Horror fans, the prequel nobody could stop talking about is officially becoming real. Weapons gave us one of the most unnerving characters in recent horror film history, and now Aunt Gladys is getting her full origin story — with two of Hollywood’s sharpest genre writers at the helm.

Gladys Is Officially Moving Forward at Warner Bros.

Zach Shields (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire) has been tapped to co-write the screenplay alongside filmmaker Zach Cregger for Gladys — the working title for the Weapons prequel currently in development at New Line and Warner Bros.

The two Zachs joining forces for this project is exactly the kind of creative pairing that gets horror enthusiasts excited. Cregger already had the bones of this story ready before Weapons even hit theaters. Cregger told Fangoria: “There’s a story and I’m pretty excited about it. It’s not bullshit. I was ready. I had it kind of in my pocket before the movie came out.” Bloody Disgusting!

Gladys – Everything You Need to Know

Detail	Info
Working Title	Gladys
Studio	New Line Cinema / Warner Bros.
Writers	Zach Cregger & Zach Shields
Producers	Zach Cregger, Roy Lee, Miri Yoon (Vertigo Entertainment)
Based On	Weapons (2025) by Zach Cregger
Original Box Office	$270 million worldwide
Oscar Win	Amy Madigan — Best Supporting Actress
Director Confirmed	Not yet announced
Production Start	Not yet confirmed

Why Weapons Demanded a Prequel

Weapons grossed a staggering $270 million worldwide and earned star Amy Madigan the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as the devilishly deranged Aunt Gladys — a character so magnetic she also won the SAG-AFTRA Actor Award and the Critics Choice Award for supporting actress.

Cregger has admitted to having written material focused squarely on Gladys’ backstory for Weapons, but cutting it due to length — meaning there’s already a rich story foundation sitting in a drawer somewhere, just waiting to be expanded.

Backstage at the Oscars, Madigan was candid and warm about the prospect: “Zach Cregger, who’s our writer-director, he says, ‘Yes, this is going to happen,’ but we know how long stuff takes. Nothing’s real ’til it is — but if it worked out, that would be great, because I trust Zach and he’s got a lot of wacky ideas in his head.” Gold Derby

What to Expect from Gladys

While the full plot remains tightly under wraps, any backstory about how Gladys devolved into a parasitic witch who kidnaps children and rocks a distinct “deranged grandma” style with ginger curls and glasses would be more than welcome.

It’s also worth noting that Cregger’s film adaptation of the video game Resident Evil is slated for theatrical release on September 18, 2026 — meaning Gladys will likely head into production sometime in 2027 at the earliest.

For more on the hottest upcoming horror films, check out our curated list of most anticipated horror movies coming soon and our breakdown of the biggest Warner Bros. releases of 2026.

FAQs

Q: Will Amy Madigan return as Aunt Gladys in the prequel?

It hasn’t been officially confirmed — the prequel may explore a younger version of Gladys, though Madigan has publicly expressed her enthusiasm for reprising the Oscar-winning role.

**Q: Who is writing and directing the Weapons prequel Gladys?**

Zach Cregger and Zach Shields are confirmed as co-writers; a director has not yet been announced, and it remains unclear whether Cregger will also direct.