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In the nascent days of the pandemic, many found themselves participating in activities that would otherwise have been deemed out-of-character (see: sourdough, jigsaw puzzles, ceramics.) Alden Ehrenreich, the actor who played a young Han Solo and has worked with everyone from the Coen Brothers to Park Chan-wook, found himself Googling Los Angeles commercial real estate.

For years, Ehrenreich would walk into various spaces — friends’ houses, restaurants, anywhere with a semi-raised platform, really — and offer the same refrain: “You could do a theater here.” The pandemic-induced downtime gave him the space to finally pursue a long-held desire to open a theater in Los Angeles. And the Google search led him to Huron Substation, a historical building in the Cypress Park neighborhood in the northeast of the city.

Originally built as a service station for Los Angeles’s one-time Yellow trolley cars up until the 1960s, Huron has been more recently used...

Zach Cregger’s Weapons seems to want to take the fight to Ryan Coogler’s Sinners with a very strong opening day box-office collection. According to The-Numbers, Weapons had an opening day collection of a whopping $18.2 million!

Of course, the film found massive success, and the reviews are enough to prove Cregger’s genius. The horror flick was released recently and is director Zach Cregger’s second venture into the field of horror (his first being Barbarian in 2022).

Zach Cregger’s ‘Weapons’ earns $18.2M in the film’s domestic opening day.

The film is now tracking to overperform with a $45M domestic opening weekend.

Read our review: https://t.co/qEZJMrcYxK pic.twitter.com/ZSQVw8efTp

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) August 9, 2025

Out of the $18.2 million earned, $5.7 million was from preview sales, and on its first day, the Cregger film’s total collection amounted to $18.2 million. On the other hand, Ryan Coogler and...

When I watched Weapons, I mistook Amy Madigan’s Gladys as a clown. She appeared in Justine Gandy and Archer’s weird nightmare before she ever showed up as a person in the second half. At first, I thought: Well, she has that villainous look, I don’t see why anyone isn’t doubting her.

Until I realized that’s precisely the point Zach Cregger was trying to make with Gladys, who turned out to be a witch. By the end, I was intrigued by her character and felt the urge to know more about her origins, her techniques, why she needs to rely on them, and more.

And since we know that Cregger is already thinking about expanding the universe, I’d like to pitch him the idea of a spinoff based on Gladys.

Why Amy Madigan’s Gladys from Weapons Deserves a Spinoff Amy Madigan as Gladys from...

Mild "Weapons" spoilers follow.

Zach Cregger's excellent new horror film "Weapons" takes an unusual storytelling approach. Rather than stick with one linear narrative, Cregger paints a mosaic, weaving a sprawling tale from several different perspectives. Of course, Cregger didn't invent this method of movie storytelling — but you don't usually see it applied to horror movies. Instead, this is the type of format used by filmmakers like Robert Altman — see "Nashville" and "Short Cuts" as prime examples. Quentin Tarantino's breakout hit "Pulp Fiction" also followed a similar path, telling several interconnected stories from various points of time.

And then, of course, there's Paul Thomas Anderson's gargantuan drama "Magnolia." Released in 1999, Anderson's film — which clocks in at a whopping 188 minutes — follows several different interconnected characters around Los Angeles as they cross paths over a short period of time. After Anderson broke out in a big way with "Boogie Nights,...

Zach Cregger’s Weapons is a chilling social mirror, where every character whose perspective we see is an embodiment of distinct factions from our society. If you look at the movie as a commentary on school shootings, you’ll know exactly what we’re saying, even though Cregger himself hasn’t commented on the same.

Weapons begins with a child’s narration of the incidents, which could also be a metaphoric way of saying that only someone who’s not corrupted by political ideologies and agendas yet could be trusted enough to show us what truly unfolded.

So, here’s Cregger’s masterclass in showcasing the horror of apathy, which becomes the ‘weapon’ in Weapons.

Justine: The Scapegoat A still from Weapons | Credits: New Line Cinema

In Weapons, Emmy winner Julia Garner plays Justine, the teacher. Her arc exposes how quickly communities can turn on someone when they do not have answers.

Update: The final figures won't be in until Monday morning, but here's the latest from today:

Another sharp drop for #FantasticFour in 3rd wknd. $4.5M Fri heading to wknd #boxoffice of about $15M, down 61%. Domestic cume will reach $230M in 17 days with final now likely to be around $275M. Best for any Ff movie & tops for #MCU this year, but #Marvel must have wanted more.

— Gitesh Pandya (TikTok @gitesh.pandya) (@GiteshPandya) August 9, 2025

Weapons and Freakier Friday have opened in theaters this weekend, and the two vastly different movies are exceeding expectations at the North American box office. However, good news for them is not-so-great news for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Weapons is heading for a $38 million debut, including Thursday's $5.7 million previews. This marks the 11th time this year that a Warner Bros. title has sat in first place, good news for a studio that had a pretty disastrous 2024.

