Zach Cregger’s Weapons is the next film from the sketch comic turned horror director, and there’s already been some exciting news about the upcoming horror movie. A former castmate on the comedy series The Whitest Kids U’Know, Zach Cregger made a surprising and celebrated return to Hollywood in 2022 when he directed Barbarian, a unique and clever horror film that’s one of the best of the 2020s. Earning a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and being one of the top-streamed movies upon its release, it was ᴀssumed Cregger would soon return to the directing chair (via MediaPlayNews).

It didn’t take long for Cregger to announce he had another project in the works, and his spec script for Weapons entered into an intense bidding war eventually won by New Line Cinema (THR). It’s been over two years now since that announcement, but fortunately, there’s been a lot of developments, and while the movie might still be a ways away, it’s coming. The Whitest Kids U’Know was unique, and Barbarian was even more unexpected, so even with all the news regarding cast, story, and release date, there are still plenty of questions to consider for Weapons.

Weapons Latest News

Julia Garner Says Weapons Is Not A Proper Horror Movie

The latest news for Weapons comes from Julia Garner, who is set to star in the film. Garner teased that Cregger’s film will be different from what people are expecting,

“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.”

It sounds like Cregger will not be going back to the Barbarian well for his next film.

Weapons Is Confirmed

Weapons Began Filming In 2024

Weapons is confirmed to be in production, and it was first announced in January 2023. Weapons began shooting around May 2024 (via THR).

Weapons Release Date

Weapons Will Release In Early 2026

Weapons is set to release in theaters on January 16, 2026 (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline).

Who Is Zach Cregger?

Cregger Co-Founded The Whitest Kids U’Know

Zach Cregger got his start on the IFC comedy sketch show, The Whitest Kids U’Know, as one of the main troupe members. It was during that period that he directed Miss March with the late Trevor Moore, another founding member of WKUK. That film was a bit of a miss, with only a 5% on Rotten Tomatoes. He did appear in some acting roles later, including in Date and Switch and Doubting Thomas. He also starred in the TV show Wrecked as Owen. It wasn’t until 2022, with the terrifying Barbarian, that Cregger’s name reentered the mainstream.

Weapons Cast

Weapons Has An Impressive Ensemble Cast

The Weapons cast is shaping up to be an impressive one. In April 2024, it was announced that Julia Garner and Josh Brolin were cast to star in the film, with Alden Ehrenreich joining the cast in the same month (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline). Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, and June Diane Raphael have also been cast in the film (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline). At the moment, no character names or roles have been revealed.

Weapons Story Details

Weapons Will Feature Layered, Intersecting Storylines

So far, story details about Weapons have been light. It’s been described as an interrelated horror epic with a tone similar to Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, which featured interweaving storylines with an ensemble cast. The storylines have to do with children disappearing in a small town, and the film will examine the perspectives and responses of different people around the town as they try to find out what’s happening (via WorldOfReel).

Expect to see plenty of supernatural elements as well, including some witchcraft. Barbarian also dabbled in multiple perspectives and storylines with tonal shifts throughout the film. Cregger may be looking to more deeply explore that style in Weapons, and if it’s anything like Barbarian, Cregger could have another winner on his hands.