Josh Brolin's horror movie Weapons has moved up its release date following a reshuffling at Warner Bros. Being moved up suggests that the studio is very confident in the movie, which is directed by Zach Cregger, who previously helmed the hit 2022 horror film Barbarian. The story of Weapons will follow an ensemble who reacts to the mysterious disappearances of multiple children in a small town. In addition to Brolin, the cast of the movie includes Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, and Benedict Wong.
According to Warner Bros., the studio has switched Weapons' release date from January 16, 2026 to August 8, 2025. It has taken the release date that was originally planned for Paul Thomas Anderson's next movie, titled One Battle After Another, which will now release in September. In addition to these moves, Warner Bros. also made several other release date changes, which are as follows:
Movie |
Previous Release Date |
New Release Date |
|---|---|---|
One Battle After Another |
August 8, 2025 |
September 26, 2025 |
The Bride! |
September 26, 2025 |
March 6, 2026 |
The Cat in the Hat |
March 6, 2026 |
February 27, 2026 |
Flowervale Street |
March 13, 2026 |
August 14, 2026 |
Weapons |
January 16, 2026 |
August 8, 2025 |
What This Release Date Change Means For Weapons
Warner Bros. Expects Weapons To Be A Huge Success
In addition to the Warner Bros. Cregger's Weapons can be a successful horror movie at the box office. According to the outlet, the horror film was previously only scheduled for a January 2026 release because of the availability of IMAX screens.
Barbarian Director's Next Horror Movie Gets Enticing Tease From Star: "I'm Excited For People To See It"
One of the stars of Barbarian director Zach Cregger's horror movie Weapons teases what to expect, including the fact that it blends genres.
However, the new release date shifts ensure that Weapons can still play in IMAX theaters, which have continuously proven to be very profitable for studios. Not many story details are currently known about Cregger's movie, but it has been described as a horror epic with multiple interconnecting stories. It is amusing that the horror movie switched release dates with One Battle After Another, since the tone of Weapons has been compared to Anderson's acclaimed 1999 film Magnolia, which also features interweaving storylines with an ensemble cast.
Our Take On Weapons' Release Date Change
Weapons Could Be A Standout 2025 Horror Movie
Ever since the release of Barbarian, I have been excited to see what Cregger would do next. Barbarian is one of the best and most original horror movies of recent years, so I have no doubt that Weapons will also be a critical and commercial success. Not only will we receive the horror movie five months earlier than it was originally slated to come out, but this release date change proves that Warner Bros. is very confident in the film. Therefore, there is no reason not to be excited for Weapons, Cregger's highly anticipated follow-up to Barbarian.
Sources: Warner Bros. and Deadline
Weapons
- Release Date
- August 8, 2025
- Director
- Zach Cregger
- Writers
- Zach Cregger
- Producers
- Richard Brener, Roy Lee, Miri Yoon, J.D. Lifshitz
Cast
Alden Ehrenreich
Benedict Wong