Moviegoers...

The Warner Bros. box office streak continues. Riding a high wave since the release of “A Minecraft Movie” four months ago, the studio’s winning ways continued this weekend with New Line’s “Weapons,” which earned an $18.2 million opening day from 3,202 locations — including $5.7 million from previews — and putting it on course for a $40 million opening weekend.

The sophomore film from director Zach Cregger is blowing past the performance of his debut film “Barbarian” both financially and critically. “Barbarian” was glowingly received by critics, but was tepidly received by opening weekend audiences and received a C+ on CinemaScore.

“Weapons” is not only set to eclipse the entire $40.8 million domestic run of “Barbarian” in just one weekend, but both critics and audiences are giving it a thumbs up with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 96% critics and 88% audience and a rare CinemaScore grade of A-.

That makes “Weapons” only the 14th horror movie since...

“Weapons” has the upper hand in its box office duel against “Freakier Friday,” though both new releases are drawing strong openings as the summer tentpole season begins to wind down.

Opening on top, Warner Bros. and New Line’s “Weapons” added $18.2 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3,202 locations. The film has Imax and most premium large format auditoriums. Select screenings began Thursday afternoon at 2:17 pm, to match a key time that spurs the story — the hour when a group of children all awaken at once and mysteriously disappear. The movie sports an ensemble cast including Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong and Amy Madigan.

The horror now looks to come in well ahead of its pre-weekend projections, which had topped out around $30 million. That’s a great start for the R-rated original, which carries a production budget of $38 million. It’s also a huge...

Saturday Am: New Line’s Zach Cregger horror movie Weapons had a great Friday of $18.2M, which includes previews, which is just under what Sinners and Final Destination: Bloodlines respectively did on day one, which was $19.2M and $20.9M. This puts the original horror movie on a fantastic start of $40M-$43M. Imax and PLFs account for a massive 34% of that cash box.

Box office sources are estimating that today declines -24% to -27% from Friday/previews which will still get the Cregger movie over $40M+. If Weapons posts that type of hold, it’s on par with Jordan Peele’s Nope which was down -29% on its Saturday with $13.9M from Friday’s $19.5M, getting that sci-fi film to a $44.3M opening.

This is a movie that Warners ran a sublime, mystery-in-a-box marketing campaign on. Why in hell did the kids in this small town go missing? The studio...

Weapons sparked a fierce Hollywood bidding war, but Netflix didn’t win it, and it wasn’t just because of the money. Multiple studios and streaming sites like Universal, Sony/Tristar, Netflix, and New Line Cinema were interested in Zach Cregger’s follow-up after his breakout horror hit, Barbarian (via Deadline).

Moreover, some offers even hit eight figures before the official script went out (via The Hollywood Reporter). But New Line Cinema emerged victorious, because along with the cash, it also guaranteed a theatrical release. This is monumental because not only did Cregger make eight figures to write and direct Weapons, but it was also more than the budget of his previous horror outing.

He also secured a backend share and the backing of a studio that could bring more audiences to the big screen. So, let’s look at where Weapons will be released for streaming, and if Cregger...

Zach Cregger says he has a fresh idea set in the world of his new film Weapons, but any follow-up would wait while he turns to a planned Resident Evil feature. In a new interview, the filmmaker also revealed that David Fincher quietly advised him on Weapons, a contribution acknowledged in the end credits.

Cregger said Fincher “was available to me during prep, and then he was very available during the post process,” describing the veteran director’s input as practical guidance rather than creative oversight. Cregger added that he does have another story in mind for a potential return to the setting of Weapons, though he does not expect to tackle it immediately.

The update arrives as Weapons expands in theaters following its August rollout. The multi-perspective horror drama tracks the aftermath of a small-town crisis and was written during a period of personal grief for Cregger, a theme...

Weapons IMDb Score: Zach Cregger’s Horror Beats Sinners, 28 Years Later & Final Destination: Bloodlines (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Barbarian director Zach Cregger’s much-awaited mystery horror film Weapons finally hit theaters yesterday. After earning rave reviews from critics, including an impressive 96% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has now received its IMDb rating from audiences.

Join us in Maybrook. #WeaponsMovie in #4Dx – in theaters August 8. Tickets on sale now, link in bio. pic.twitter.com/JA5L0uuvXK

— 4Dx (@4dxusa) July 23, 2025

Now, let’s see if it has garnered similarly positive feedback on IMDb and how Weapons compares with the IMDb ratings of this year’s acclaimed horror hits: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, and Final Destination: Bloodlines.

Weapons vs. 2025’s Acclaimed Horror Hits

As of now, Weapons holds an impressive user rating of 8/10 on IMDb. In comparison, Sinners boasts a score of 7.6/10, while both...

