Barbarian Director Zach Cregger Wants To Make A 'Batman-Adjacent' DC Movie, And He's Already Written It
"Barbarian" is one of the hottest horror movies of 2022. The film is cheeky, terrifying, and refreshingly contemporary. It also marks the directorial debut of Zach Cregger, known for creating the hilarious sketch comedy series "The Whitest Kids U'Know." With all the buzz surrounding "Barbarian," a lot of people are wondering what the filmmaker plans to do next. Nothing is set in stone yet, but Cregger has already written some very exciting films that he hopes to get made in the near future. This includes some original work as well as a spin-off of a beloved franchise — Batman.
Like "Joker," "Barbarian" is dark, stylistically distinct, and sprinkled with humor. It also follows a main character unraveling a mystery, much like how Batman follows the Riddler's clues. Cregger wrote the screenplay in his free time and never expected the project to get off the ground. "I didn't write this thinking this would ever get made," he explained to The Movie Podcast. "I didn't even think I would send it out to people, honestly."
"Barbarian" was not the only project that Creeger wrote purely for his own enjoyment. The director also wrote a film that is "set in the DC universe," he told Bloody-Disgusting. He didn't go into many specifics about the project, describing it only as "Batman-adjacent," suggesting that it might be a spin-off about a minor character in the comics. Perhaps another villain, like the Penguin or the Riddler.
Cregger would do Batman justice
Cregger didn't write the film at DC's request, but he loves the project so much that he's hoping to see it made someday. "I wrote it and I'm utterly obsessed with it. So one day ... I want to make that," the director revealed. With all the hype that "Barbarian" is getting, Cregger's Batman spin-off may actually have a chance at being produced. Let's hope that the director is able to leverage the hype from his horror film into the DC universe.
The "Barbarian" writer-director would be a great fit for a "Batman-adjacent" project. The last Batman spin-off, "Joker," featured a sinister atmosphere and a compelling origin story of the villain. The franchise's latest installment, "The Batman," was a tortured portrait of the familiar hero. Instead of leaning towards easily-digestible narratives with straightforward morals, the Batman films began questioning the morality of the heroes and villains. This opened the door for more creative thinkers like Cregger.
This "Batman-adjacent" film is one of two projects that Cregger hopes to make in the near future. The other is a horror film that he says is "weirder" and "way more ambitious" than his debut.
Cregger could bring his humor into Batman's world while maintaining the dark and suspenseful undercurrents for which the franchise is known. "Barbarian" is full of exciting and well-paced twists and turns, so it is safe to say that Cregger would have been well-equipped to write a mystery worthy of the Riddler. There's no telling what Cregger has in store, but I hope that whatever it is moves into production soon.