Director Zach Cregger has revealed that jokes were removed from the upcoming Resident Evil film because test audiences found the movie to be excessively humorous. Cregger described his process as an "apology tour" to promote the film, but indicated he was receptive to feedback.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cregger stated that test screenings led him to believe the film was "too funny." He subsequently removed a significant amount of comedic content, a decision he believes improved the final product. "I learned that people really liked the movie, but they thought it was too funny," Cregger explained. "So over the course of my testing, I stripped out as much of the jokes as possible."
Cregger found that the film was better received after the comedic elements were reduced. "I then found that not only did the audience enjoy the movie more, but I also liked the movie a lot more," he continued. He added that "a little bit of humor goes a long way in a horror movie, and there’s not a single joke I took out of this movie that I miss." Despite Cregger's reputation for blending humor with horror, he stands by the decision to temper the comedic aspects of the Resident Evil adaptation, noting that the games themselves often feature lighthearted moments. He expressed confidence in his judgment, given his recent success with horror projects. The director acknowledged that it will be interesting to compare the final film to a leaked script from earlier this year to see which specific jokes did not make the final cut.