This post contains spoilers for "Weapons."

Zach Cregger has, in a relatively brief period of time, asserted himself as one of the horror genre's most promising voices. After his 2022 feature debut "Barbarian" became an unexpected hit, Hollywood at large became very interested in whatever he was going to do next. Cregger used his cache to make "Weapons," which wound up at New Line Cinema following a bidding war. The resulting movie has been met with widespread acclaim and looks to be another winner.

The film takes place in the aftermath of a strange incident in which all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanishes at the same time on the same night. The surrounding community is left questioning who - or what - is behind the mass disappearance. It's a scary movie, which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who saw the trailers. What's surprising though is how damn funny it is,...

Margot Robbie first played Harley Quinn in 2016's Suicide Squad. She later reprised the role in Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn—renamed Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey following a disappointing opening weekend—and James Gunn's The Suicide Squad.

All those movies took place in the Dceu, of course, and now that DC Studios has relaunched that franchise as the Dcu, it's unclear whether there's a place for Robbie.

In The Hollywood Reporter's piece about Weapons director Zach Cregger's hopes to make Henchmen, a movie about a low-level henchman in the Gotham crime world who gains notoriety after managing to incapacitate Batman, there's a minor update about The Joker and Harley Quinn (who would also heavily feature in the movie).

"DC Studios hasn't yet cast a Joker or a Batman," the trade confirms. "Harley Quinn, theoretically but probably not, could still be...

This article contains spoilers for "Weapons."

Zach Cregger loves laying the foundation for a good mystery. "Weapons" and his solo directorial debut "Barbarian" thrive on luring audiences into strange stories about terrible secrets and other unexplained phenomena skimming the surface of our purview. /Film's Chris Evangelista gave a glowing review of "Weapons," accurately citing it as a twisted, funny and scary suburban nightmare. The source of Cregger's horror films comes from unimaginable horrors existing within reach, albeit cranked up in such a way that no one could feasibly put together that an AirBNB has a literal underground tunnel system. The co-founder of "The Whitest Kids U'Know" has proven to be one of the most exciting voices working in horror because he's able to meld his comic sensibilities with creepy, loaded imagery. It feels unlike what anyone else is doing right now.

"Weapons" keeps you guessing from the opening narration, in...

Weapons North America Box Office: Registers Fantastic Collection In Previews(Photo Credit –YouTube)

Weapons, starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and others, has arrived at the North American box office with a roar. In the last few days, the film has been in the discussions for all the right reasons, which generated solid hype. This hype is getting reflected at ticket windows as the film recorded a superb response in Thursday previews, helping it surpass Sinners and other horror biggies. Keep reading for a detailed collection report!

Benefitting due to positive reception

The American horror film witnessed its full-fledged release on August 8. Before its full-fledged release, it had Thursday previews scheduled at selected locations. Since early reviews for this horror mystery were extremely positive, there has been genuine interest on the ground level, which was also seen through impressive footfalls in previews.

Weapons registers impressive previews at the North American...

Zach Cregger has plans for a sequel after Weapons‘ success, and talks about the Barbarian connection, and we are all in for it. The director has stated that he plans to make a sequel set in the same world as that of Barbarian and Weapons, but he will take some time to work on it.

In an interview with Variety, Zach Cregger was asked about his future plans post Weapons‘ success. Although Cregger cannot work on that movie now (because he has a ton of other projects), the director claimed that he’d love to see the movie on the big screens one day.

I can’t help it: I have another idea for something in this world that I’m kind of excited about.

He continued,

I’m not going to do it next, and I probably won’t do it after my next movie, but I do have...

The 2025 mystery horror film Weapons is written, produced, and directed by Zach Cregger. The movie stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Cary Christopher, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan.

The story follows the strange disappearance of seventeen children from the same classroom, who vanish on the same night, seemingly taken by an unseen force.

Weapons first premiered in the Philippines on August 6, 2025, before its U.S. release on August 8, 2025, through Warner Bros. Pictures. It quickly gained praise from critics and has earned $5.7 million worldwide.

The film made an impressive $5.7 million during preview screenings alone, setting a new record for the highest preview earnings for a horror film in 2025, beating out Coogler’s Sinners. It also debuted with an A- grade on CinemaScore, placing it among the top-rated horror movies like Get Out and Silence of the Lambs.

Via CinemaScore

On Rotten Tomatoes, Weapons holds a 96% approval rating based on 207 reviews,...

The 2025 mystery horror film Weapons, written, produced, and directed by Zach Cregger, has quickly made a big impact. Starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and Alden Ehrenreich, the story follows a chilling mystery where seventeen children from the same classroom disappear on the same night, seemingly taken by an unseen force.

The film first came out in the Philippines on August 6, 2025, and hit U.S. theaters two days later, released by Warner Bros. Pictures. It has since earned $5.7 million worldwide, which is impressive considering it’s all preview screenings alone, beating out other 2025 horror previews for the top spot, like Coogler’s Sinners.

