With Pedro Pascal now shooting “Fantastic Four” this summer, Zach Cregger needs a new leading man for the follow-up to his 2022 horror hit “Barbarian.” Well, Cregger may have found him. THR reports that John Brolin is in final talks to star in “Weapons,” one of the buzziest genre films in Hollywood right now.
If Brolin signs on, he’ll star in a sprawling, multistory horror epic that insiders who have read Cregger’s script say is similar in structure to the 1999 P.T. Anderson film “Magnolia.” On paper, that sounds fantastic; too bad Cregger is keeping a tight lid on further details.
But here’s what else we know about “Weapons” at the moment. The upcoming film reunites Creggor with his “Barbarian” production team: Roy Lee at Vertigo, and J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules at BoulderLight Pictures. Miri Yoon also produces through Vertigo. And as noted earlier, Pascal had to exit the film after its production was delayed last Fall due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA guild strikes. After Pascal signed on to “Fantastic Four,” he’ll be too busy to shoot “Weapons,” which brings Brolin into the fold.
And if Brolin reaches a contract with New Line for “Weapons,” it’ll be a great start to what, if the “Magnolia” comparisons are true, should be a huge ensemble cast. The actor stars next in the much-anticipated blockbuster “Dune: Part Two,” in theaters next weekend. Brolin also has the new season of “Outer Range,” which debuts on Prime Video in May. But beyond that, the only other upcoming film for Brolin is the comedy “Brothers,” which he co-stars in with Peter Dinklage.
Stay tuned for more news on “Weapons,” which should start shooting soon.