Zach Cregger Is Really Excited for His ‘Crazy’ Aunt Gladys Movie

Amy Madigan won an Oscar for playing Gladys for a reason. She’s phenomenal in the role, even with limited screen time. The character was also crafted in a really stunning way. Her reveal was shocking, her powers are terrifying and mysterious, and her outfits and look are iconic, leading the way to all manner of wonderful Halloween costumes (possibly for years to come). But will some of that power be taken away if you take a look at her origins? Does explaining her make her less interesting?

There has been no shortage of ill-advised films that delve into the origins of already popular characters. They’re presented with winks and nods to things you already love, while rarely offering anything new or of substance. It’s not that a prequel for an established character is impossible; it can just be hard to live up to whatever audiences have ever come up with in their own heads. Still, it sounds like Cregger is hoping they’ll follow along when he explores Aunt Gladys’ backstory.

“First of all, I’m really excited about the Gladys movie, and I loved working with Amy,” Cregger explained to fans at San Diego Comic Con, according to THR. “I loved that character. For the movie Weapons, it really made a lot of sense not to dive into her backstory because the device of Weapons was to keep her very mysterious.” Right off the bat, I will say that if he gets Amy Madigan back, then I would be on board for this a lot more easily. She is really fantastic in the part.

He went on to explain why he thinks the movie will be worth it. “However, there’s an amazing story to be told about where Gladys comes from and how she became what we know her as. It’s got a lot of twists and turns, and mysteries and crazy things, like Weapons does,” he said. “I think it’s going to be great. The script is in progress now, but we’re taking that super seriously, and it’s moving in the right direction. So yeah, it’s being written, is the short answer.”

Cregger seems to know what waters he’s wading into, so that’s good, at least. But his explanation does scratch that worrying itch that I have. If mystery was such a part of her character working, will it be as effective if you strip that mystery away? Obviously, she can still be mysterious, but if she’s leading her own movie, we’re going to need something to hold onto. We’re going to need to get to know her at least a little bit better.

I’ve got a lot of faith in Cregger. Weapons was marvelous. Barbarian was one of my favorite experiences I’ve ever had in a movie theater (and is finally getting a physical release for all us sickos!!!). His Resident Evil movie looks pretty rad! This just feels like dangerous territory. But if he’s game, I’ll be there with bells on.