One of the most notable achievements for Weapons is its high audience rating. It debuted with an A- on CinemaScore, placing it among the top-rated horror films like Get Out and Silence of the Lambs.

Via Cinemascore

On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds an impressive 96% approval rating from 207 critics,...

In an interview with Variety, Weapons director Zach Cregger was asked about one of the most surreal moments in the movie: the floating gun scene, with a glowing ‘2:17’ etched across it. But the filmmaker himself says that, “I don’t understand it.”

The scene in question occurs when Josh Brolin’s Archer Graff is having a nightmare, and the gun appears above a house when he looks up. It’s a massive assault weapon hovering in the sky, which never spawns again in the movie, and neither is it explained.

So, let’s look at more of what Cregger said and how viewers interpreted this moment from Weapons.

Zach Cregger’s Response to the Floating Gun Scene in Weapons Josh Brolin in Weapons | Credits: New Line Cinema

Weapons features Josh Brolin as Archer, a grieving father and one of the many parents who are forced to cope with the sudden disappearance of their children.

Zach Cregger‘s sophomore feature Weapons just jumped to the screens, and viewers couldn’t help but notice one distinct point about the movie: David Fincher was thanked in the end credits. This came as a surprise because the respective director wasn’t said to be attached to the film before.

But now the genius behind the mystery-horror is clearing off all those doubts. When asked about how the Seven filmmaker helped him in a recent interview with Variety, he said about Fincher:

He’s just a very helpful guy. He was available to me during prep, and then he was very available during the post process. He watched the movie and had a lot of really constructive thoughts and gave me a ton of ideas. He helped me learn more about the editing process and how to think about it in a new way that wasn’t available...

Julia Garner has been busy hitting the press circuit to promote her mystery horror film, Weapons. And while the movie may be filled with suspense and darkness, her outfit choices have been anything but frightening. Whether she’s stepping out for a TV appearance or being photographed in between interviews, Garner has consistently delivered sleek, fashion-forward looks!

From figure-hugging dresses to effortlessly chic denim and tailored trousers, Julia Garner—standing at 5’4″ (162.6 cm) with a shoe size of 7—has mastered the art of mixing aesthetics with confidence.

Jump to Julia Garner’s Best Looks:

1. Julia Garner’s Effortless Balletcore: Guess Jeans & Puma Speedcat Ballet Flats 2. Minimalist Meets Flirty: Julia Garner in 16Arlington Mini Dress & Jimmy Choo Heels 3. Effortless Elegance: Julia Garner Stuns in Black Gucci Dress & Bamboo Heels 4. Mastering Power Dressing: Julia Garner in Nina Ricci Suit & Platform Pumps

While her outfits have certainly turned heads, it’s her footwear that truly steals the spotlight.

Zach Cregger is having a moment. His new horror film Weapons just hit theaters, and it’s already being called one of the best genre movies of the year.

The film is riding high with a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and word of mouth has been pushing its numbers higher all week. It’s tracking for a strong box office debut, and New Line, the studio behind it, seems eager to keep working with him.

Cregger has quickly become one of the most in-demand and highest-paid filmmakers of his generation, but he’s not slowing down. His next stop is Prague this fall, where he’ll direct Resident Evil for Sony.

This new adaptation will be nothing like the seven previous movies in the franchise. According to a source who’s read the script, which Cregger co-wrote with Shay Hatten, it’s a tight, suspenseful thriller inspired by the original games.

Zach Cregger’s new movie Weapons is now in theaters, and it’s already making waves. Sitting at a glowing 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s getting the kind of reviews most filmmakers dream of. Box office tracking shows the film could open big, and the buzz has only grown stronger through the week. Some outlets are even saying it’s almost guaranteed to make their year-end top ten lists for genre films.

While details about the story’s big twist are being kept secret, people are already talking about what Cregger will do next. According to multiple sources, New Line, the studio behind Weapons, wants to keep working with him.

But before that happens, he’s headed to Sony to make a new Resident Evil movie, which is set to film in Prague this fall.

According to THR Newsletter, this new Resident Evil won’t follow the style of the previous seven movies.

Weapons director Zach Cregger has confirmed that he has a finished script for a DC-based project ready to go, but he hasn't actually pitched it to DC Studios yet.

While appearing on Bloody Disgusting's podcast back in 2022, Cregger spoke about his "Batman- adjacent" script for the first time, revealing that he would love the opportunity to bring it to the screen.

"The thing I'd love to do next... I've actually written a movie that takes place in the DC Universe. Which is so not normally my thing; I'm not a superhero guy - I just couldn't stop thinking about this one story that kind of takes place in a Batman-adjacent thing. And so I wrote it, and I'm utterly obsessed with it."

