Weapons is one of the year’s biggest surprise hits, and its latest box office achievement may have created an exciting rivalry in the horror genre. While 2025 has been a mixed year at the box office, horror has performed reliably. Sinners set records for original horror films, Final Destination Bloodlines brought new life back to the franchise, and Weapons became a late summer hit.
Several factors led to the film’s success, including its well-constructed marketing campaign. The idea of 17 kids waking up at the same time, running into the night, and disappearing, created intrigue for anyone who saw the trailer. It also helped that the film is one of 2025’s best-reviewed titles, currently holding a 94% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
It’s the second horror film from director Zach Cregger and continues his success streak after 2022’s Barbarian. He’s established himself as one of the most consistent and unique names in horror, putting him in a category with other directors like Ari Aster and Robert Eggers. However, Weapons’ latest box office milestone indicates Cregger could be on a similar level as the genre’s hottest director.
Weapons Has Now Outgrossed All 3 Of Jordan Peele’s Movies
Weapons beat Freakier Friday to become the No. 1 film at the box office in its opening weekend, and it has continued to perform well. As it moves up the charts, it has passed several notable horror films, like Annabelle and 2018’s Halloween. It recently reached $260 million worldwide, and this milestone pushes it past Jordan Peele’s three films. Peele is currently horror’s most prominent filmmaker.
He made the transition from Key & Peele to horror with 2017’s Get Out. Serving as both writer and director, Get Out was a sensation with critics and audiences, grossing $252 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget. His follow-up, Us, wasn’t as unanimously praised, but his name did give it a boost at the box office. It’s still his highest-grossing film with $256 million worldwide.
His third film, Nope, also performed well, reaching $171 million worldwide. While the 2022 sci-fi horror film hit lower numbers than the first two, it was still a success for Universal and continued Peele’s streak of making thought-provoking films. His first three movies have established him as one of the biggest names in horror, and many are anticipating Peele’s next project.
However, Weapons’ $260 million gross demonstrates that Peele isn’t the only filmmaker who can create original horror that appeals to broad audiences. Many were interested in see what Cregger would conjure up after Barbarian, and he went above and beyond expectations. Strong word-of-mouth, smart marketing, and an intriguing mystery helped the movie thrive at the box office.
It captured the pop culture zeitgeist, giving more audiences a reason to see it for themselves. Cregger now holds a box office crown over Peele, and it could lead to the director becoming a new king of horror.
Jordan Peele Finally Has A Worthy Challenger For The Horror Crown
While there are plenty of impressive horror filmmakers working now, Cregger’s similarities to Peele make a potential rivalry interesting. To start, both directors come from sketch comedy backgrounds. Key & Peele was wildly popular during its five-season run, and Cregger’s The Whitest Kids U’ Know built a smaller, but passionate fanbase that continues to share their videos.
Their comedic sensibilities are present in their films as they often mix humor and horror. Weapons’ ending was as hilarious as it was disturbing, and Get Out often used jokes to lighten the mood or add to the eerie atmosphere. The filmmakers are also lauded for adding relevant social commentary to their films, giving audiences reasons to discuss and revisit their films.
Peele is known for his production company, Monkeypaw, which has produced several acclaimed films like Monkey Man and Candyman. A report revealed that Peele failed to win a bidding war for Weapons, leading to rumors that he parted ways with two managers primarily for this reason. Weapons has proven his instincts correct, especially since it would have been Monkeypaw’s highest-grossing film.
Amid the boom of artsy horror films from studios like A24 and Neon, directors like Ari Aster and Robert Eggers have also emerged as prominent names in the genre. However, they typically do not make films with broad appeal, as they are often more depressing and bleak. Cregger and Peele have broken into the mainstream.
While Cregger has the highest-grossing film of the two, Peele still holds award wins over Cregger. Get Out was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, the last of which Peele won. It’s unlikely that Weapons may get a Best Picture nomination as it’s a rare feat for horror, but it’s possible since it is a huge hit with critics.