Warning: SPOILERS for Weapons to follow…
Zach Cregger’s sophomore feature,Weapons, continues to be a major success,maintaining the top spot at the box officefor its second consecutive week and proving that original horror projects can succeed in a competitive and struggling theatrical landscape. The mysterious premise ofWeaponsis what led to most of its appeal, with the thrilling marketing highlighting the mystery at its center without providing much context or answers until the movie is watched. Moreover, while there are definitely satisfying answers to what’s going on in the movie, there could be more of an exploration of the villain of the movie in the form of a prequel film.
While promotingWeapons,Zach Creggerrevealed that there was an entire cut chapter of the movie that featured the backstory of Gladys, played by Amy MadiganAmy Madigan. Gladys has an ominous presence throughout the first half ofWeapons, but only fully reveals herself as a character later in the film, as a Witch who uses a form of magic to put a trance on others and compel them to commit violent actions. Reports have since revealed that the idea of a Gladys prequel was then revealed to be a possibility, and now Madigan, who plays the character, has given her insight on a potential spin-off for her character, tellingEntertainment Weekly:
“It’s not that I discount it, but in this business, nothing’s real till it’s real. I just had such a great time working with Zach and being inside that brain of his. That’s really the gift of how the movie came out. The other stuff has to do with all sorts of conversations that I would never be privy in and business things like that. But, you know, I love Gladys, so I’ll leave it at that.”
A ‘Weapons’ Prequel May Have to Wait, Thanks to Zach Cregger’s Busy Schedule
While a prequel toWeaponswould be exciting, the idea of developing Gladys as a character could also detract from some of the mystery and intrigue that make Cregger’s film so unsettling. Still, if anyone could do it, it’s Cregger, a director who has proved with only two features that he has afundamental understanding of the horror genre. AWeaponsprequel with Cregger at the helm could end up being something entirely more sinister than the original film, and the box office success of Weapons also makes it seem like it’s much more of a possibility. Turning an original horror into a new franchise is always an exciting concept.
Still, even if Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are keen on creating a Gladys-centered film, Cregger currently has his hands full with his next project. The horror director has been tapped to write and direct the nextResident Evilmovie, with the project already in pre-production in Prague for Columbia Pictures. Cregger also has several other scripts written that he hopes to work on in the future, including a Sci-Fi project that he is remaining tight-lipped about, as well as aHenchmanscript that has been making waves online, set in the DC Universe.
