New horror movie trailer “Weapons” turns PTA meetings into a terrifying nightmare

The new horror film "Weapons" from "Barbarian" director Zach Cregger tells the story of 17 children who mysteriously disappeared from a fictional Pennsylvania town called Maybrook, as detailed in Entertainment Weekly's exclusive first look at this highly anticipated project. At exactly 2:17 a.m. on an ordinary Wednesday, these children left their beds, exited their homes, and vanished into the night, all moving with their arms outstretched in the same rigid formation. Entertainment Weekly reveals that Julia Garner plays Justine Gandy, a teacher who arrives at work to find her entire class missing except for one student. The film also stars Josh Brolin as Archer Graff, a father of one of the missing children who finds Justine suspicious, and Alden Ehrenreich as a local police officer with a "complicated relationship" to the teacher, according to the entertainment publication.

"Weapons" will hit theaters on Friday, August 8, featuring a cast that also includes Benedict Wong, Austin Abrams, Amy Madigan, Cary Christopher, and June Diane Raphael, Variety reports in their coverage of the film's trailer release. The film is produced by Roy Lee and Miri Yun via Vertigo, alongside Raphael Margules and J.D. Lifshitz via BoulderLight Pictures, with New Line handling the theatrical release. 

Director Cregger, who began his career in the comedy group Whitest Kids U'Know, told Variety that the switch between comedy and horror wasn't as drastic as it might seem, explaining that "the anatomy of a scare is very similar to the anatomy of a laugh. It's all about timing and tone and zigging when the audience expects you to zag."

The latest trailer for "Weapons" gives viewers more clues about where the missing children might have ended up, according to The Verge's analysis. While it doesn't explain why an entire classroom of young children suddenly disappeared, The Verge points out that the trailer shows shots of the missing students running through streets at night, suggesting they might not actually be dead. The new footage reveals how the situation makes teacher Justine Gandy feel like she's losing her mind as she faces accusations from Archer Graff and other parents who believe she has something to do with the disappearances. 

Adding to the intrigue, The Verge mentions that it's still difficult to determine how "Weapons" might connect to Cregger's previous horror hit "Barbarian," which the publication suggests is probably a sign that the new film will surprise audiences with unexpected twists when it releases.