The director of Barbarian returns with Weapons, a star-studded horror film arriving January 16, 2026.
If there is one director who currently holds the “golden ticket” in Hollywood horror, it is Zach Cregger. After the massive, unexpected success of Barbarian, Cregger was given carte blanche by New Line Cinema to create his dream project: Weapons. Originally slated for 2025, the film has been positioned as the first major horror event of the new year, hitting theaters on January 16, 2026. Weapons is not just a horror movie; it is being described as an expansive, multi-story epic.
Weapons features an incredible ensemble cast, including Josh Brolin (Dune), Julia Garner (Ozark), and Alden Ehrenreich (Oppenheimer). The plot of Weapons is being kept under lock and key, but insiders have compared the structure of the film to Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia—meaning Weapons will likely feature several interconnected storylines that converge in a terrifying climax.

The buzz around Weapons suggests it deals with the disappearance of high school students in a small town and hints at witchcraft or a supernatural force that affects the community. Zach Cregger’s script for Weapons reportedly triggered a bidding war, proving the studio’s faith in the project. In Weapons, Josh Brolin is rumored to play a law enforcement officer or a father figure trying to hold his sanity together as the world unravels.
Horror fans are particularly excited about Weapons because of Cregger’s unique tone. Barbarian proved he can mix genuine terror with dark social commentary, and Weapons looks to expand that scope significantly. The runtime of Weapons is rumored to be longer than the average horror flick, allowing for deep character development before the scares kick in.
The January release date for Weapons is strategic. Historically a “dump month” for bad movies, January has recently become a launchpad for horror hits (like M3GAN). Weapons aims to set the bar for Horror Movies 2026 right out of the gate. With a budget significantly higher than his debut, Cregger has the resources to make Weapons a visual spectacle.

Cinematographer Larkin Seiple is lensing Weapons, ensuring that the film will look stunning. The atmospheric tension in Weapons is said to be palpable from the first frame. If Barbarian was a claustrophobic nightmare, Weapons is an open-air terror that will expose the rot beneath the American suburbs.