Before he pivoted to directing certified horror bangers like Barbarian, Weapons, and Resident Evil, Zach Cregger was best known as one-fifth of the brilliant, anarchic sketch comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U’ Know. While Cregger is always happy to look back fondly on those classic television days, there is one particular film project from that era of his career he’d much rather banish to the digital vault forever.
In 2009, Cregger co-directed, co-wrote, and starred in the crude raunch-comedy Miss March alongside his late comedy partner Trevor Moore, a film he openly admits is “bad” and one he “suffered for” making.
During an interview with Deadline, Cregger didn’t hold back about his regrets surrounding the project, admitting he felt like he “wasted a year of his life” trying to force a movie into existence just for the sake of it.
“I made the mistake in my 20s of being like, ‘Oh, I have an opportunity to make a movie. I don’t really love the story, but I could make a movie that I’m in.’ And what happened?” Cregger reflected. “I got punished for it.” Cregger was quick to note that his late co-star and lifelong friend, Trevor Moore, didn’t necessarily share his harsh post-mortem view of the film’s overall quality.
“Because Trevor, who I made it with, is no longer here. He had a pretty different attitude towards that movie, and I think he would disagree with me. So I’m only speaking for myself,” Cregger said when sharing his negative experience with the film, which also starred Raquel Alessi and featured a memorable cameo by Hugh Hefner.
In Miss March, a squeaky-clean young man awakens from a four-year coma only to discover that his high school sweetheart has become a Playboy centerfold. Naturally, with his raucous best friend in tow, he embarks on an absurd cross-country road trip to crash the Playboy Mansion and win back her heart.
Interestingly enough, JoBlo’s very own Chris Bumbray might hold the sole distinction of being the only film critic on the planet to give Miss March a positive review upon release, a humorous detail Cregger and Moore brought up on their final podcast together. Tragically, Moore passed away just hours after recording that episode, leaving behind an indelible comedic legacy and a friendship that Cregger still honors, even when dunking on their shared missteps.