Nearly a year after the premiere of “Weapons,” writer-director Zach Cregger updated fans on the prequel about the movie’s villain, Gladys. During a panel with Collider at San Diego Comic-Con, the “Weapons” director confirmed the prequel’s script is well into development, and that it will unravel the mysteries surrounding Gladys.
“There’s an amazing story to be told about where Gladys comes from and how she became what we know her as,” said Cregger. “It’s got a lot of twists and turns and mysteries and crazy things, like ‘Weapons’ does. I think it’s going to be great. The script is in progress now, but we’re taking that super seriously, and it’s moving in the right direction. So yeah, it’s being written, is the short answer.”
Released in 2025, “Weapons” shows multiple children in a small town disappearing into the night at the same time. The movie reveals that the witch Gladys, played by Amy Madigan. is responsible. However, “Weapons” reveals little about who she really is, hinting that she has been alive since at least the 1800s.
With Cregger developing a prequel about Gladys, fans will finally get answer’s about the mysterious villain’s backstory. It will give fans the chance to see more of Madigan as the franchise’s iconic villain.
Fans Are Thrilled For Gladys’ Return
GettyAfter Cregger updated everyone on the “Weapons” prequel, fans flocked to social media to share their excitement about seeing Gladys again and learning her backstory:
“A prequel to one of the wildest horror movies of recent years? Sign me up immediately. 🤩,” one fan wrote on X.
“Aunt Gladys deserves her own origin story. I’m definitely watching,” another fan commented.
“That actually sounds like it’ll be exciting. I was wondering about [Gladys’] origins & how she slithered into a seemingly normal family & also why she would be so QUICK to destroy her own family members….hopefully, this movie will answer these questions,” one X user wrote.
“Can’t wait to explore the layers behind Gladys’ journey,” wrote one fan on Instagram.
“Excellent news! We also need a Barbarian’s prequel with Mother…,” one fan posted.
“Weapons” Introduced A Modern Horror Icon
GettyWhen “Weapons” premiered in August 2025, it quickly become one of the hottest movies of the year. Much praise was aimed at Madigan for her performance as Gladys. Madigan even won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. This victory was especially remarkable given the Academy’s history of overlooking the horror genre, despite its popularity.
While Gladys’ ambiguous origins served her character well in “Weapons,” Cregger said he is eager to explore the villain’s past in a prequel alongside Madigan.
“First of all, I’m really excited about the Gladys movie,” said Cregger, “and I loved working with Amy. I loved that character. For the movie ‘Weapons,’ it really made a lot of sense not to dive into her backstory because the device of ‘Weapons’ was to keep her very mysterious.”
While fans await more news about “Weapons” prequel, Cregger has multiple projects on the horizon. He also wrote and directed the “Resident Evil” reboot scheduled to premiere on September 18. He will also helm the sci-fi film, “The Flood,” which will arrive on August 11, 2028.
