{
  "id": 6736544,
  "title": "Zach Cregger says test audiences convinced him to cut most of Resident Evil's jokes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/zach-cregger-says-test-audiences-convinced-him-to-cut-most-of",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-11T02:32:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The A.V. Club",
    "slug": "the-a-v-club",
    "url": "https://www.avclub.com/zach-cregger-cut-resident-evil-jokes-test-audiences"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Zach Cregger, known for his comedic sketch work, has transitioned to horror directing with his upcoming film Resident Evil. Despite his comedic background, test audiences advised him to reduce the humor in the movie, leading him to cut most of the jokes. Cregger explained that while the test audiences enjoyed the film, they felt it was too funny. As a result, he removed as much comedy as possible and discovered that both the audience and he enjoyed the movie more without the jokes. Cregger emphasized that a little bit of humor goes a long way in a horror movie. Regarding the film's deviation from the Resident Evil video game franchise, Cregger acknowledged that fans who expected direct adaptations of game characters might not be pleased. He acknowledged that if fans loved the games for its characters, they might feel disappointed. However, he explained that he was inspired by the games' visual language and incorporated it into the film, blending different perspectives throughout the movie. Resident Evil is set to release in theaters on September 18.",
  "summary": "Cregger says axing the jokes not only made the horror flick test better, but, \"I also liked the movie a lot more.\"",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "PC Gamer",
        "title": "Zach Cregger admits 'I was naive' and pre-apologises for his upcoming Resident Evil film, but I don't think he owes us anything",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/zach-cregger-admits-i-was-naive-and-pre-apologises-for-his-upcoming",
        "published": "2026-09-09T15:28:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IndieWire",
        "title": "Zach Cregger Isn’t Sure He Wants Kids — So He Wrote That Anxiety Into ‘Resident Evil’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/zach-cregger-isnt-sure-he-wants-kids-so-he-wrote-that-anxiety-into",
        "published": "2026-09-09T17:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hollywood Reporter",
        "title": "‘Resident Evil’ Filmmaker Zach Cregger Reveals the Key Adjustment He Made After Test Screenings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/resident-evil-filmmaker-zach-cregger-reveals-the-key-adjustment-he",
        "published": "2026-09-10T22:57:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}