Warner Bros.The marketing campaign for Barbarian director Zach Cregger’s new movie Weapons has kicked off with a website that hints at the films being connected.
Barbarian was one of the horror hits of 2022, grossing $45 million from an estimated $4.5 million budget.
Written and directed by Zach Cregger – and starring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long – the film revolved around a woman renting a home and finding something terrible within those walls.
Cregger’s follow-up Weapons is hitting screens in August, and thanks to a new website for the movie, there might be a connection between his movies past and present.
Weapons website hints at connection with Zach Cregger’s Barbarian
A new website has sprung up for a fake news organization that suggests horror movies Barbarian and Weapon are connected. Maybrook News features an article that seemingly sets up the plot of the forthcoming film, while at the bottom, there’s a very specific link to the 2022 title.
Warner Bros.Underneath a headline that reads ’17 Local Children Leave Home Simultaneously at 2:17am.’ the article states: “A chilling mystery has gripped the small town of Maybrook after 17 children voluntarily left their homes Wednesday morning. Authorities are baffled by the inexplicable disappearance, which has shaken the community to its core.
“Upon investigation, front door camera footage showed the children leaving their homes at 2:17am Wednesday morning without any signs of force. Since then, little information has surfaced, and the case continues to baffle investigators.
“In response, a school gathering was held, where growing unease among parents became clear. As the town struggles to understand what happened, officials continue to urge the public for any leads, while Maybrook is left waiting for answers.”
Warner Bros.That’s in line with details that have previously been released about the film revolving around the disappearance of multiple children. But at the bottom of that same page there’s a link with the words ‘Underground Prison Discovered in Rental Home,’ that takes users to a page dedicated to the plot of Barbarian.
The article reads: “A rental property in Detroit’s Brightmoor neighborhood has become the focus of a chilling investigation after a local woman escaped the home under shocking circumstances and an actor was found dead nearby.
“Police were alerted after Tess Marshall, 28, was discovered injured and disoriented outside the Barberry Street property. What began as a simple wellness check quickly turned into a large-scale crime scene. Investigators uncovered a network of hidden tunnels beneath the home, sparking questions about the property’s history and potential connection to unsolved disappearances dating back decades.”
The article continues with information about the tunnels possibly being used for criminal activities, and states that there will be “emergency inspections of similar abandoned or neglected properties throughout the Brightmoor neighborhood.”
A mayor called Sheryl Parks also calls the discovery “deeply troubling,” and promises a full investigation into how such activity could have gone unnoticed for so long.
The appearance of a Barbarian article on the Weapons page could be a way of telling audiences the two movies are made by the same writer-director. But there’s probably more at play here, with the website designed to connect the movies, meaning they are taking place in the same universe and might even crossover via story or characters.
We’ll know more closer to its August 8, 2025 release. Until then, check out our list of the best horror movies of all-time, as well as the best thrillers on Netflix right now.