India, Aug. 7 -- Zach Cregger, best known for his breakout horror hit Barbarian, has returned with Weapons, a genre-defying mystery thriller driven by profound personal loss. The story centers on the bizarre disappearance of 17 elementary school children who simultaneously run away from home. But behind the eerie plot lies a filmmaker wrestling with grief in his own life.

Cegger, began developing Weapons in the aftermath of the sudden death of Trevor Moore, his best friend and co-founder of the sketch comedy group The Whitest Kids U'Know. According to a Polygon report, the 2021 tragedy marked a turning point for Cregger, who used screenwriting as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions.

He told Polygon that the chapter of his life was ...