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A chilling new horror film is making waves before it’s even hit cinemas – and early viewers are calling it one of the wildest, most terrifying movies of 2025.
Weapons, written and directed by Barbarian filmmaker Zach Cregger, currently holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on its first 11 reviews.
Early box office projections estimate a $25 million-plus (£18.7 GBP) opening weekend – a huge figure for an original horror release.
The film’s eerie poster sets the tone: a group of children run barefoot down a suburban street under the tagline, ‘Last night at 2:17 am every child from Mrs. Gandy’s class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark … and they never came back.’
Fans lucky enough to see advance screenings say the film’s structure and imagery left them rattled.
‘Horror is my favourite genre but usually I’m just unsettled, creeped out, grossed out or just feel a bit tense,’ wrote @Doeyppp on X. ‘#WeaponsMovie actually SCARED me.’
@jonesvibesonly called it ‘the craziest movie you see all year… shocking in the way It Follows or Longlegs are, but with the tone and chaos of Barbarian. Each sequence is more unexpected than the last, and some of the horror imagery is now burned into my brain. FREAKING HAUNTING! Cregger is a mad man and I’m here for it!!’
Critic Joey Magidson praised the way Cregger builds suspense, writing: ‘Weapons is a slow burn that builds up to an insane and very satisfying conclusion. Zach Cregger has a confidence to his direction that few filmmakers have, let alone in the horror field. Epic and unique, it’s another sign that he’s a force to reckon with.’
Others described the film as a masterclass in horror tension: ‘Holy f***… Just finished watching #WeaponsMovie — what a ride,’ posted @Kellvin_Chavez.
‘This film does everything great horror should: it grips, unnerves, terrifies, and makes you think, all while keeping you locked in from start to finish. I can’t wait to experience it again with an audience.’
What is Weapons about?
One night at exactly 2:17 a.m., seventeen children – all from the same third-grade classroom – rise silently from their beds and vanish into the night. Only one child is left behind. The disappearance shakes the town to its core, unleashing waves of grief, suspicion, and fear.
The story unfolds in a puzzle-like fashion, told in 15-minute chapters named after the different characters caught up in the mystery, including the class teacher, parents, school officials, and law enforcement.
The structure creates a mosaic of how a community unravels in the face of unexplainable tragedy.
Cregger blends chilling suspense with suburban satire and dark humor, exploring themes of trauma, blame, and the way sensationalism distorts collective memory.
Who is in the cast of Weapons?
Julia Garner plays Justine Gandy, the teacher who becomes a focal point of both sympathy and suspicion, while Josh Brolin’s Archer Graff is a grieving father determined to uncover the truth.
Supporting performances from Benedict Wong, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, and Amy Madigan flesh out the tense, paranoid atmosphere.
Early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, praising the film’s ambition, emotional depth, and intricate structure.
When is Weapons out?
Critics describe it as a ‘masterpiece’ of tension and character work, with a climax that is unpredictable, unsettling, and likely to divide audiences – but you’ll just have to find out for yourself.
Weapons runs 128 minutes, is rated R, and releases in the US and UK on August 8.
With Barbarian, Cregger proved he could take audiences to unexpected and terrifying places.
With Weapons, early reactions suggest he may have topped himself – delivering a meticulously crafted, nerve-shredding nightmare that lingers long after the credits roll.
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