The follow-up to Barbarian has been teased by one of its stars. The movie, which is тιтled Weapons and is set to premiere in theaters on January 16, 2026, is the next film from director Zach Cregger, who made his horror debut with the twist-filled Barbarian in 2022 after a career in comedy projects including The Whitest Kids U’Know and Miss March. The upcoming movie, which is set in Florida, features a cast that includes Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, Austin Abrams, and June Diane Raphael.
Per Collider, Julia Garner was interviewed by Perri Nemiroff on the video series Collider Ladies Night while promoting her upcoming Blumhouse horror movie Wolf Man. During their conversation, they touched on the topic of Weapons. While Garner could not reveal much about the project, she described it as not being “a proper horror movie” and taking after Barbarian by occupying a singular genre all its own that also includes “comedic elements.” Read Garner’s full quote below:
It’s not a proper horror movie. It feels very Zach Cregger in that element. There are some comedic elements to it. Barbarian felt like that as well. This also feels [singular], so I’m excited. I’m excited for people to see it and hear their response.
What This Means For Weapons
More Surprises Are In Store
Garner’s comments did not give much away about Weapons. Still, all that is known about the narrative of the upcoming Josh Brolin movie is that it follows multiple interrelated storylines that focus on a wide variety of topics including witchcraft, corruption in law enforcement, and much more that all seem to be connected by the disappearances of several children. However, her comparison to the 2022 hit Barbarian offers some insight into how the movie might play out.
In addition to earning a Certified Fresh 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Barbarian was a box office success, grossing $45.4 million against a roughly $4.5 million budget.
Barbarian features three seemingly disparate threads connected by the same isolated Detroit home – an Airbnb mixup leading two strangers to stay together, a disgraced star trying to rebuild his life, and a man stalking women in his neighborhood. However, they all flow together in a story that blends humor, horror, and a heaping helping of twists and turns. It seems that the upcoming horror movie may follow suit, slowly revealing how all the seemingly unrelated elements of its storylines share a deep connection, all while blending genres into a unique tone.
Our Take On Julia Garner’s Weapons Comments
The Movie Is An Exciting Prospect
As a follow-up to Barbarian, Zach Cregger’s Weapons has big shoes to fill. However, it seems that Cregger is playing to his strengths while potentially maintaining the surprising elements that helped his 2022 movie shine. Should he succeed with his next feature, he could follow in the footsteps of Jordan Peele as a comedy performer and director who has successfully, and somewhat unexpectedly, shifted to the horror genre.
Source: Collider
