In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, “Weapons” director Zach Cregger confirmed the original cast of his upcoming horror movie included Pedro Pascal, Brian Tyree Henry, Austin Abrams and “The Worst Person in the World” favorite Renate Reinsve. Then came the Hollywood strikes, which delayed production on “Weapons” so much that Cregger was forced to recast from the ground up.
“I had a whole different cast for this movie. And then we had the strike, and then Pedro Pascal’s schedule threw us into turmoil. I had to recast the entire movie,” Cregger said.
“This is what happens, right?” he added. “The strikes delayed us, and then when you delay, people’s schedules get conflicts, and then you’re back at square one. I bear no ill will towards anybody. We just kept getting delayed and delayed. It’s like a domino effect. So I had to start over again.”
“Weapons” is set in a Pennsylvania small town and centers on what happens after 17 children from the local elementary school go missing at the same time. Pascal was originally to set play one of the fathers of a missing child. Josh Brolin took over the role when Pascal dropped out because of scheduling conflicts.
The only actor who remained with the movie during the casting overhaul caused by the strikes was Austin Abrams, known for his roles in “Euphoria” and “Wolfs.” He stars in the film as a a townsperson named James who is addicted to drugs. Cregger told EW: “He hung tough with me. That’s my dude right there.”
“I’d seen ‘Barbarian’ with a friend,” Abrams added. “I remember when it cut to Justin Long in the car, I just knew I loved whoever made that movie. I was able to get in contact with Zach, and then it turned out he was making something. He thought I was a good fit for it, potentially. … I loved the part and I didn’t wanna let it go. So I just really held on because I really wanted to do it.”
Had Pascal been able to shoot the movie, it would’ve given him his fourth release of the 2025 summer movie season. He starred opposite Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans in A24’s box office hit “Materialists” in June, then got a supporting role in the indie distributor’s COVID western “Eddington,” then joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe for “Fantastic Four: First Steps” in July.
“Weapons” opens in theaters Aug. 8 from New Line and Warner Bros.
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