Trevor Moore and his father's battle with alcoholism, served as inspiration for "Weapons." He described the film as a "thinly veiled metaphor" for the unsettling changes he witnessed in his father due to addiction. His next project, "Resident Evil," releasing on September 18, is described as a real-time, on-foot survival horror film set during a viral zombie outbreak, with Cregger aiming to maintain intense pacing throughout its 90-minute runtime. His unique blend of personal narrative and effective scares positions him as a significant creative force in the horror landscape.
