Summary:
- Zach Cregger wrote Henchmen, a story set in the DC universe, before he directed his first-ever horror movie.
- Cregger hasn’t pitched the movie to DC Studios yet.
- The movie would focus on a low-level henchman, with Joker and Harley Quinn making an appearance.
Zach Cregger’s Weapons has taken the world by storm, becoming one of the biggest global openings for an original movie in the past decade. While horror fans are raving about Weapons, DC fans now have something to look forward to as well: Zach Cregger’s DC Henchmen movie.
Before the Weapons director even directed his first horror movie, he wrote the script for this movie. It was planned to focus on a low-level criminal who gains fame in Gotham City after he incapacitates Batman. The story would also feature Joker and Harley Quinn, as reported by Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision newsletter.
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When Will Zach Cregger’s Henchmen Movie Come Out
As of writing, Cregger hasn’t pitched the script to DC Studios yet. With Superman kickstarting DCU’s new chapter this year and multiple DCU Batman spinoff projects already in the works, now would be the best time for Cregger to pitch the movie.
If the Weapons director does end up pitching the movie to DC Studios and the studio plans to move ahead with it, the movie would likely start production way down the line. Cregger has his hands full as of now.
He’s fresh off directing his blockbuster hit Weapons. The movie has garnered immense praise and has become one of the highest-rated horror movies of the last decade. Cregger is also set to start production on the Resident Evil reboot later this year, which is slated for a September 2026 release. The movie will feature an original story, set outside of the characters from the game.
So What Is Delaying the Henchman
Clayface, another Batman spinoff movie, is set to release in 2026. This could suggest that DC Studios is open to a movie like Henchmen by Zach Cregger. However, it also needs to be taken into account that Batman is a huge part of Zach Cregger’s Henchmen movie, and DCU’s Batman hasn’t been cast yet. To make things worse, Joker and Harley Quinn haven’t been cast either.
Margot Robbie from James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will likely reprise her role in the new DCU, similar to John Cena as Peacemaker and Xolo Maridueña as Blue Beetle. However, nothing has been confirmed as of writing, making the chances of the movie coming out in the next two years even bleaker.
Also Read:
- James Gunn Hints at Animated Krypto Spin-Off Series in the Works for the DCU
- 10 Marvel and DC Crossovers We Want to See on the Big Screen
- Upcoming DC Projects – All New Movies and Series (July 2025)
How Batman’s Animated Series Inspired Cregger’s Script
Cregger hasn’t stated his inspiration behind the DC Henchmen movie. But keen-eyed fans have noticed that the plot synopsis is similar to an episode from Batman: The Animated Series called “The Man Who Killed Batman.”
The episode focuses on Sidney Debris, a low-level crook who supposedly manages to kill Batman, only for Batman to return at the end of the episode. The episode even features Joker and Harley, making it even more apparent where the Weapons director could’ve borrowed his idea from.
Why Henchmen by Zach Cregger Is Not Completely Off the Table
Everything considered, Zach Cregger’s Henchmen movie might still be in the mix of DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters.” While DCU’s The Brave and the Bold, which is set to introduce the new Batman, still doesn’t have a release date, various spinoff projects like Clayface, Dynamic Duo, and Teen Titans are already in the works.
The latter of which even incorporates characters from the Batman family. This could suggest that DCU might be open to the possibility of a spinoff movie if the script is good enough, as is evident by James Gunn’s simple yet effective quote that most of Hollywood should take into account: “We finish scripts before we shoot anything.”
