Zach Cregger is talking again about a project that has been on his mind for some time: a story set in Gotham where Batman is not the center of the plot. The director, known for his recent work on Resident Evil, has reiterated his interest in moving forward with Henchman, a script that presents the Dark Knight's universe from a completely unusual perspective.
The project is gaining relevance now because Cregger has defended it publicly again in recent interviews, despite having recently expressed his intention to step away from major franchises temporarily. His insistence reignites the debate about what stories DC Studios could explore beyond the hero's classic adventures.
A pharmacist caught between Batman and the Joker
The existence of Henchman became known last year thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, which described the project as the story of a low-level henchman capable of incapacitating Batman thanks to a stroke of luck. That initial report also mentioned possible appearances by the Joker and Harley Quinn.
Cregger has since clarified several of those details. In an interview with Men's Health, he explained that the protagonist is, in reality, a pharmacist living in Gotham City who ends up accidentally caught in a power struggle between Batman and the Joker.
According to the director, that character discovers he has a relevant role within that conflict, although the film is built from the margins of the stories we normally know about the city. Cregger also acknowledged that he does not consider himself a big fan of Batman, but that the pharmacist character and his situation were especially attractive to him.
The filmmaker also wanted to curb some speculation that had circulated on social media, clarifying that Henchman is not a film centered on the Joker and Harley Quinn, and that he has not held conversations with James Gunn about the project.
Why Cregger defends this different look at Gotham
In a later conversation with A Shot Magazine, Cregger delved into the reasons that attract him to this proposal. The director stated that he is interested in small, intimate stories, comparable to observing a simple problem without having to deal with large plots of politics or mythology.
Cregger stressed that, despite the enormous number of stories that exist about Batman, Gotham has rarely been explored from the eyes of someone who simply observes events from the outside, without decision-making power or special resources.
Echoes of Resident Evil in the proposal
The philosophy behind Henchman recalls the one Cregger applied in Resident Evil, a film released in 2026 under his direction. In that film, the protagonist is also not a hero prepared for action, but an ordinary person dedicated to organ transport who ends up trapped in Raccoon City.
Resident Evil, with an estimated budget of 80 million dollars, has exceeded 360 million dollars in global box office, a result that supports the commercial interest of these types of approaches within recognizable franchises.
The logic of Henchman would follow a similar path: swapping the monsters of Raccoon City for Batman and the Joker, but maintaining the feeling of a character completely overwhelmed by the circumstances surrounding him.
Does it fit into DC Studios’ plans?
For the moment, Henchman does not have official confirmation within DC Studios. Although the script is reportedly finished, there are no signs of recent conversations between Cregger and James Gunn to advance its development.
The company still has The Brave and the Bold pending, the film set to introduce its own Batman within the new shared universe, which raises doubts about the ideal time to introduce a side story like this.
However, projects like Clayface have shown that DC Studios is willing to explore Gotham without always placing the hero at the absolute center of the plot, leaving a door open to alternative proposals like the one Cregger defends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Zach Cregger?
He is the director behind the recent film Resident Evil, released in 2026, and author of the script for Henchman, a project set in the Batman universe.
What is Henchman about?
It tells the story of a pharmacist who lives in Gotham City and who, without seeking it, gets caught in a confrontation between Batman and the Joker.
Will the Joker and Harley Quinn appear as protagonists?
No. Cregger clarified that it is not a film centered on those two characters, although the Joker would be part of the central conflict of the plot.
Is the production of Henchman confirmed?
No. It is a project without an official green light from DC Studios, although Cregger has reiterated his interest in directing it if he receives the opportunity.
Does it have a relationship with other DC Studios films like The Brave and the Bold?
There is no confirmation of a direct connection. The Brave and the Bold will introduce the Batman of the new shared universe, while Henchman would remain an independent story focused on a secondary character.
