[Editor’s note: The following story contains spoilers for “Weapons.”]
With “Weapons” a hit at the box office and Zach Cregger suddenly one of the most in-demand filmmakers around, it makes sense that Warner Bros. and New Line would be thinking a follow-up. And according to THR, the studios have already discussed a potential prequel film with Cregger, but whether such a film actually happens depends a lot on the director’s increasingly busy schedule.
THR reports that Cregger had previously pulled from his script a chapter of backstory about Gladys, the mysterious antagonist played by Amy Madigan in the film. Many have compared Gladys to a classic fairy tale antagonist, a villain whose undefined age and unambiguously evil motivations thrust a town into chaos. The lack of clear backstory is one of the film’s strengths, but it also gives Cregger a blank canvas to take the character in any direction he pleases. The studio, according to THR, has discussed with Cregger about expanding that cut segment into a feature, but no deals have been made, and there’s no timeline for when any sort of movie could come together.
A source told IndieWire that any plans at the moment are merely speculation.
Cregger is currently in prep on his next feature, a new “Resident Evil” film based on the video game franchise for Sony. Like “Weapons,” Cregger’s take on that IP was also the subject of an aggressive bidding war, one that Warner Bros. pursued before it landed at Sony. That film is set to open in theaters September 2026.
Cregger in a separate interview with THR also mentioned he has an original script called “Henchman,” one that he wrote prior to writing his 2022 film “Barbarian” and that is set in the DC Universe but is not a superhero movie. He also discussed having completed a sci-fi script that THR reports is titled “Flood,” and he added that he has yet another original property he’s working on in the vein of the film “Nightcrawler.” Any of those could be options for Cregger after “Resident Evil” and before a potential “Weapons” follow-up.
Through Monday, “Weapons” has earned $48.7 million domestic and a global cumulative haul of $81.3 million, all after Warner Bros. and New Line won the bidding war for the project with a $38 million budget. Like Warners’ “Sinners,” the film is one of the best-reviewed films of the year.