'Barbarian' Filmmaker Zach Cregger Lines Up 'Companion' At New Line Cinema

"Barbarian" filmmaker Zach Cregger has his next project lined up. Fresh off the success of "Barbarian," Cregger will produce a new sci-fi thriller titled "Companion" at New Line Cinema, per The Hollywood Reporter.

While Cregger won't be directing this film, he helped spearhead the project to get fast-tracked to production at the studio.

Cregger is producing what's described as a sci-fi thriller called "Companion" for Warner Bros. Pictures' arm, New Line Cinema. While Cregger isn't directing this one, it will be helmed by Drew Hancock, who also wrote the script.

Cregger is a hot commodity at the moment, and it looks like he will have a lot more clout to make whatever he wants next. New Line already won a heated bidding auction for Cregger's next directorial project, "Weapons," as reported by Deadline, and the studio will be re-teaming with him again for this sci-fi project.

Cregger is producing "Companion" with Raphael Margules and J.D. Lifshitz at BoulderLight Pictures and Vertigo's Roy Lee. This is the same filmmaking and producing team for Cregger's directorial debut, "Barbarian."

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Cregger's "Barbarian" was a breakout hit last year. Critics raved about the film, which scored 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was made on a shoestring budget compared to most blockbusters at $4 million, and it ended up grossing $45 million worldwide, making it highly profitable. As a result, Cregger was able to set up a lucrative deal with New Line for "Weapons."

Details on "Companion" are currently being kept under wraps. However, the sci-fi project is reportedly being fast-tracked for a 2023 production start, per THR. THR also notes that Cregger was originally going to make "Companion" his follow-up to "Barbarian" for BoulderLight Pictures before he ultimately came up with "Weapons" late last year. His next directorial effort is described as a "Magnolia-esque horror epic."

While Cregger is not directing "Companion," he believes in the project enough to stay on as a producer, helping it land a deal at New Line and get a green light and production start. He also backed Hancock to make his directorial debut for the new project.

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What is also notable about "Weapons" and "Companion" is that they will be original projects, so they will not be sequels, reboots, or remakes of existing properties or new comic book superhero films.

Hancock's background primarily comes from TV, having worked on such shows as "Blue Mountain State," "Suburgatory," and "My Dead Ex." Comparatively, Cregger largely comes from a comedy and acting background, having worked on such shows as "The Whitest Kids U'Know," "Friends With Benefits," and "Wrecked." Now he's transitioned to becoming one of the hottest filmmakers in Tinseltown at the moment. He also starred in the 2009 comedy, "Miss March," about two kids going on a hectic road trip to infiltrate the Playboy Mansion.

Cregger's experience served him well and is likely what helped make "Barbarian" such a unique visionary horror experience. The film starred Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård of "IT" fame, and Justin Long. Currently, "Weapons" and "Companion" don't have release dates lined up. Cregger's directorial debut, "Barbarian," is streaming now on HBO Max.