Zach Shields signs on to write the Weapons prequel Gladys with Zach Cregger
Weapons, the recent horror film from Barbarian writer/director Zach Cregger, was very well received, with JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray giving it a 9/10 review you can read at THIS LINK, and it had a good run at the box office. The reception was so positive that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema quickly started planning to expand this into a franchise, talking to Cregger about making a prequel that would center on the Aunt Gladys character, played by Amy Madigan – who won an Oscar in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category for her performance in the film. Now, Deadline has broken the news that Cregger will be writing the script for the prequel, which is going by the working title Gladys, with Zach Shields.
Shields’ previous writing credits include Krampus, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong. He has also written the script for Trick ‘r Treat 2 with Todd Casey and frequent collaborator Michael Dougherty… but we’re still waiting to see if that sequel is ever going to get made.
Aunt Gladys Returns
Cregger assembled a strong cast for Weapons, including Madigan, Julia Garner (Ozark), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Austin Abrams (Euphoria), June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), and Cary Christopher (Days of Our Lives). Most details about the film were successfully shrouded in mystery in the build-up to its release, but it was said that it’s “an interrelated, multistory horror epic” that’s tonally in the vein of Magnolia, and the story revolves around the disappearance of elementary school kids in a small town. Here’s the official synopsis: When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
It has been said that Cregger had written more for Aunt Gladys in the Weapons script, including a whole chapter on her back story, but he pulled it to keep the movie from going too long. And during a conversation with Vanity Fair, he revealed that he told Madigan she could pick between two different options for the character’s back story. Option one: Gladys was just a normal person using dark magic to cure her disease. Option two: Gladys was a non-human creature who was using her bizarre makeup and wig in a poor attempt to mimic humans.
Maybe we’ll find out the truth in the prequel.
What do you think of Zach Cregger teaming with Zach Shields to write the Weapons prequel? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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