Last night at 2:17 AM, every child from Mrs. Gandy’s class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark …and they never came back. So says the poster tagline for new horror movie, Weapons.
It’s an intriguing and unsettling statement, which forms the premise of what promises to be an equally mind-blowing horror. One which New Line Cinema has high hopes for.
The studio is releasing Weapons during the hectic summer blockbuster season, rather than holding it over for Halloween, so certainly has some confidence in the picture. Weapons is going to be playing alongside the likes of Superman, Smurfs, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, The Naked Gun, and fellow horror, I Know What You Did Last Summer, so it definitely has some competition on its hands.
Does this faze writer/director Zach Cregger? Probably not.
Cregger previously delivered the horror, Barbarian during summer 2022, when blockbuster competition and post-pandemic issues were impacting audience attendance, and yet that film became a box office hit. Produced on a budget of $4 – $5 million, Barbarian went on to take $45.4 million.
The budget for Weapons is somewhat higher, coming in at $38 million. This considerable increase in funds is all due to Cregger’s success on Barbarians, which caught the attention of various studios (Netflix, TriStar, Universal, etc) who entered a bidding war to acquire the rights to this film.
It was New Line that ultimately won the project (and Cregger) by offering the $38 million. This included a $10 million director’s fee, a guaranteed theatrical release, and a final cut ‘privilege’ for Cregger, following test screenings.
With New Line shelling out this money, it is now keen to see the film reach as wide an audience as possible. This means the profile and marketing on Weapons has been raised accordingly, so you will have no doubt caught a preview trailer, or seen a billboard poster or two.
These bits of marketing are sure to catch the eye, but let’s be honest, that initial tagline about the disappearing kids is certainly pulling its weight. The idea of children just vanishing into the night is sure to be every parent’s nightmare, and this should put bums on seats.
In terms of the acting talent on Weapons, it’s a group of actors that many will be familiar with. Marvel stars, Benedict Wong, Josh Brolin, and the Silver Surfer herself, Julia Garner are all amongst the cast.
Garner is no stranger to horror, having previously appeared in The Last Exorcism Part II (2013), Apartment 7A (2024), and this year’s Wolf Man. In Weapons, she takes on the role of the aforementioned Mrs. Gandy, so expect her to appear front-and-centre in the story.
Joining the above names are Austin Abrams, Amy Madigan, June Diane Raphael, Whitmer Thomas, Toby Huss, and Luke Speakman. Former Han Solo actor, Alden Ehrenreich is also on board, taking on the role of a police officer who is said to have a complicated relationship with Mrs. Gandy.
Should you wish to check out Weapons, you don’t have too long to wait, as the movie is scheduled for release on August 8th. The film was originally set for a January 2026 debut, but in a less-common move in the industry, it was brought forward to this summer, which is an encouraging sign.
There is a positive buzz surrounding Weapons and it’s one which New Line and parent company Warner Bros. are hopefully pleased with. As for the final result, and the whereabouts of all those missing children, well, we shall see for ourselves very shortly.
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