Josh Brolin praises Zach Cregger’s horror-mystery “Weapons” as a bold, funny antidote to formulaic streaming fare — and a surprising box-office hit.
Josh Brolin says he joined Zach Cregger’s new horror-mystery Weapons because it bucks the “all the same shit” he sees on streaming services — and audiences appear to agree.
Speaking to Collider, the Oscar-nominated actor described a streaming landscape saturated with interchangeable fare and explained that Weapons felt like the antidote. “You’re looking for great filmmakers, and you’re hoping that there’s another new good filmmaker out there,” Brolin said.
“Right now, with so much content, you’re just watching things on whatever streaming service you’re on, and you’re just going, ‘Fuck, why is this so boring, man? Why?’ And just go to the next thing. It’s all the same shit.”
He praised Cregger’s willingness to twist the horror genre into something that flirts with absurdity and humor while still landing emotional blows.
“Somebody not only takes the horror genre, but then fucks with it and then does something on the edge of absurdity, and it’s sort of humorous, so it’s keeping you off-[balance] enough for him to have an emotional impact, ultimately,” Brolin added.
Directed by Zach Cregger and co-starring Julia Garner, Weapons follows a small town thrown into chaos after every child in a single class — except one — vanishes simultaneously. The mysterious disappearance leaves residents questioning who or what is responsible, a premise that clearly hooked moviegoers and critics alike.
The film opened far stronger than many anticipated, earning $42.5 million in its opening weekend — reportedly more than $10 million above expectations. That box-office surprise underscores Cregger’s contention that horror remains one of the most fertile spaces for large-scale creativity in contemporary cinema.
“It seems like horror is one of the few outlets for real creativity right now on a big scale,” Cregger told The Hollywood Reporter, noting that without horror, theaters are often dominated by expensive, risk-averse tentpoles.
He said he longs for a return of “cool, edgy weird comedies” and more adult-oriented dramatic fare in theaters, lamenting that such risk-taking has become rarer on the big screen.
With Weapons, Cregger and his cast appear to have found a sweet spot: a film that disturbs and amuses in equal measure while reminding audiences — and an industry often driven by formulas — that originality can still pay off.