Cregger didn't share any specifics on his story at the time, but during a more recent interview with Discussing Film, he described the script as the "best thing I've ever written,...

“Weapons,” out now, is one of the very best movies you’ll see this year and an instant horror classic, combining elements of Paul Thomas Anderson and John Carpenter. And honestly, the less you know the better, since the power of “Weapons” comes from the movie’s slow reveal of the truth behind the disappearance of an entire classroom’s worth of little kids.

As the film unfolds, we get the mystery investigated and expanded upon by a host of townsfolk – the teacher of the missing kids (Julia Garner), a father of a missing boy (Josh Brolin) and a local beat cop (Alden Ehrenreich), among others. And then when the truth is finally revealed, it’s a doozy. “Weapons” hails from “Barbarian” director Zach Cregger, so you know that it’s full of twists, turns and oddly laugh-out-loud funny humor.

But we can’t express how powerful the ending is...

With Weapons already earning rave reviews, Zach Cregger has proven that he’s a director to watch out for, and he may be making the leap to the DC Universe. According to THR, the writer/director has a potential DC project called Henchman, which he has previously described as “my favourite thing I ever wrote.“

According to sources, the project centers on a “low-level henchman in the Gotham crime world who gains notoriety after managing to incapacitate Batman through a stroke of luck.” The Dark Knight could briefly appear in the film, with the Joker and Harley Quinn also set to play a part. Cregger hasn’t pitched it to DC Studios yet, but they’re said to be aware of the project.

“I have Resident Evil, and then I have a sci-fi movie right after that that’s original,” Cregger said of his upcoming projects. “And then I have...

Zach Cregger, the director of the movies Weapons and Barbarian, is married to actress Sara Paxton and she says she made a “sneaky cameo” in his latest movie!

The couple met on the set of the 2013 movie Love & Air Sex, in which they played a couple. They got married in 2019.

Sara is best known for her work in movies like Aquamarine, Sydney White, Return to Halloweentown, and The Last House on the Left.

In an interview from December 2024, Sara revealed that she had already seen the movie and she teased her cameo appearance.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Yes, I do have a sneaky cameo in Weapons, as well. And I have seen it, and it’s really, really good. So, I think people will be thrilled to to finally see it when it comes out,” she told Screen Rant.

It has been reported that Sara‘s cameo is just a voiceover one,...

The new movie Weapons is expected to be a big hit in theaters this summer and it will help fans discover filmmaker Zach Cregger, who is also the director of Barbarian.

Barbarian was a surprise hit in 2022 and it had some equally incredible scares throughout the movie.

If you want to watch the movie for free at home, you have until the end of August to catch it on a popular streaming service.

Keep reading to find out more…

In Barbarian, a young woman (Georgina Campbell) traveling to Detroit for a job interview books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double booked, and a strange man (Bill Skarsgard) is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to spend the evening, but soon discovers that there’s a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest.

Netflix...

Spoiler Alert: This article contains minor spoilers about “Weapons,” now playing in theaters.

Director Zach Cregger’s sophomore feature, “Weapons,” is a story about a small town overtaken by a malevolent force. One night, all of the kids from a specific classroom run away, and the townspeople become increasingly furious that the police have no leads. The narrative follows several locals — including troubled teacher Justine (Julia Garner), whose class went missing; Paul, a cop (Alden Ehrenreich); Archer (Josh Brolin), whose son is one of the missing kids; and a young burglar (Austin Abrams) — as they get pulled into the central mystery.

Although he was unable to talk about any specific spoilers at the end of the film, Cregger broke down many key elements in “Weapons,” Including the film’s use of humor, gore and that surreal moment with the floating assault weapon.

You’ve cited Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Magnolia...

Another Batman movie project is being developed for the DC Universe franchise. The Dcu's Chapter 1: "Gods and Monsters" is underway, following the release of James Gunn's Superman movie this summer, while HBO Max is getting ready to launch Peacemaker season 2 later this month.

One of the major Justice League heroes who is getting rebooted for the Dcu is Batman, with The Brave and The Bold movie currently in development for Chapter 1: "Gods and Monsters." However, The Brave and The Bold isn't the only Gotham City-related project that audiences may get to experience from DC Studios.

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Weapons director Zach Cregger has penned a script for a Batman-related film set in the Dcu, titled Henchmen. The Henchmen movie "would center on a low-level henchman in the Gotham crime world who gains notoriety after managing to incapacitate Batman through a stroke of luck."

While Batman...

Pedro Pascal is staying within the “Star Wars” family, but this time, for an indie film. IndieWire can confirm that the “Mandalorian” actor is in talks to lead “Andor” creator Tony Gilroy’s feature “Behemoth!” for Searchlight Pictures. Deadline reported that the deal is not yet closed.

