Overview of The Town with Zach Cregger
In this episode of The Town, Matt Belloni talks with filmmaker Zach Cregger about his unusual path from comedy performer to one of Hollywood’s most-watched genre directors. Cregger breaks down why comedy and horror are closely related, how he writes, why he doesn’t outline, what changed after success, and why he’s cautious about becoming too attached to IP or “the business” side of filmmaking. He also discusses his upcoming sci-fi thriller The Flood with Jennifer Lawrence and how he thinks about casting, collaborators, and creative freedom.
Comedy, Horror, and the Same Creative Muscle
Cregger argues that comedy and horror depend on the same basic craft:
- Both rely on timing, tone, buildup, and payoff
- Both aim to provoke a physical reaction from the audience
- His years in comedy were, in his view, “training” for horror
He says the overlap isn’t accidental: scenes can feel funny on the page but become terrifying on screen depending on execution, framing, and sound.
His Writing Process and Creative Philosophy
Cregger is emphatic that he writes from instinct, not career strategy:
- He writes because it’s cathartic and joyful
- He follows the kind of material that naturally draws him in: dark, unsettling stories
- He does not outline in advance
- He prefers to start with a scene and let the story emerge through drafting
What he values most
- The first draft as a “vomit draft” or discovery phase
- Working when it feels easy and flowing, not forced
- Treating writing as a private, playful, fearless process
He also says meditation, especially Transcendental Meditation, helped him become more creative and attentive to subconscious ideas.
Hollywood Success, Pressure, and Staying Grounded
One of the biggest shifts for Cregger has been learning how to protect his time and attention now that people in Hollywood are paying attention:
- He spends more energy making room for quiet
- He sees everyday life—walking, music, hanging out—as essential to creativity
- He does not want to become a “brand” or a giant producer machine
His attitude is unusually blunt: he feels like he’s already “playing with house money” and wants to swing hard on every project, as if it might be his last.
Taking On IP: Why Resident Evil Worked, and Why He’s Wary of It
Cregger explains why he chose to take on Resident Evil:
- It started as a casual conversation with producer Roy Lee
- He was drawn to the idea because it felt like his kind of story
- He initially assumed someone else would direct it
- He liked the practical challenge of making it feel like his version of the material
But he was also frustrated by the public conversation around the movie:
- Too much focus on faithfulness to the source material
- Fans debated lore, characters, and “what it should be”
- The discussion often ignored the movie itself
His takeaway on IP
He sees IP as a tradeoff:
- It can bring an audience
- It also brings heavy expectations and constant comparison
He says he may never be fully interested in doing another IP project unless he can shape it in a way that feels personal.
Success, Box Office, and What “Winning” Means
Cregger pushes back on the idea that box office alone defines success:
- Success means making the movie he imagined
- Marketing, release timing, and external factors can distort the box office result
- A film can be good even if it underperforms financially
He also says constraints can be creatively useful, because they force better storytelling.
Casting, Actors, and the “Lightbulb” Moment
Cregger says he doesn’t write with actors in mind, but he can definitely have immediate casting instincts.
His casting approach
- Sometimes he agonizes between choices
- Sometimes one actor is obviously “the one”
- He looks for people who already seem right for the part rather than forcing a fit
Amy Madigan example
He describes seeing Amy Madigan’s face while browsing cast lists and immediately knowing she was perfect for the role. He later met with her and quickly knew the fit was real.
Working with recurring actors
He seems likely to keep working with some of the same people because he values strong on-set bonds and trusts the creative chemistry he’s built.
His Relationship to Executives and Collaboration
Cregger says he’s been lucky to work with mostly good executives.
What makes a good executive
- They are champions, not obstacles
- They give honest notes in a collaborative way
- They help improve the movie without trying to overpower the filmmaker
He cites his experience with Nicole Brown on Resident Evil as a strong example of productive studio collaboration.
What’s Next: The Flood and Jennifer Lawrence
Cregger also discusses his next film, The Flood:
- A sci-fi thriller
- A bigger budget than his previous films, but not “massive”
- He pitched the story directly to Jennifer Lawrence over Zoom
- He wants the movie to be the best story possible, not simply the most expensive
He emphasizes that the goal is still quality and precision, not scale for its own sake.
Key Takeaways
- Zach Cregger sees comedy and horror as structurally similar
- He writes by intuition and discovery, not outline
- He’s grateful for success but remains wary of becoming too wrapped up in Hollywood machinery
- He likes original work, but can be intrigued by IP if he can make it personal
- He defines success as making the movie in his head, not just hitting a box-office target
- He values good collaborators, strong casting instincts, and creative constraints
Notable Insight
Cregger’s core philosophy is that the best work comes when you protect your creative instincts, keep your process playful, and don’t let career anxiety crowd out the story you actually want to tell.