Zach Cregger’s Weapons has finally gotten a streaming release date, bringing 2025’s unexpected horror smash hit to a broader at-home audience. The Barbarian director’s second directorial feature, following the disappearance of 17 schoolchildren, is both critically acclaimed and one of the highest-grossing horror movies of 2025, with $266 million worldwide.
Though it does not seem to be a serious compeтιтor among 2026 Oscars nominee predictions, Weapons maintains a critics’ approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. The twisty plot touches on themes of trauma and children facing the consequences of adults’ behavior. Additionally, Weapons’ ending is still frustratingly ambiguous several months later.
Following its VOD release, Warner Bros. has announced that Weapons will be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max from October 24, putting it on the streaming platform in time for Halloween. Also written by Cregger, Weapons stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, with Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan.
Weapons will likely be a mᴀssive hit on HBO Max, with word of mouth attracting those who didn’t see it in theaters, and fans who are still eager to dissect its themes and filmmaking choices revisiting it. Other similar theatrical hits saw this reception; perhaps Weapons’ most relevant contemporary, Sinners topped streaming charts for weeks after its HBO Max release.
Furthermore, Weapons’ streaming release will allow it to maintain critical and audience momentum for a while longer, which could result in some awards recognition other than the Oscars. The story of Weapons is very mysterious, but it approaches its ultimate reveal in a subversive way, not entirely emphasizing shock value or a single plot twist moment.
When all but one of the children in an elementary school class apparently leave their homes of their own free will on the same night, viewers would expect that them all being Justine’s (Garner) students is important. But the way the case is unraveled through multiple POVs that overlap with each other, including, eventually, the remaining student Alex (Cary Christopher), challenges expectations.
With Weapons on streaming, viewers will continue to pull together the seemingly disconnected parts of the narrative, keeping it relevant in the conversation of the cultural zeitgeist. The unconventional horror feature has certainly established itself as a modern must-see for fans of the genre, but additional accessibility will help it cement its true legacy.
