Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” has made its Indian streaming debut on JioHotstar, bringing audiences one of 2025’s most financially successful and artistically accomplished horror films. The thriller features powerhouse performances from Julia Garner and Josh Brolin, and its theatrical run generated over $269 million in worldwide grosses while establishing new standards for psychological horror in contemporary cinema.
The streaming platform’s release of “Weapons” fulfills substantial audience demand from horror enthusiasts across India who have been anticipating digital access. JioHotstar announced the film’s availability through Instagram, sharing compelling scenes with the caption: “Everyone’s looking for answers while evil lurks in the town of Maybrook.” This release strategy extends the film’s reach beyond theatrical audiences and ensures its continued cultural relevance.
“Weapons” distinguishes itself through its chilling exploration of how communities respond to incomprehensible tragedy. Seventeen children in Maybrook simultaneously vanish during the night, leaving their beds to disappear into darkness without explanation. This mass disappearance transforms the quiet town into a place where paranoia replaces trust and the search for someone to blame becomes a destructive obsession. Director Cregger maintains relentless tension while using the premise to examine how quickly social bonds can dissolve and how civilization’s veneer can crack when confronted with the inexplicable.
Julia Garner delivers an extraordinary performance as the school teacher who becomes the focal point of blame and investigation. Her portrayal captures the psychological devastation of being suspected without evidence while also mourning the children she taught, creating a character that serves as the film’s emotional anchor. The depth and authenticity she brings to the role ground the film’s supernatural elements in recognizable human emotion. The ensemble cast—Josh Brolin, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan—provides equally compelling work, creating believable characters whose responses to tragedy feel grounded in authentic behavior.
The production’s path to the screen involved significant financial drama that foreshadowed its eventual success. When the script entered the marketplace in January 2023, it sparked a bidding war between major studios, with New Line Cinema ultimately offering $38 million to secure it—$7 million more than Universal’s competing bid backed by Jordan Peele. This substantial investment represented a major gamble on Cregger’s vision that paid off extraordinarily when “Weapons” grossed $269 million globally, establishing itself as 2025’s second-most-successful horror film after Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” which earned $366.7 million worldwide. The film’s performance has confirmed both its artistic merit and its broad commercial appeal.
9