Zach Cregger Doesn't Outline. Here's How He Writes Instead

Twenty years ago, Zach Cregger was making sketch videos with The Whitest Kids U'Know, and after that, he was a working sitcom actor. Then he wrote and directed three hits in a row.

He made Barbarian for $4.5 million in Bulgaria, which is a miracle given that he had "no clout whatsoever," according to him. Then Weapons grossed about $270 million worldwide and earned Amy Madigan an Oscar. This year, Resident Evil opened to a franchise-record $60 million domestically, according to Variety.

Next up is The Flood, an original sci-fi thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence, which New Line will release in August 2028, per The Wrap.

Cregger is now in a position few writer/directors reach, where studios come to him with offers. He sat down with Matt Belloni of The Ringer and Puck for The Town in front of students at Loyola Marymount. He spoke candidly about how he writes, why he's wary of IP, and why he'd rather work with a smaller budget than a bigger one. We pulled his best advice for screenwriters and directors. Check it out below.

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Comedy Is the Gym for Horror

Cregger has famously relied on his comedy background for his writing. Belloni asks whether a comedy background is a random path into genre filmmaking.

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