‘Weapons’ Prequel Taps Zach Shields to Co-Write With Zach Cregger

“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” writer Zach Shields is set to write the untitled “Weapons” prequel alongside Zach Cregger at New Line, TheWrap has learned.

With the working title “Gladys,” the project centers on the Aunt Gladys character that won Amy Madigan an Oscar

Cregger and Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Miri Yoon are returning to produce the prequel.

In “Weapons,” Madigan’s bonkers turn as evil Aunt Gladys, who doesn’t appear until the movie’s 75-minute mark, was instantly hailed as the punk, pop-art performance of the year.

“It was like a little earthquake had happened,” Madigan previously said. “Zach and the studio were smart about keeping my character a secret. I’m proud of the film and I’m proud of my work as Gladys, but I never realized it would explode like this. People are painting portraits of her. My friend went to a drag club in St. Louis and the person working the door was dressed as Gladys. I heard one theory that she has something to do with Elvis’s mother, which was news to me.”

“Weapons” centers on the disappearance of 17 children from a suburban town. Aunt Gladys is an ossified witch who wears candy-red makeup and an orange wig in public. Madigan cited the collaboration with costume designer Trish Summerville (“The Hunger Games”) and makeup effects designer Jason Collins (“Pam & Tommy”) to bring the character to life.

Shields most recently worked on “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” for Warner Bros. and Legendary. Prior to that, he co-wrote “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and “Krampus” for Universal with Michael Dougherty.

In television, he most recently served as a co-executive producer on Alma Har’el’s “Lady in the Lake” for Apple, starring Natalie Portman, and was a consulting producer on “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” for Apple as well.

Shields is represented by Range Media Partners and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman.

Deadline first reported the news.

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