Director Zach Cregger has revealed that audience test screenings for his upcoming *Resident Evil* film led him to cut back significantly on the comedy, after viewers felt the mix of horror and humour was unbalanced. Cregger, who built his reputation on blending scares with laughs in *Barbarian* and *Weapons*, said stripping out jokes ultimately made the film stronger and that he does not miss a single one that was removed. The revelation comes as the filmmaker discusses his rapid rise from a struggling former comedy director to one of Hollywood's most in-demand names, with several of his upcoming projects sparking bidding wars.

*Resident Evil*, out in cinemas on 18 September, tells an original story centred on a medical courier named Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, whose delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital coincides with the franchise's infamous T-virus outbreak. Cregger, a longtime fan of the video game series, said he wanted to capture the feel of playing the games rather than adapting an existing plot, a choice that has drawn criticism from some fans of the franchise, particularly over the absence of established characters such as Leon S. Kennedy. He has previously said this will likely be his only foray into franchise filmmaking, while also downplaying comparisons to major auteurs, insisting his current success is temporary and that "what goes up must come down."