Weapons Director Reveals Real Life Inspirations for Aunt Gladys’ Magic (You Can Find Them Easily)

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Similar to his previous film, *Barbarian*, director Zach Cregger kept details about *Weapons* under wraps before its release. This secrecy, along with the success of *Barbarian* and its stars Georgina Campbell and Justin Long, generated a lot of excitement. Surprisingly, even after the film premiered and its twists were revealed, interest didn’t wane – it actually increased among fans of the genre. Now that some time has passed since the premiere, Cregger is finally ready to discuss the film in more detail. Be warned: spoilers ahead.

When *Weapons* hit theaters, I, like a lot of horror fans, was instantly captivated by Amy Madigan’s character, Aunt Gladys. She was such a strange and unexpected villain! The filmmakers kept her completely hidden in the trailers and posters, so every time she showed up on screen, it was genuinely shocking. I recently read an interview with the director, Cregger, where he talked a lot about Aunt Gladys. He shared some behind-the-scenes stories about working with Amy Madigan and even explained where the idea for her unique abilities came from. It was really fascinating!

The Making of Aunt Gladys in Weapons

Cregger explained that while the script for *Weapons* established what Aunt Gladys looked like, Madigan truly made the character her own through her performance and personality. He pointed to her roles in *Gone Baby Gone* – where she was precise and captivating with minimal acting – and *Field of Dreams* – where she was delightfully whimsical – as evidence that Madigan was a perfect fit for the character’s contrasting, energetic sides.

Cregger explained he envisioned the character as someone who would dramatically switch between being incredibly energetic and positive, to being cold, calculating, and intense. He’d seen Amy’s previous work and knew she could handle both sides of the role effortlessly. After having lunch with her, he was immediately convinced she was perfect for the part, saying it felt like a stroke of good fortune.

While there are no official plans for a sequel to ‘Weapons,’ director Cregger hasn’t ruled out another film, potentially a prequel focusing on the backstory of Aunt Gladys. He shared two interesting updates about this possible project, including confirmation that actress Madigan would return to play the character.

Cregger revealed he knows the plot for the sequel, but hasn’t started writing the script yet. He simply stated, ‘I have the story, and that’s all I can share right now.’

Is the Magic in Weapons Based on Real Life?

In the movie *Weapons*, Aunt Gladys’ magical rules appear on screen while the spells are being cast. The specifics aren’t explicitly explained, but attentive viewers can easily understand them. To heighten the sense of dread, director Adam Cregger based these magical elements on real-world practices.

The writer/director shared that they drew inspiration from two sources: a nonfiction book called *The Serpent and the Rainbow*, which explores Haitian voodoo, and a song called “Dancing in the Head” by the band The Mekons-surprisingly, it details how to create a zombie. While they enjoyed both, they ultimately developed their own unique approach to magical practices, and didn’t directly use any steps from either source.

Just so you know, both of these things do exist if you’re interested in learning more about them.

Weapons is now available on digital and will be available on 4K UHD on October 14.

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2025-09-22 20:41