Zach Cregger says his upcoming Resident Evil film became stronger after test audiences told him it leaned too heavily into comedy. The director has been promoting the movie on what he calls an “apology tour”, despite taking the criticism in good humour.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, as reported by PC Gamer, Cregger explained that audiences responded positively overall but repeatedly described the movie as “too funny”.
“I learned that people really liked the movie, but they thought it was too funny,” Cregger said. “So over the course of my testing, I stripped out as much of the jokes as possible.”
He said the adjustment improved the film for both viewers and himself. Cregger also argued that comedy has a limited but valuable role in horror, adding that he does not miss any of the jokes removed during the editing process.
“A little bit of humor goes a long way in a horror movie, and there’s not a single joke I took out of this movie that I miss.”
A different balance for Resident Evil
The decision may seem surprising given Cregger’s reputation for combining scares with dark humour. It is also an unusual choice for Resident Evil, a series whose games are famous for deliberately theatrical moments, eccentric dialogue and characters such as Leon Kennedy delivering memorable quips.
That playful tone has long been part of the franchise’s appeal to fans of survival horror and arcade-style action. Readers exploring the wider history of coin-operated games can browse RETROCADE’s arcade news and gaming coverage, or compare dedicated arcade light-gun shooters for another take on horror-inspired action.
Ultimately, Cregger believes the finished movie benefits from the cuts. His recent run in horror gives that judgement some weight, even if fans may still wonder which jokes were removed.
The missing jokes may reveal the film’s evolution
A leaked Resident Evil script surfaced in March, creating an opportunity for viewers to compare that version with the completed film. Once the movie is available, that comparison could show exactly how its comedic tone changed during testing and editing.
For anyone interested in building a home gaming setup around horror and action titles, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide offers a practical starting point.
Leave a Reply