Aunt Gladys, one of the most terrifying horror villains, isn’t staying mysterious forever. Zach Cregger has opened up about the next chapter of her story. The filmmaker shared fresh progress on the planned prequel of Weapons at San Diego Comic-Con, revealing that the project is actively taking shape while promising a deeper look into one of his most unsettling creations.
Zach Cregger reveals new details about the Weapons Gladys prequel
Rather than revisiting the events of Weapons, the next film will rewind the clock. Speaking during the Directors on Directing panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Cregger confirmed that the planned prequel, currently titled Gladys, will explore how Amy Madigan’s haunting character became the figure audiences encountered in the 2025 horror hit.
Cregger explained that keeping Gladys’ past hidden served Weapons well because mystery was central to that film’s design. This time, however, he believes there’s “an amazing story” behind the character’s origins.
While avoiding spoilers, he teased that the prequel will deliver unexpected turns, strange revelations, and the same brand of unsettling surprises that defined Weapons. He added that the screenplay is still being written and is “moving in the right direction (via The Hollywood Reporter).”
The update arrives after Weapons became one of horror’s biggest success stories. Released by Warner Bros. in 2025, the film centered on children mysteriously disappearing overnight and earned about $270 million worldwide against a reported $38 million budget.
Critics and audiences embraced the film, while Madigan’s chilling performance as Aunt Gladys culminated in an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams and Benedict Wong rounded out the ensemble cast.
Although excitement around Gladys continues to build, Cregger has a busy schedule before returning to that world. His upcoming Resident Evil reboot, produced by Sony, arrives first and tells a new story within the franchise’s existing canon rather than directly adapting one of the games. After that, he’ll shift to The Flood, an original sci-fi feature he wrote.
The Gladys script remains in development, with Cregger and Zach Shields collaborating on the screenplay. The project is currently slated for release on September 8, 2028, though it has not been confirmed whether Cregger will also direct.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on ComingSoon.