The plot remains still under wraps but the feature is believed to be centered on a cellist. Oscar Isaac was originally attached in the lead role, which Pascal is now eyeing. Gilroy will produce the yet-untitled film along with Sanne Wohlenberg. Principal photography will begin this fall in Los Angeles, with release plans to be announced at a later date.

Pascal has been playing musical chairs to juggle his full slate of projects: The actor appeared in “The Last of Us: Season 2, “Materialists,” “Eddington,” and “Fantastic Four: First Steps” all in 2025. He will reprise his “Fantastic Four” role of Reed Richards for “Avengers: Doomsday...

© 2025 Warner Bros.

Comedian-turned-filmmaker Zach Cregger is making a name for himself in the horror genre, often compared to Jordan Peele for his mix of sharp storytelling and unsettling suspense. In his latest film, Weapons, he teams with star Josh Brolin for a mystery-packed thriller already generating major buzz.

The new horror thriller, starring Josh Brolin, is already making waves with critics It holds a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a “universal acclaim” score on Metacritic, marking it as one of the most talked-about films of the year. Early audience reactions suggest it’s on track for a strong opening weekend at the box office.

Josh Brolin drawn to the mystery

With Weapons, Cregger has assembled a cast led by Josh Brolin, alongside Julia Garner, in a story filled with psychological tension, mystery, and unnerving twists.

While doing press for the movie, Brolin shared that the way Cregger structured the...

Made on a humble budget of $38 million, Zach Cregger‘s Weapons is already hurtling towards breaking even with $5.7 million in preview earnings and $25 million to $30 million collection on the opening weekend (Variety). Anything beyond the break-even point of $38 million will immediately count toward profit for the Josh Brolin suburban horror.

Despite being deeply embedded in the horror category, Cregger isn’t afraid of his film being too saturated for the genre. Instead, Weapons embarks on a journey to terrorize its audience with the story of 17 missing schoolchildren who simply vanish into the night for no reason, sending the townspeople scrambling for answers.

Zach Cregger’s Weapons Aims to Dominate the Box Office on Its Opening Weekend Weapons (2025) [Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures]

For a movie with such a limited production budget and barely any marketing, Weapons has done incredibly well in its preview earnings and projected box office collection. At this rate,...

This week kicked off with the at-home premiere of Jurassic World Rebirth and the return of Jenna Ortega in “Wednesday” Season 2, and eight more new releases have arrived today.

Here’s all the new horror unleashed on Friday, August 8, 2025!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

First up, Zach Cregger’s (Barbarian) new horror movie Weapons is now playing in theaters!

Weapons has been compared to PTA’s Magnolia and described as an epic tale that’s both unconventionally structured and “really fucked up” (Cregger’s own words).

In Weapons, “When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.” Dive deeper into the mystery on MaybrookMissing.com.

The cast for Cregger’s new film includes Josh Brolin (Dune 2), Julia Garner (The Royal Hotel...

Tom Cruise‘s Deeper, starring Ana de Armas, has faced another hurdle, as according to Puck, director Doug Liman might be eying to part ways with the production, which is struggling to land a studio backing. While the movie was originally announced in 2016, based on a script by Max Landis, it wasn’t until the trio of Cruise, Liman, and Christopher McQuarrie got involved that the project was revived.

However, despite the goodwill generated by Cruise’s WB deal last year, the project appears to remain stalled as of now, following The Bourne Identity filmmaker’s reported shift to other projects.

Tom Cruise’s Deeper Remains in Deep Waters Amid Doug Liman’s Potential Exit

After McQuarrie rewrote Landis’ original script, Cruise and Liman, who had previously delivered Edge of Tomorrow for WB, joined forces for the deep-sea venture, and many felt the movie would find a home at WB.

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is a double-guest delight for your listening delectation. First up, Chris Hewitt hops onto Zoom to have a lovely natter with Guy Pearce, who shows off his musical prowess, reveals the one accent that eludes him, and tells us all about his brilliant new Australian prison drama Inside [20:12 — 37:51 approx.] Then, our Deputy Online Editor and resident horror fanboy Ben Travis sits down for a lovely spoiler-free chat with Weapons star — and secret weapon of the MCU — Benedict Wong. [1:02:05 — 1:17:58 approx.]

Back in the pod booth, Helen O'Hara slip into the host's chair in Chris' absence, and use her endless reservoir of patience to corral James Dyer, Alex Godfrey and Ben Travis in a discussion of the best second movies by notable directors. That was inspired by the arrival of Weapons, the second film from Zach Cregger, and in the reviews section our quartet lose their minds over that,...

The most important issue first: There are no spoilers for Weapons in this article.

That needs to be clarified because Weapons is the new film from writer-director Zach Cregger, whose previous movie, Barbarian, was one of the most messed-up surprises (compliment) to hit theaters in years.

