Weapons Originally told Aunt Gladys’ Story

by

Director Zach Cregger is discussing the unexpectedly popular character from his successful horror film. An earlier draft of the script gave Aunt Gladys a much larger role-and this storyline might be explored in a future installment.

In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Cregger explained he’s now prepared to discuss a long-held project. “I actually wrote a script years ago that formed the basis of the Gladys story,” he shared. “It was shown through the eyes of a child-a strange woman picks him up from school, effectively replacing his parents. The story centered around his struggle to escape her control. I put it aside a while ago.”

Cregger then shared some thoughts on how he developed the story that would become Weapons, and how the character of Aunt Gladys came to be included. He explained, “When I began writing Weapons, I didn’t know what happened to the kids. I was simply following the clues as the mystery unfolded. Around page 50, I realized I really liked a specific part of the story I’d already created, and I thought, ‘This could fit in really well here.'”

The Weapons artist also discussed the origins of Amy Madigan’s character, Aunt Gladys, explaining he drew inspiration from the non-fiction book The Serpent and the Rainbow (rather than the film adaptation). He also mentioned that the song ‘Dancing in the Head’ by the British post-punk band the Mekons influenced the creation of Gladys. “That song is essentially a guide on how to make a zombie,” Cregger explained.

It wasn’t about singing at all, but rather someone simply describing this ceremony,” Cregger explained. “What I loved about it was how strange the ritual was-you’d soak a dollar bill in rum, light it on fire, position four mirrors at the corners of the earth, and even use a fragment of a human skull. I thought, ‘I want to create my own bizarre, wicked formula someday.’ And this movie gave me the perfect opportunity to do just that.

A Weapons Follow-Up Movie Will Reportedly Explore Aunt Gladys’ Origin Story

In recent discussions about making Weapons, Cregger has been open about the possibility of a sequel and how it might revisit the storyline involving Aunt Gladys that didn’t make the final cut. Given the film’s huge success in theaters, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are already giving serious thought to a project centered around Aunt Gladys. Reports suggest it will build upon the scenes that were originally written for Weapons, delving further into the frightening backstory of Gladys.

However, those looking forward to a prequel story for Weapons might have a bit of a wait. Cregger also mentioned that his current projects are taking priority. He explained, “I have another concept for something set in the world of Weapons that I’m really enthusiastic about. I won’t be working on it immediately, and likely not even after my next film.” He added, “But I do have [an idea], and I’d love to see it come to life on screen someday.”

Weapons is now available for purchase on digital retailers.

Read More

2025-10-02 17:25