Zach Cregger, the writer-director behind the critically acclaimed “Barbarian,” returns with “Weapons,” an intriguing and often gory horror film that begins with a chilling premise. At 2:17 a.m. on a school night, 17 third-grade children from a sleepy suburban community in Maybrook, Pennsylvania, vanish simultaneously. They leave their homes with arms outstretched, mimicking stealthy airplanes, leaving behind a bewildered town and a lone spared student, Alex. This mass disappearance sets an unconventional stage for a horror movie, with a local girl’s anonymous narration framing the ostensibly supernatural events that follow and hinting at a mystery that will remain at least partially unexplained, a hallmark of successful horror subgenres today.

Cregger significantly expands his sinister powers of suggestion in “Weapons,” continuing to demonstrate a unique skill for revealing threats lurking behind seemingly innocuous environments. The film, reminiscent of the best Stephen King narratives King never wrote, splinters its mystery among six characters, beginning with Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), the children’s teacher. The narrative ingeniously rewinds with each new chapter, replaying key scenes from different perspectives—the teacher, the parent (Josh Brolin’s angry Archer Graff), the cop, the school administrator, and two others—to provide fresh insights, piecing together an expert puzzle. This approach allows the audience’s imagination to run wild, making associations from QAnon-style conspiracies to the painful aftermath of a school shooting, as parents seek answers and blame.

The film’s tone is grimly self-serious for more than an hour, reinforced by steady camerawork and a vibrating score. However, an unexpected campy turn arrives with the introduction of Aunt Gladys, played by a nearly unrecognizable Amy Madigan, whose smeared clown-like makeup and uneven eyeballs create a character both humorous and repulsive. As the violence escalates in the home stretch, the film’s title becomes clear: the community comprises targets and weapons, and anything, from a child to a vegetable peeler, can be rendered dangerous. While the eventual explanation might narrow the initial wide-ranging ideas, “Weapons” ultimately delivers a cruel and twisted bedtime story, akin to the Brothers Grimm, where characters kill on command and audiences are left unsettled.

“Weapons” has also made a significant impact at the global box office, imminently crossing the $200 million mark with current ticket sales at $199.4 million. It retained its top spot on Friday, down only 37% from the previous week, and its impressive hold in its second weekend (a 43% drop) propelled its North American gross to over $105 million, making it the 13th-biggest release of the calendar year. Internationally, the film has amassed $83 million from 74 overseas markets, with top territories including the United Kingdom ($11 million), Mexico ($7.5 million), and France ($5.6 million). These figures are particularly notable for an original horror film produced on a budget of just $38 million.

Beyond “Weapons,” the box office saw other notable performances. Netflix’s animated streaming hit “KPop Demon Hunters,” despite being available on the platform for over two months and ranking as its second most-watched film ever, saw a strong theatrical release of a sing-along version across more than 1,700 locations, potentially challenging for the weekend’s top spot. Disney’s PG-rated comedy sequel, “Freakier Friday,” added $2.8 million on Friday and is projected to reach about $70 million through its third weekend, while Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” brought in $1.6 million, reaching a $252 million domestic total. Universal’s “The Bad Guys 2” projected $5.1 million in its fourth weekend, and “Nobody 2” aimed for $3.5 million in its second outing.

Several other films also marked milestones or debuts. Warner Bros. celebrated two blockbusters, “Superman” and “F1: The Movie,” each surpassing $600 million globally in 2025. “Superman” garnered $604.5 million ($347 million domestically), while “F1” achieved $603.4 million ($417 million overseas), highlighting their success as non-guaranteed hits. Celine Song’s romantic comedy “Materialists” emerged as a rare indie success story, adding $6.2 million overseas to reach $85.1 million globally. New releases like Universal’s lesbian noir “Honey Don’t!” ($1.4 million Friday/previews), Bleecker Street’s thriller “Relay,” and Ron Howard’s “Eden” debuted outside the top five or ten. A24’s re-release of the Chinese animated epic “Ne Zha II,” featuring a new English dub, earned approximately $690,000 on Friday, adding to its staggering global total of over $2 billion.