Aayush Sharma
What will happen when kids from a small town vanish overnight, and no one knows what happened? It would send shockwaves through the community. That’s the unsettling premise at the heart of Zach Cregger’s film ‘Weapons.’ The mystery horror movie tells the story of a terrifying event where the students from Justine Gandy’s (Julia Garner) disappear mysteriously at 2:17 a.m., leaving no trace. The incident shatters the people of Maybrook and forces them to ask if they are truly safe. Apart from that, the title also delves into why every single one of the disappeared students belonged to Gandy’s class, making everyone wonder if she had something to do with the chilling event. As the plot progresses, the teacher and the parents embark on a strenuous journey for the truth and unravel what happened that night.
Even though the storyline primarily focuses on the mysterious vanishing, ‘Weapons’ doesn’t shy away from exploring themes like trauma, secrecy, and childhood. As the people of Maybrook come together to find answers, they learn that the disappearance is tied to something far greater, and their surroundings have been hiding sinister truths. The community’s struggle to escape this nightmare situation marks the majority of the narrative, with the town itself portrayed as a breathing presence. As a result, the production relies heavily on its setting and uses the isolated atmosphere to heighten the tension. The looming quiet of empty streets and the hopelessness of parents become characters in their own right, expanding the dread that runs through the tale.
Weapons Filming Locations
Even though the mystery horror movie is primarily set in the town of Maybrook, ‘Weapons‘ is shot entirely in Georgia. The principal photography began in May 2024, and seemingly continued till July of the same year. The flick, written by Zach Gregger, started casting in 2023, and Pedro Pascal was attached to the project as one of its leading stars. Apart from him, actors such as Renate Reinsve, Brian Tyree Henry, Austin Abrams, Tom Burke, and June Diane Raphael were also set to appear in the film. However, several production delays and the protests by the Writers Guild of America and the SAG-AFTRA led to scheduling conflicts, forcing Pascal, Reinsve, Henry, and Burke to drop out of the film. As a result, in February 2024, Josh Brolin replaced Pascal, while in April 2024, Julia Garner joined the cast.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cregger opened up about how difficult it was for him to start the production after he lost the entire cast. He said, “I cast it all up, and then the strike happened, and then I ended up losing my entire cast because of scheduling issues. That was just a goddamn nightmare. On the other side of the strike, I had to recast the whole movie.“ Despite all the setbacks, the maker was able to begin shooting a year later than he had initially planned to. He added, “If I had my druthers, this movie would have come out over a year ago, but we just had to keep waiting. Every movie is a roller coaster to commencement, I’m not unique in that way, but it was frustrating.”
Atlanta Metropolitan Area, Georgia
While the story of missing children is set in the small town of Maybrook, the makers decided to keep the base for taping in Georgia. As a result, the cast and crew extensively filmed in and around Atlanta, the state’s capital city, popularly known as the Empire State of the South. Maybrook is actually a place in the US, situated in the state of New York. It is a village located in Orange County in the Big Apple. However, it is not at all similar to the town created for the movie, which is more of a quiet, urban neighborhood with big houses surrounded by wooded areas. When it comes to shooting, the crew and acting members of the title recorded certain scenes in Covington, which is a part of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.
On the other hand, the crew lensed certain sequences in different parts of the metropolitan area mentioned above. Places such as Decatur, East Point, Griffin, Jonesboro, and Stone Mountain were used as primary locations to shoot vital sequences. The city of Decatur is known for its small-town feel, and that’s one of the reasons why the crew decided to lens pivotal parts of the film there. The story of ‘Weapons‘ takes place in a small town that has a strong sense of community, which is also visible in the movie. However, Cregger, who helmed the production, initially wanted to tape the project in Pennsylvania. In an interview, he stated, “I kept getting pissed when we were scouting around Atlanta. I was like, ‘I just wish we could shoot in Pennsylvania where they shot Prisoners.‘ And then I found out, no, they shot ‘Prisoners‘ in Atlanta. So we didn’t stop until we found exactly what we sought. It was like, if it works for them, it’ll work for us.”
The decision to film in and around Atlanta was good for the makers because it gave them the perfect setting for a film shrouded in mystery. According to Michelle Morrissey, the producer of ‘Weapons,‘ Atlanta has something of everything, which makes it a good location for shooting. Moreover, she noted that the crew of the horror flick shot in a little neighborhood so that viewers get the essence of a small town. She said in an interview, “This (film) is supposed to have a small-town feel, and we found an incredible little neighborhood in which to shoot everything. And not only is the look right, but the people who live in it have been so welcoming.“ Meanwhile, Julia Garner, who previously filmed ‘Ozark‘ in Atlanta, shared that she loves shooting in the Gate City because people are kind and they take their work seriously.
This is not the first time a primary production has taken the decision to shoot in Georgia, especially the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. The state and the region are popular among the studios, with a long history of hosting big-budget films and TV shows. Georgia is known for its diverse landscapes and a well-established film industry infrastructure. The crew can shoot in the mountainous regions if the production wants to showcase rugged, dramatic scenery, or head to the bustling city streets for a completely different cinematic backdrop. Apart from ‘Weapons,‘ several high-profile titles such as ‘The Vampire Diaries,‘ ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,‘ ‘Fear Street: Part One – 1994,‘ ‘Lovecraft Country,‘ ‘Insidious: The Red Door,‘ and ‘Stranger Things’ were taped in The Peach State.
Tucker, Georgia
Apart from shooting in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, ‘Weapons‘ also filmed in Tucker, a part of DeKalb County. The city is located about 15 miles northeast of Downtown Atlanta. According to a Facebook post, the makers reportedly lensed the school sequences inside the Brockett Elementary School, which is located at 1855 Brockett Road in the aforementioned town. It seems they changed the name of the school to Maybrook Elementary School because of the fictional city they created for the production. In reality, Maybrook Elementary School was an actual institution located at 120 Broadway in Maybrook, New York, giving the film’s setting an added layer of authenticity. The creators of the title seemed to shoot several pivotal scenes in the city, which is known for its thriving retail businesses.
Over the years, Tucker has become a preferred location for filming because of its locations, welcoming neighborhoods, and tax incentives. That’s why the city is known as a hot spot for film and TV production. Places such as Tucker Recreation Center at 4898 Lavista Road and Hugh Howell Road are particularly famous for filming purposes. Besides ‘Weapons,‘ many high-end Hollywood ventures have been filmed in Tucker, including ‘Prisoners,‘ ‘Sabotage,‘ ‘Just Beyond,‘ ‘Dear God No,’ ‘Ozark,‘ and ‘Mnemosyne.’
Read More: Is Weapons Based on a True Story?
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