When I went into my screening of Weapons, I happened to be wearing one of my Longlegs T-shirts. I had a whole conversation with the employee (shout-out to AMC) about how excited we both were for Zach Cregger’s new film, and how the lead-up to its premiere felt a lot like the excitement of Longlegs last year.
And then, of course, I loved Weapons. While the film’s $42.5 million opening weekend has grabbed headlines, I’m super excited for what it means only to the genre, but to filmmaking as a whole.
Horror Doesn’t Need Franchises to Win
Weapons succeeded because it offered something audiences didn’t expect from a genre increasingly dominated by sequels and reboots. Did you know original screenplays have only led the box office six times over 36 weekends in 2025, according to Rotten Tomatoes? That makes Cregger’s achievement, the seventh, all the more significant.
Warner Bros. has become the first studio to have six consecutive films earning more than $40 million at their opening box offices (via ScreenRant). And half of those were original stories.
I hope this helps signal to studios that we’re desperate for new films and unique stories. And writers, rest assured that your unique voice still matters, so keep crafting those original scripts.
The Mid-Budget Movie is Valuable
Weapons was snatched up after an intense bidding war and the success of Barbarian, Cregger’s first film. Again, that was an original flick that showcased a fresh voice, and execs were clamoring for it as far back as Jan. 2023.
New Line won out in just 24 hours. The bid was $38 million, according to Bloody Disgusting. Cregger got $10 million and final cut.
We’ve been talking a lot about budgets and box office results where they apply to movies like Superman, and this is clearly on a smaller scale. But for genre filmmakers, this might represent an ideal scenario. You get a budget to realize your vision without interference, and the studio isn’t saddled with a huge bill.
This isn’t to say you should write smaller. But it’s always a good idea to have an idea of what your project might cost, especially when you’re taking it out to potential investors. Lower numbers, on the indie side, are going to be easier to reach. And studios should note that audiences are here for these films. Instead of spending a billion on one thing, maybe break up that investment across several mid-budget projects.
A Mystery Works When You Deliver
As BoxOfficePro reported, Weapons “relied heavily on a Mystery Box ad campaign that promised curveballs and twists aplenty, and clearly was not bluffing, considering the positive word-of-mouth.”
Again, this felt a lot like Longlegs and its incredibly catchy campaign. It worked because horror fans are curious. They want to be teased, because most of them have seen everything.
Even if you don’t work in this genre, most audiences want to be surprised in some way.
If you’re making a horror film, don’t underestimate your audience. They want to be scared, but they also want to be challenged and respected as viewers. If you promise a big third-act twist, you’d better deliver, which Weapons does.
And studio execs and producers, if you’re listening—we’re begging for more original films like this one. Take a chance on that fun script and fund that fresh filmmaker.
