‘Weapons’ Prequel ‘Gladys’ Set at Warner Bros, Written by Zach Cregger and Zach Shields

Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” ended up being a rare commodity in summer movies: a major studio horror release that actually delivered. Not only did the film earn $270M worldwide, but it was mentioned on hundreds of top 10 lists, and won Amy Madigan the Supporting Actress Oscar.

One of the big takeaways from Cregger’s R-rated shocker was indeed Madigan’s Aunt Gladys — a performance so strange, magnetic, and lived-in that it fully warranted the praise it was getting. As is always the case when a non-IP original breaks out, Hollywood immediately began circling for more.

In case you haven’t heard, Warner Bros. and Cregger are teaming up for a prequel exploring Gladys’ origins. We learned about this project only a few weeks after “Weapons” was released.

Now, here’s an update (via Deadline), announcing that Cregger and Zach Shields will write the screenplay for the upcoming prequel. The current title? “Gladys.” In essence, this project is officially going forward at Warner Bros — although we don’t know for certain if Cregger will actually direct it.

Most recently, Shields worked on “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” for Warner Bros., following earlier collaborations with Michael Dougherty on “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” and “Krampus” for Universal.

Cregger has admitted to having written material focused squarely on Gladys’ backstory for “Weapons,” but cutting it due to length. That “lost” storyline is now being eyed as the backbone of the prequel, which is not eyeing a production date just yet. Cregger still has that Netflix movie, “Flood,” coming up sometime in the near future.

And yet, this latest ‘Gladys’ announcement is a little deflating. “Weapons” worked in large part because of its sense of mystery — characters like Aunt Gladys felt textured without being spelled out. A prequel risks robbing the film of that intrigue. It almost feels like fan service.

For now, Cregger’s plate is already full. He’s directed Sony’s “Resident Evil” reboot — a gig reportedly paying him $20M — which hits theaters in September. Much more to follow.