From the moment the darkly comedic horror-mystery film Weapons came out in 2025, Aunt Gladys became a force to be reckoned with. The main antagonist, for which Amy Madigan took home the Best Supporting Actress prize, made a lasting impression on audiences and rumblings about a Weapons prequel started as the film’s success continued to grow.
But now here we are, more than a year since the film was released, and that Gladys sequel hasn’t gone into production yet. Why haven’t we heard about it since spinoff rumors first surfaced? Never fear, these things take time, but it’s still being worked on. While promoting his new Resident Evil movie slated to be released on September 18th, Weapons writer/director Zach Cregger recently spoke to Deadline, where he gave the following update:
Oh, actually, Zach Shields is writing [Gladys]. I was developing the story with him, but he’s writing it.
In case you’re unfamiliar, Aunt Gladys is a manipulative woman who uses her witchcraft to control her victims, primarily targeting children. More opportunist than mastermind, she is a villain who uses chaos and fear to her advantage. All of which makes for a fascinating character that you want to learn more about. And then, pair that with an actress as talent as Amy Madigan and you get a character that will forever be remembered.
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As the mastermind behind Weapons, it might seem a bit surprising that Zach Cregger isn’t writing the Gladys script himself, especially with the great run in the horror genre that he’s currently having. While he does seem to have a hand in the overall storyline development for the prequel, he admits to having a big of a chaotic writing process, so having it be in someone else’s hands could mean that we might get to see it sooner than we otherwise would. And Zach Shields’ credentials include writing for the Trick ‘r Treat franchise, Krampus, and Godzilla vs. Kong, which are sure to create an interesting mix for whatever he cooks up for the iconic character. Cregger further clarified:
Yeah, I’m always writing stuff. But my process is so broken. I write in a way that is kind of like I leap before I look. So I’ll start something, I’ll get 30 pages, and then I’ll be like, ‘Ehhh, no.’ And then I’ll move on and write 50 pages of something else, and I’ll be like, ‘Eh.’ Or I’ll write half of a script, I’ll love it, and then I don’t know how it needs to resolve, and then it’ll sit there torturing me for years. So I’m trying to stay productive, but we’ll see.
Granted, it would be a real bummer if we had to wait for years while an incomplete Gladys story sat waiting for the Barbarian filmmaker to finish it himself. But I also want to see the best movie possible for a character and actress that really deserves that, so I have to trust that he’s making the right decision in leaving it in another writer’s hands.
Not only has Gladys, with her messy makeup, bright colors, and red wig, become a figure loved and embraced by the LGBTQ+ community, but the character also became a popular Halloween costume. She certainly deserves her time in the spotlight, and I’ll be excitedly waiting until she gets it. Until then, Resident Evil is on the 2026 movie schedule and Weapons is streaming with an HBO Max subscription.