And Weapons, with very strong reviews and a great start at the box office, seems poised to build off of the promise shown by Barbarian, cementing Cregger as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today in horror—or any genre.

But will the Academy notice?

Does it even matter? Considering that a successful horror movie is probably more likely to shore up a filmmaker's career than an Oscar nomination (and that Cregger already has a new Resident Evil movie lined up as a potential next project), validation from the Oscars isn't a top priority for Weapons.

But in the interest of ever broadening...

In 2022, filmmaker Zach Cregger’s Barbarian left a big impression.

Audience, still just venturing back to the theaters following the pandemic, were rewarded with the kind of shocking, has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed moviegoing experience that Nicole Kidman monologues are made of. (“Suffice it to say that anyone willing to go along for the perverse ride will be thoroughly satisfied,” readd The Hollywood Reporter’s 2022 review.)

Positive word-of-mouth and strong theatrical staying power carried the movie to a $40 million domestic haul on a sub-$5 million budget, becoming one of the biggest success stories of the post-pandemic box office, the kind of runaway success story that quarterly earnings reports are made of.

By the time Cregger was going out with his follow-up, Weapons, Hollywood was champing at the bit. The script, set in a small town where 17 kids from the same elementary school classroom mysteriously disappear from their homes in the middle of the night,...

Weapons debuts with one of the strongest audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes this year. Written and directed by Zach Cregger, who made his debut with Barbarian in 2022, his new mystery horror film follows the puzzling disappearance of seventeen students from the same classroom, all of whom vanish on the same night, seemingly taken by an invisible force.

The Weapons cast includes Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (Milk), three-time Emmy nominee Julia Garner, Cary Christopher, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, Oscar nominee Amy Madigan (Twice in a Lifetime), Toby Huss, June Diane Raphael, Whitmer Thomas, Callie Schuttera, Clayton Farris, Luke Speakman, and Scarlett Sher.

Now, on the day of its theatrical release, Weapons has debuted with a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is one of the strongest of this year. The film only has 500+ verified ratings at the time of writing, so its audience score is subject to change. Currently,...

This article contains spoilers for "Weapons."

"Weapons," the latest horror feature from writer/director Zach Cregger, is a masterclass in manipulation — in more ways than one. Cregger's prior film (his first as a solo filmmaker), "Barbarian," was a movie that was very clever in its misdirection, leading audiences to believe one thing was happening when it wasn't, and hiding what was actually happening from people until the proverbial trap was ready to be sprung. Given the general rapturous response to that movie, Cregger must have been aware that his follow-up would be under heavy scrutiny for any big twists and turns from the start, something which "Barbarian" didn't have to deal with. As such, Cregger has built "Weapons" around the very idea of an unsolved mystery. In other words, both the film's characters and the viewing audience are asking the same central question: what happened to 17 particular children who left...

Weapons, the new horror film from Barbarian (watch it Here) writer/director Zach Cregger, has made its way out into theatres. We know what JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray thought of the film, you can read his 9/10 review at This Link – but now we want to know, what did you think of the film?

Cregger assembled a strong cast for Weapons, including Julia Garner (Ozark), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Amy Madigan (Antlers), Austin Abrams (Euphoria), June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), and Cary Christopher (Days of Our Lives). Most details about the film have been successfully shrouded in mystery up to this point, but it has been said that it’s “an interrelated, multistory horror epic” that’s tonally in the vein of Magnolia, and the story revolves around the disappearance of elementary school kids in a small town. Here...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps had a couple of weeks without any serious competition (though Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth posed a bigger problem than Marvel Studios likely expected), and now looks set to drop to third place in North America this weekend. 

During Thursday previews, Barbarian director Zach Cregger's Weapons earned $5.7 million, with Disney's Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis-led Freakier Friday behind it at $3.1 million. The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailed both movies with $2.9 million, a decent enough hold that placed it ahead of The Bad Guys 2 ($2 million), The Naked Gun ($1.5 million), and Superman. ($1.4 million).

The latter continues to exceed expectations in the U.S., and appears to have connected with moviegoers in a way the latest Marvel Studios movie has not. 

Heading into the weekend, it's looking like Weapons and Freakier Friday are going to be neck and neck. The latter is looking at a $27 million - $30 million haul,...

The late-summer box office is set for a heated showdown this weekend as two highly anticipated films — New Line’s mystery-horror Weapons and Disney’s family comedy Freakier Friday — prepare for their domestic debuts. Both movies are eyeing a first-place finish, with tracking reports projecting $30 million-plus openings each, setting up a close race to topple Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: The First Steps from its number one spot.

Weapons, directed by Zach Cregger (Barbarian), is already generating immense buzz leading into the weekend. The R-rated thriller stars Julia Garner and Josh Brolin in a story centered around a bizarre mystery involving the simultaneous disappearance of schoolchildren during the night. The film has received rave reviews, boasting a 97 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has captivated audiences with its eerie premise.

