Zach Cregger Refuses the Franchise Trap

Zach Cregger walking away from writing and directing Gladys isn’t just smart business—it’s an outright relief. When Weapons pulled $268 million worldwide against a lean $38 million budget, Hollywood did what Hollywood always does: immediately demanded a factory line. Handing a filmmaker of his instincts a blank check just to turn around and ask for franchise maintenance is the standard studio playbook, and watching Cregger casually sidestep it is the best news we’ve had all year.

As reported by Deadline, Zach Shields is stepping up to script Gladys, leaving Cregger parked comfortably in a producer seat with a possible story credit. Instead of getting bogged down parsing out the mythology of Amy Madigan’s standout character, Cregger is heading straight into The Flood early next year with Steven Spielberg producing.

A tidy IP expansion like Gladys pays the bills, but an original, reality-warping deep-space sci-fi picture is the kind of swing that actually matters. Between steering his own lane here and taking the reins on Resident Evil—a project I already have opening-night tickets locked down for—Cregger is treating momentum like fuel for ambition rather than an obligation to play it safe.

Let the studio machine have its spin-off calendar; The Flood hits August 11, 2028, followed by Gladys on September 8. The machine gets fed, but Cregger stays dangerous. That’s the exact order it should be in.