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Weapons is a US mystery horror film produced, and directed by Zach Cregger. It features Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan.
It is centered on the enigma of where 17 children in a small town just vanished within one single night. Warner Bros. Pictures will release it in the US in August 2025.
When 17 of them from the same class vanish at the exact same time in Weapons, there is one who is left behind, placing the community in perplexity and terrorizing it, asking why they vanished.
Before Weapons releases on August 8, 2025, fans of horror, suspense, and mystery should check out these seven films that share a similar blend of psychological tension and eerie atmospheres. They offer the perfect build-up to the upcoming thriller.
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Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
The Descent and 6 other movies to watch before the release of Weapons
1) It Comes at Night
It Comes at Night is an American horror film of 2017 written and directed by Trey Edward Shults. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic environment devastated by a contagious disease, and is about a family trying to find refuge in a remote forest.
A plague disease sweeps the world, and a family - Paul, Sarah, and their high school student son Travis are forced to live in seclusion deep in the woods. When a second family comes for safety, tension is increased as paranoia and fear of infection set in.
Weapons almost exactly mimic the suspenseful mood of It Comes at Night in that the unseen danger puts people into quarantine and suspicion.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV+
2) The Descent
The Descent is a 2005 British horror movie directed by and written by Neil Marshall.
The film tracks six women who discover an uncharted cave system and struggle to survive attacks by vicious creatures inside. A year after a fatal accident, Sarah accompanies a group of friends on a caving trip in the Appalachian Mountains. When one of the tunnels caves in, they are trapped in an unmapped cave with no rescue in view.
Like Weapons, The Descent explores survival's psychological terror with characters battling monstrous, invisible horrors all over the place.
Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+
3) Irréversible
Irréversible (2002) is a thriller movie written and directed by Gaspar Noé. Set over the course of a dark night in Paris, the film follows two men seeking violent revenge against those responsible for the brutal assault of the woman they both love.
Parisian partners Alex and Marcus face personal tensions, a party, and Alex’s ex, Pierre. When Alex leaves alone, a brutal act sparks a dangerous search through the city's underbelly, pulling Marcus and Pierre deeper into peril.
Their quest for revenge turns into a maelstrom of destruction, crossing the boundary between revenge and devastation.
In the manner of Weapons, Irréversible addresses the ghastly consequences of violence, forming a chilling narrative of revenge and devastation.
Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, AMC+
4) Lost Highway
Lost Highway (1997) is David Lynch's surreal neo-noir horror movie, co-written with Barry Gifford. A musician receives strange tapes, is accused of killing his wife, and mysteriously disappears in prison, only to be replaced by a young mechanic living a completely different life.
After receiving eerie videotapes and cryptic clues, saxophonist Fred Madison is thrust into a nightmarish spiral of unraveling reality and identity. Caught in a violent web involving a young mechanic, a mobster, and his mistress, Fred is pursued by a grotesque monster, sinking deeper into a terrifying blend of terror and delusion.
Like Weapons, Lost Highway dissolves the distinction between reality and nightmare, and its story unspools into surreal and unsettling terrain.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
5) Angst
Angst (1983) is an Austrian horror-thriller directed by Gerald Kargl, who worked with cinematographer and editor Zbigniew Rybczyński on the script.
It follows a psychopath released from prison and is loosely derived from actual mass murderer Werner Kniesek. A new serial killer stalks the city with a nasty desire to see fear. After a botched attempt to strike in public, he breaks into a family residence, triggering a wave of horror and brutality.
Tormented by his past and fueled by brutality, his behavior spirals toward a looming reckoning as his desire for domination and horror drives him to a culmination.
Similar to Weapons, Angst is also concerned with the terrible proximity of a killer motivated by a repulsive urge to instill terror, and it is a ghastly and disorganized ride.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
6) Zodiac
Zodiac (2007) is a mystery thriller directed and written by David Fincher, based on Robert Graysmith's books about the actual pursuit of the Zodiac Killer in San Francisco during the 1960s–70s.
On July 4, 1969, a couple is assaulted in Vallejo, California, and the Zodiac self-titled killer begins a series of attacks. The killer taunts newspapers with coded messages and ciphers, and the investigation becomes protracted for several months.
Cartoonist Robert Graysmith becomes obsessed with the Zodiac case, working alongside reporter Paul Avery and detectives Toschi and Armstrong. As false leads fade, Graysmith spends years chasing the killer, despite lives being ruined along the way.
While Zodiac slowly uncovers a genuine mystery, Weapons offers a twisted investigation that progresses in pieces, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV+, HBO Max
7) Gone Girl
Gone Girl is an American psychological thriller released in 2014 based on Gillian Flynn's novel released in 2012. The plot is about Nick Dunne (Affleck), who is the prime suspect behind the disappearance of his wife Amy (Pike) in Missouri.
On their fifth anniversary, Nick Dunne's wife, Amy, goes missing. As suspicion mounts, secrets of infidelity and manipulation emerge, revealing Amy’s twisted plan to frame Nick—leading to a chilling, dark conclusion.
Weapons imitates the suspense and manipulation present in Gone Girl, as the intricate web of lies and secrets compels its characters into risk.
Where to watch: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+
Weapons has a lineup of actors like Pedro Pascal, Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Austin Abrams, and Benedict Wong. Viewers can expect a chilling, star-powered descent into horror and mystery.