Weapons started strong with $5.7 million in preview earnings and early pre-sales indicating a possible weekend haul between $30 million and $40 million.

Julia Garner in ‘Weapons’ (Photo © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

There’s an odd correlation between comedy and horror. The timing, build-up, and payoff to both laughs and scares are very similar. This is why comedians can be such great horror filmmakers, as evidenced by the likes of Jordan Peele and John Krasinski. A few years back, writer/director Zach Cregger from the sketch comedy troop The Whitest Kids U’Know splashed into horror with the incredible Barbarian. And now, he’s back to show that his first horror movie was no fluke with Weapons.

Weapons is about a town in which, one night at 2:17am, an entire class of third graders got up out of their beds and ran from their houses into the night. Well, almost an entire class. One kid was left. And no other children from the school disappeared, just the one class.

That’s the setup.

The box office battle between Freakier Friday and Weapons has kicked off with one taking a decisive lead on Thursday night. The former is a comedy legacy sequel that reunites original stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, while the latter is an original horror movie that is director Zach Cregger's follow-up to his surprise 2022 hit Barbarian.

Both movies are projected to topple the Marvel superhero movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps from its perch atop the domestic box office chart. However, they are currently in a neck-and-neck race for No. 1. Critically, Weapons has pulled ahead with a Certified Fresh 96% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Freakier Friday reviews have been solid too, just less so. Its Rotten Tomatoes score currently stands at a Certified Fresh 73%.

Per Deadline, Weapons earned $5.7 million at the domestic box office during Thursday previews, while Freakier Friday earned $3.1 million. Weapons has taken the lead in spite of playing in considerably fewer theaters.

Spoilers follow.

Movies these days can't just be their own thing. Thanks to success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, studio execs everywhere salivate at the idea of a cinematic universe. Why make one movie that stands on its own when you can instead use that film as a launchpad for sequels, prequels, and spin-offs? Of course, more often than not, this plan backfires (just take a look at Sony's now-aborted Spider-Man-free Spider-Man universe). Good idea or not, modern moviegoers have been conditioned to expect this treatment for new films.

Case in point: Zach Cregger, who helmed the excellent horror pic "Barbarian," is back with "Weapons," a wild and crazy new fright flick full of shocking twists and turns. While "Weapons" obviously isn't a sequel to "Barbarian," lots of digital ink has been spilled speculating that this new Cregger film has some sort of direct connection to the previous.

So ... does it?...

Stars: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Amy Madigan, Benedict Wong, Cary Christopher, Austin Abrams | Written and Directed by Zach Cregger

Writer-director Zach Cregger returns with compelling horror mystery Weapons, a worthy follow-up to his acclaimed 2022 hit Barbarian. Impressively structured, terrifically tense and superbly acted, it’s one of the best films of the year.

Set in a small suburban town, the film begins with a child’s voiceover explaining that earlier that week, at exactly 2.17am, seventeen children from the same class all went missing simultaneously, running out of their homes in bizarre fashion, as if they were playing at being aeroplanes. With the community bewildered and angry, fingers are pointed at the children’s teacher, Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), but there’s also the unexplained mystery of why just one lonely young boy in her class, Alex (Cary Christopher), was spared.

The story is structured with six chapters,...

It’s finally here! One of the most anticipated and creatively advertised summer features arrives in theatres today. Weapons tells the nightmarish story of what happens when nearly an entire classroom of children disappears into the night. To say too much would not be fair to those of you who have yet to experience the latest from Zach Cregger, who gifted viewers with the fantastic Barbarian. His latest proves that the filmmaker is one of the most exciting modern genre artists.

Aside from the smart script, the spooky concept, and the building tension, Weapons also features a terrific cast. Josh Brolin is exceptionally sympathetic as a father who’s among the families torn apart. As for Julia Garner, the actress brings impressive strength to an incredibly challenging performance. Alden Ehrenreich adds excellent support to the terrific cast. However, there’s one chillingly astounding performance. I’ll let you figure that...

Disney’s body-swapping comedy Freakier Friday and New Line’s acclaimed mystery-comedy Weapons are off to the races at the late-summer box office.

The two August pics are expected to end up in a close race for No. 1 domestically and topple Marvel Studio’ struggling holdover The Fantastic Four: The First Steps from the top spot. Marvel and parent company Disney are still hopeful that Fantastic Four will rebound, but there are no assurances.

Horror could use a win after such box office bombs as Blumhouse and Atomic Monsters’ M3GAN 2.0, which opened to only $10 million in June on its way to topping at $40 million worldwide, compared to $180 million for the first film.

Zach Cregger’s Weapons — which currently boasts a 96 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes — grossed a hefty $5.7 million in previews. It had been tracking for a domestic debut in the $25 million to $30 million range, but could come in higher.