Zach Cregger Teases Major Step Forward for Aunt Gladys Weapons Prequel
Weapons director Zach Cregger says the long-rumored Aunt Gladys prequel is gaining traction, revealing in a new podcast that development talks are underway and that it slots tightly into his expanding horror universe.
Zach Cregger just gave a small but telling update on the Weapons world he is building, and yes, that includes the rumored Aunt Gladys prequel. He also got surprisingly candid about where Weapons came from emotionally, how Barbarian nearly broke him, and what he is cooking up next with Resident Evil.
Where the Aunt Gladys prequel stands
On Deadline's Crew Call podcast, Cregger said the Aunt Gladys spin-off is real, still very much in development, and not shooting anytime soon. Translation: it is alive, but they are still making deals and it has not hit the greenlight stage. He was careful about what he could say, but he did make one thing clear: the idea stays rooted in the mythology around Amy Madigan's Gladys.
"We are still kind of in the deal-making process, so I do not think there is much that I am allowed to say at this point, but... the story is what I am pretty excited about."
Why Weapons got personal
Cregger described Weapons as the most personal thing he has made so far, even calling it autobiographical. He pointed to the Alex chapter at the end of the film as a reflection of growing up in a house affected by addiction. That thread is not abstract for him: he talked about navigating school like nothing was wrong while home was scary and unpredictable. The push to actually write Weapons came during Barbarian's post-production, after the sudden death of a best friend. You can feel that grief woven into the movie's DNA.
Barbarian chaos, money math, and casting after the strikes
The Barbarian origin story sounds exactly like how it feels to watch that movie: chaotic and seat-of-the-pants. He made it for about $4.5 million, with financing locking in at the last minute. He joked he aged a decade over that weekend. After the industry strikes, he pulled the Weapons cast together and, crucially, locked in Amy Madigan as Gladys, which is why the potential prequel has a strong spine to build on.
Quick numbers and what is next
- Weapons cost a net $38 million and grossed over $268 million worldwide.
- Barbarian was produced for roughly $4.5 million, with financing finalized right under the wire.
- Aunt Gladys is active in development, connected to the Gladys storyline, but not in production yet.
- Cregger is developing his next film set in the Resident Evil franchise, and yes, he admitted he has never seen a Resident Evil movie. Bold move.
Bottom line: the Aunt Gladys prequel is moving, if slowly, and Cregger's horror sandbox is getting bigger. The personal stuff driving Weapons makes the spin-off more interesting than a typical brand extension, and the Resident Evil gig could get spicy fast, given that he is coming in fresh. Honestly, I am curious to see where he takes all of it.