Gladys returns: A Weapons prequel is reportedly in development at Warner Bros.

Weapons was released by Warner Bros. Pictures on August 8, 2025, and met with critical acclaim. Written and helmed by Zach Cregger, it currently holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Here's the official synopsis as per Letterboxd,

When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

It's been recently reported that the makers are currently working on its prequel that would focus on the character of Aunt Gladys. Let's find out all the details about this news that might excite the film's fans.

Weapons prequel is currently in the works

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The Hollywood Reporter has stated that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are working on a prequel to Weapons. The studios are in talks with the film's director, Zach Cregger, to explore the character of the villainous aunt Gladys. She arrives in town and is the leading cause of the magical spell on children.

Cregger had an entire chapter in the film focusing on Gladys' backstory. If a prequel takes place, he can use that material to establish her origin, which was cut from the movie. The director is currently working on a Resident Evil reboot for Sony, which is expected to release theatrically on September 18, 2026. So Cregger can only work on the prequel once he is done with the video game adaptation.

Weapons was produced by Cregger, Miri Yoon, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules, and J. D. Lifshitz. Its cast members include,

Josh Brolin as Archer Graff
Julia Garner as Justine Gandy
Amy Madigan as Gladys
June Diane Raphael as Donna Morgan
Cary Christopher as Alex Lilly
Justin Long as Gary
Alden Ehrenreich as Paul Morgan
Austin Abrams as James
Benedict Wong as Marcus Miller
Toby Huss as Ed Locke
Sara Paxton as Erica

The film minted $43 million on its opening day at the box office domestically. Amid the positive reviews, its collections are expected to grow in the coming weeks. Such success for a standalone horror film without an IP is a rare feat in Hollywood lately. Jordan Peele's 2017 film Get Out got a similar response. The film's success might further prompt the studios and the makers to work on a prequel that would provide a backstory for its villain in detail.

Cregger was one of the founders of a comedy sketch called The Whitest Kids U' Know that came out with the namesake television series. It ran between 2007 and 2011. He has directed films like Miss March, The Civil War on Drugs, and Barbarian.

Are you excited about a Weapons prequel?