WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Weapons.

While Weapons has become a shocking hit with critics and audiences, it’s the villainous Aunt Gladys who has become the subject of much discussion. Writer-director Zach Cregger’s new film introduces the villainous aunt as a mysterious, manipulative sorcerer who brainwashes and imprisons people, including members of her own family, to absorb their life force.

With her magic, she compelled 17 children in Maybrook to run to her house so she could extend her lifespan. Weapons‘ ending saw Aunt Gladys getting ripped apart by the children she kidnapped, and the film doesn’t explore that much of her backstory before her brutal death.

However, a Weapons prequel movie about Aunt Gladys is now being considered following the movie’s box office success and her memorable appearance in the film. A prequel exploring her backstory may lead to an ᴀssumption of what it will look like, but one bit of dialogue in Weapons suggests even the setting could surprise.

Aunt Gladys’ Prequel Could Be Set In The 1800s

When meeting with Principal Marcus in Weapons, Aunt Gladys says that Alex’s father has fallen ill with a “touch of consumption.” A confused Marcus notes that the use of this phrase dates back to when American settlers traveled on the Oregon Trail in the 1800s. He laughs off the line, but it could be more important for the prequel.

Given how Gladys absorbs people’s energy to stay alive, Weapons implies that she might have been alive for roughly 200 years, possibly even longer.

Gladys could’ve spent centuries moving from town to town, brainwashing and kidnapping people to stay alive, bringing the kind of grief and chaos that she unleashed on Maybrook. Gladys could’ve also had several children who started their own families throughout the United States, staying with them and abusing them like she did Alex, so she could continue to feed and survive.

If a Weapons prequel about Gladys is greenlit, it could follow her character during the 1800s in a horror period piece reminiscent of A24’s Pearl or the films by director Robert Eggers. The movie could reveal the mysteries about Gladys, particularly how she learned to use her dark magic to control and feed off people.

Since she is also said to be the aunt of Alex’s mother, the prequel could explore the relationship she has with her family and show how they became so distant.

Since Weapons left so many questions unanswered, this film has the potential to expand into a bigger franchise with more films around its characters. Given Gladys’ wicked character and untapped backstory that seems to span centuries, a prequel about her could be a thrilling and unique addition to Zach Cregger’s new hit horror franchise.