Zach Cregger has clarified his role in the upcoming Weapons prequel, confirming he will no longer serve as the project’s writer or director. Despite early reports suggesting he would helm the film, titled Gladys, Cregger is scaling back his involvement to a producer-only capacity as he manages a slate of other high-profile projects.
The shift leaves Zach Shields as the sole screenwriter for the prequel. Shields previously collaborated with Cregger on the story’s development, but will now carry the script forward alone. Warner Bros. has tentatively scheduled Gladys for a theatrical release on September 8, 2028.
The decision to step away from the director’s chair follows the massive commercial and critical success of 2025’s Weapons. Produced on a $38 million budget, the film grossed approximately $270 million worldwide and cemented the character of Aunt Gladys as a modern horror icon. The character, a supernatural witch who abducts children to sustain her life force, earned Amy Madigan the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in early 2026. Cregger has previously noted that the character serves as a metaphorical exploration of family addiction, a theme that resonated deeply with audiences.
Cregger’s transition to a producing role is partly due to his demanding schedule and a self-described “broken” writing process. The filmmaker has admitted to frequently abandoning drafts after 30 to 50 pages, making it difficult to balance multiple scripts. He is currently prioritizing other features, including a Resident Evil reboot and the sci-fi project The Flood.
While Cregger is distancing himself from the director’s chair for Gladys, his presence as a producer ensures some continuity for the burgeoning franchise. According to The Playlist, Cregger is focusing his directorial energy on original concepts and his specific franchise commitments rather than expanding the Weapons universe himself. A director for the prequel has not yet been named, though the project remains a high priority for the studio following Madigan’s Oscar-winning turn.
