The writer and director behind the breakout horror hit “Barbarian” will soon get back to work on his next film after several studios bid for a chance to land the rights to the movie…
Following a breakout hit with his debut film “Barbarian,” writer and director Zach Cregger has set up his next project with a film called “Weapons” that will be produced by New Line Cinema after a bidding war between studios.
According to reports, several outlets were attempting to land Cregger’s next project after “Barbarian” earned more than $45 million at the box office on just a $4.5 million budget. Rumors swirled that Universal, Netflix and Sony/TriStar were all in the hunt to land Cregger’s next film but it was New Line that ultimately won the rights with a healthy financial offer along with a promise that the movie would receive a theatrical release.
“Zach proved with Barbarian that he can create a visceral theatrical experience for audiences and that he commands every tool in the filmmaker toolbelt,” Richard Brener, president and chief creative officer at New Line Cinema, said in a statement. “We couldn’t be happier that he, Roy and Miri and J.D. and Rafi chose New Line to be the home of his next film, and hope it is the first of many to come.”
Of course, New Line Cinema has been a popular home for horror films for many, many years — including the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series that earned the studio the nickname “The House that Freddy Built.”
Very little is known about “Weapons” other than the project is said to straddle the line between a thriller and a horror film but on a much larger scale.
Cregger wrote the script for the film and he will also direct the project just like he did “Barbarian.” Much like that film, “Weapons” will also be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros.
There’s no telling how quickly Cregger will get to work on casting or production but now that New Line Cinema has won the rights to the film, it won’t likely take long for the wheels to get into motion.
