Building on the breakout success of his 2025 horror mystery “Weapons”—which grossed nearly $270 million worldwide and earned an Academy Award for Amy Madigan’s chilling portrayal of the villainous Aunt Gladys—Zach Cregger is officially expanding the universe. Partnering again with New Line Cinema and Warner Bros., the writer-director is now developing a follow-up currently titled “Gladys.”
Here’s a breakdown of everything we know so far about the project’s creative team and its potential plot.
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Official plot details are still under wraps, but the Hollywood Reporter indicates the film may serve as an origin story. Cregger’s “Weapons” tells the story of a small town where a group of 17 children mysteriously vanish on the same night.
Cregger will direct and co-write the screenplay with Zach Shields.
Cregger, who also directed 2022’s “Barbarian,” is currently working on Sony’s upcoming “Resident Evil,” a film adaptation of the video game franchise, set to hit theaters Sept. 18, 2026.
Shields is best known for his work on the Monsterverse franchise, with credits including “Godzilla vs. Kong” (2021) and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019), as well as 2015’s horror comedy “Krampus.”
At this time, no casting has been announced, but at the recent Oscars, Madigan shared her excitement about potentially reprising her role in the prequel.
According to Variety, she told the press, “We know what this business is like, and nothing’s real until it is, and timing and all those things. But if it worked out, that would be great, because I trust Zach, and he’s got a lot of wacky ideas.”
While you wait for casting updates, be sure to bookmark our main casting call page or check out our ultimate guide to getting cast in a movie or TV show for inspiration and helpful tips.
You can also read about how Madigan became an instant horror icon in “Weapons” in our exclusive interview with the Oscar winner.
And if you’re looking for more greenlit projects, check out these guides:
- Everything We Know About ‘Dune: Part Three’
- Everything We Know About Paramount’s ‘A Quiet Place Part III’
- Everything We Know About A24’s ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Series
- Everything We Know About the ‘Dirty Dancing’ Sequel
- Everything We Know About Blumhouse’s ‘Exorcist’ Movie, Starring Scarlett Johansson
- Everything We Know About Lily Collins’ ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ Film
It’s too early for a release date as the project is still in development. Check back here for updates as more details are announced.