Imagine being chased by a horde of possessed children determined to tear you limb from limb. Sounds like a nightmare, right? That's exactly what happens in Zach Cregger's horror film "Weapons," and believe it or not, the incredible actress Amy Madigan, who played the villain Gladys, insisted on doing as many of her own stunts as possible during that terrifying chase scene!
Now, you might be thinking, "Wait, isn't she a seasoned actress? Why would she risk it?" Well, that's exactly what makes this story so compelling. At the time of filming, Madigan was a very respectable 75 years old, and she was ready to run.
Madigan, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly's "The Awardist" podcast, shared her intense preparation for the movie's climax. The scene involves her character, Gladys, being hunted down and brutally attacked by 17 schoolchildren whom she had been holding captive to steal their energy – yes, you read that right! (We'll dive into the bizarre plot details in a moment, so hang tight.)
She admits there was a lot of preparation. "Being told you're gonna be ripped apart is one thing. Actually framing it and shooting it and doing it..." Madigan wanted to make sure that the children were comfortable around her. "But it really started with that whole running sequence, which I really had a blast doing," she continued.
Director Zach Cregger initially resisted the idea, understandably concerned for Madigan's safety. He envisioned a stunt double taking on the physical demands of sprinting across lawns while being pursued by a relentless mob of children. But here's where it gets controversial... Madigan wouldn't budge. She reportedly told Cregger, "'Oh, no, I'm running. I'm definitely running. I'm doing it.' So all of that, just revving it up that the payoff, I thought. was great. It's like, yeah, just rip her apart." Cregger confirmed this account in a separate interview.
Cregger, in another interview with IndieWire, detailed the challenges of filming the chase sequence, which spanned about three days. The fast-paced production of "Weapons" meant they had fewer takes than desired. He specifically highlighted the shots of Gladys running through strangers' houses with the swarm of children right behind her. "That was really Amy [Madigan] for all of that," he emphasized. "That was really Amy running that."
Cregger hired a stuntwoman, as any responsible director would, but Madigan wasn't having it. Cregger explained, "We had a stuntwoman there, and when Amy saw the stuntwoman in her outfit, she was like, 'What is she doing here?' And I was like, 'Amy, if you fall down, we're going to have a real problem. I need you for the rest of the movie, so I'm going to have her run.' And she was like, 'No, you're not having her run.'"
Ultimately, Madigan prevailed. "Amy ran that whole thing," Cregger conceded. And this is the part most people miss... There's only one brief moment where the stuntwoman steps in. Cregger revealed, "The only thing that's not Amy is when she gets tackled because we did like a Texas switch. Amy runs into the doorway, and as we follow the girl out the window, the stuntwoman goes running into the front yard, so the girl tackles the stuntwoman. But it's just that one moment."
So, how does Gladys end up in this predicament in the first place? Let's rewind and delve into the bizarre and captivating plot of "Weapons."
The film opens with a narration describing a strange event: at 2:17 AM, 17 children mysteriously vanish from their homes, running in a peculiar, synchronized manner toward an unknown destination. Gladys, it turns out, is responsible. She used a bizarre ritual involving a special tree branch, personal items of her targets, and a blood sacrifice. By breaking the branch, she transformed the children into weaponized beings. These children are then held in the basement of the Lily home, where Alex (Cary Christopher), the only unpossessed classmate, resides with his possessed parents, whose home Gladys has invaded.
Alex eventually uncovers Gladys's spell and uses it against her, unleashing the bloodthirsty children upon her. Cregger also mentioned that the scene of Gladys's demise was achieved with practical effects.
"Even Gladys getting shredded. I think her eye blinks while her face is getting pulled apart, and that's VFX, but everything else is like... we had a dummy with hoses inside, and the kids pulled the dummy apart and got sprayed with fake blood. They were having the time of their little lives."
It's a fitting end for such an evil character, and Amy Madigan seems to think so too. "I think some people find it funny," she told "The Awardist." "Some people are like, 'I don't know about that ending.' Some people find it justice has prevailed, so that's good."
"Weapons" is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
But here's the question: Do you think it was reckless for Amy Madigan to insist on performing her own stunts, or do you admire her dedication to the role? Did the ending feel like justice served, or did it cross the line? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
