Aunt Gladys prequel in early talks

The success of Weapons spurs talks of a Aunt Gladys origin story and signals more high profile projects for Zach Cregger at Warner Bros.

Aunt Gladys Prequel Expands Cregger's Horror Universe

Weapons, the original horror hit from Zach Cregger, is fueling talks of a prequel centered on Aunt Gladys, played by Amy Madigan. The film opened to strong numbers and has kept momentum, with a domestic debut of around 43 million and a global total near 83 million through the week. Warner Bros. and New Line, the movie’s studio homes, are weighing a prequel that would expand Gladys’s backstory after Cregger previously cut that chapter for length.

Cregger’s schedule also points to a busy future. He is in Prague in pre-production on a Resident Evil reboot for Columbia Pictures, with reports placing a substantial payday on the project. Meanwhile, the team is weighing other options such as Henchman and Flood, all potentially keeping the core relationship with Warners. Despite the box office bounce, there is no firm timeline for the Gladys prequel, and no deals have been announced yet.

The push for a Gladys origin shows how studios are willing to back original horror while exploring expanded universes. It also highlights the balance filmmakers must strike between creative control and studio expectations as a property grows beyond a single feature.

The move to develop a Gladys prequel signals a broader trend: studios are betting on filmmakers who can birth fresh, original horror and turn early success into sustainable franchises. Cregger’s rising status after Barbarian and Weapons gives him leverage, but it also tests how far a singular voice can travel in a big tent of studio expectations. A prequel could deepen a quirky antagonist into a compelling narrative spine, yet it risks diluting the original tension if the new story leans too heavily on backstory rather than surprise. In a marketplace where sequels and spin-offs compete for attention, maintaining distinctiveness will be the real challenge. The deals, or lack thereof, will reveal whether Warners believes the Gladys premise can travel beyond a cult audience into broader appeal.

Highlights

The next chapter will show whether a bold expansion can honor the original’s nerve.