Zach Cregger Leaves Artists First (EXCLUSIVE)

EXCLUSIVE: Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind last year’s horror phenomenon Weapons, has parted ways with his longtime manager Peter Principato of Artists First, multiple sources tell Deadline.

Reps for Artists First couldn’t be reached for comment. Cregger had been with Principato for around 15 years — from a time when he was better known for comedy, as a founding member of the troupe The Whitest Kids U’ Know. This was, of course, before his breakout moment with 20th’s Barbarian, which put him on the path toward becoming one of the biggest names in contemporary horror.

Sources emphasized that the parting of ways was amicable — a reflection of the point Cregger is at in his career, as a red-hot genre filmmaker who can write his own ticket. At the moment, we’re told, Cregger feels more in need of dealmakers than a manager, specifically — hence, his keeping on CAA and the firm of Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Cregger is focused first and foremost on directing his own original scripts at this time and has a full dance card that will keep him busy.

As he eyes Sony’s September 18 release of Resident Evil, based on the Capcom video games, Cregger already has two further projects announced, both with New Line: the sci-fi thriller The Flood and the Weapons prequel Gladys, which will release on August 11, 2028 and September 8, 2028, respectively. Artists First’s Principato will commission and participate in all three upcoming titles, sources said.

Both New Line’s Weapons and Sony’s Resident Evil ignited heated bidding wars following the success of Barbarian, which drew rave reviews and grossed over $46M worldwide in 2022. Centered on the abrupt disappearance of a class of Pennsylvania third graders during the middle of the night, Weapons was one of the most discussed titles of last year, opening to around $70M globally and netting out at around $270M worldwide. Earning Amy Madigan an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her turn as villain Aunt Gladys, the film also stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, and Austin Abrams, among others.

Following Weapons, Cregger reteamed with Abrams on his Resident Evil reboot, focused on a hapless medical courier who finds himself on the run from hordes of mutated creatures. Others in the cast include Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser, and Johnno Wilson.