Sunday Scaries: I’m Ready to Declare Zach Cregger a Master of Horror

The Sunday Scaries are upon us once again! Yes, as the weekend concludes, most of us feel an oncoming sense of anticipatory dread about the week ahead. Anxiety about work manifests itself into a feeling that’s known as the Sunday Scaries. However, we at Awards Radar are here to combat that, by taking back the name. Now, we want you think about a horror-centric piece on the site when you hear the term. So, let us continue on with another installment of the Awards Radar Sunday Scaries! Today, I’m ready to make a bold claim about a very exciting horror filmmaker…

Folks, it’s time to say it. Two films in, Zach Cregger is a master of horror. Barbarian set the stage, being one of the more exciting horror debuts we’ve seen in some time. Now, with Weapons now having hit theaters and managed to exceed expectations, Cregger has truly arrived. A previous Sunday Scaries piece here had spoken of how this flick could give him this stature, while a prior one after Barbarian here got into how he could be the next master. Well, he certainly is.

In my review of Weapons (here), I said the following about Cregger:

Only two films in, it’s time to proclaim Zach Cregger as a master of horror. Not only does the filmmaker have a very unique sensibility that he deploys in his movies, he’s able to mix comedy, horror, and genuine surprises with deft social commentary. Weapons is a far bigger scope than Barbarian, operating on a comparatively epic canvas to tell a much larger story. Barbarian may have been a bit more fun, all things considered, but Weapons a better movie overall. In fact, it’s another highlight of 2025 so far, further establishing this year as one that will go down in the record books for horror.

Weapons is a slow burn that builds to an absolutely insane and deeply satisfying climax. The juice is definitely worth the squeeze here, as Cregger masterfully plays with your emotions and expectations. The mystery is handled in such a way that regardless of what you think is happening, you’re drawn further and further in. Each new character is compelling, each WTF revelation is engaging, and by the end, you feel like you’ve seen something not just big, but original as well. Bravo to Cregger and company.

Writer/director Zach Cregger has such confidence to his filmmaking that you’re compelled to follow him wherever he goes. Cregger doesn’t shy away from making this film clearly about how people deal with tragedy and trauma, looking for scapegoats as a coping mechanism. At the same time, the movie makes sure to still be funny, shocking, and an incredibly good time. Plus, it has some wonderful camera movements and visuals, courtesy of cinematographer Larkin Seiple. In terms of pure direction, Weapons is a huge step forward for Cregger. The screenplay is also just incredibly strong, making sure every character feels like the main character in their own story. It’s not necessarily a showy script, but it’s an impeccably done one by Cregger. Some might quibble with the pacing a bit, as it certainly is a slow burn, especially in the first half, but it’s all worth it for the payoff, which is bonkers in the best way possible.

Now, it may seem early, but to me, these two films have established his horror credentials impeccably. They’re very different works, though both movies have an insane amount of confidence oozing out of them from their writer/director. His ability to confidently guide you through genre craziness is not something you can teach. You just have to have it, and folks, Cregger sure does have it, with so much still to share with us.

Next up for Cregger is his take on Resident Evil. That franchise has fallen on some hard times, not that it started with such great heights to begin with, but this is an exciting situation because of him. The series has never had someone like Cregger on board. All of a sudden, a new Resident Evil, which pretty much is a reboot, is something to look forward to. His vision, filtered through that gory property? Sign me up.

Cregger can do anything he wants and I’m down. At this point, I’ll follow him anywhere, cinematically speaking. I know I’m not alone, with the cult likely to grow in the coming years. It’s exciting to have such an interesting and unique new voice in horror, one who is having so much fun in the process too. I can’t wait for what’s next…

Stay tuned for another Sunday Scaries installment next week!