If you’re still thinking about that basement scene in Barbarian, you already know that Zach Cregger doesn’t exactly do "short and sweet." His follow-up, Weapons, has finally hit the scene, and it’s a massive pivot from the claustrophobic hallways of his debut. This isn't some ninety-minute slasher you can breeze through between dinner and bed. Honestly, it’s a bit of a commitment.
So, let's get right to the point: how long is Weapons the movie?
The official theatrical runtime for Weapons is 128 minutes. That’s 2 hours and 8 minutes of missing kids, witchcraft, and Josh Brolin looking intensely stressed. It’s significantly longer than Barbarian (which clocked in at a lean 102 minutes), and that extra half-hour is felt in every single frame of this "interrelated, multistory horror epic."
Why the runtime matters for this specific story
Cregger didn't just pad the runtime for the sake of it. The movie is essentially the Magnolia of horror films. It doesn’t follow one person; it jumps between six different perspectives in the town of Maybrook, Florida.
You’ve got:
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- Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), a teacher whose entire class vanishes at 2:17 a.m.
- Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), a father dealing with some serious personal demons.
- Paul Morgan (Alden Ehrenreich), a beat cop caught in the middle of a literal supernatural storm.
When you have that many moving parts, 128 minutes actually starts to feel a little tight. The movie is divided into chapters that slowly piece together why 17 kids walked out of their beds and into the woods. If it were shorter, the emotional weight of the "Aunt Gladys" reveal—played with terrifying weirdness by Amy Madigan—would probably have fallen flat.
Is there an intermission?
Basically, no. Unless you’re watching it on Max (where it landed on October 24, 2025), you’re going to want to skip the extra-large soda. The pacing is weirdly frantic for a two-hour movie. Cregger has mentioned in interviews that the "mystery" only carries you through the first hour before the movie "forks and reinvents itself" into something way crazier.
Comparing the length to other 2025 horror hits
In the current landscape of horror, we’ve seen a trend toward these "epic" runtimes. While Longlegs kept things under two hours, Weapons joins the ranks of movies like Crime 101 (which hit 140 minutes) in demanding more of the audience's time.
Most people expect horror to be a quick 90-minute jolt to the system. Weapons isn't that. It’s a slow-burn mystery that explodes into a supernatural third act. If you’re a fan of the "elevated horror" vibe but want more scale, the 128-minute length is actually a selling point. It gives the lore—specifically the witchcraft and the life-force feeding rituals—room to breathe.
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What about the credits?
If you're counting the "sit-in-your-seat" time, the actual narrative ends around the 118-minute mark. The credits roll for about ten minutes, accompanied by that haunting score from Ryan and Hays Holladay.
There isn't a post-credits scene, so you don't need to stay until the lights come up unless you're just vibing with the music or processing that insane ending where the kids literally tear the villain apart.
How to watch Weapons right now
Since we're already into 2026, your options for watching Weapons have expanded past the cinema.
- Streaming: It’s currently available on Max. This is the best way to watch if you want to pause and digest the non-linear timeline.
- Physical Media: The 4K UHD and Blu-ray dropped back in October 2025. This version is great because it actually helps clarify some of the darker cinematography by Larkin Seiple that might look "muddy" on a bad stream.
- Digital Purchase: You can grab it on Amazon or Apple TV for about $19.99 if you don't have a Max sub.
Honestly, the 128-minute runtime feels much shorter on a second watch. Once you know how the "Aunt Gladys" ritual works, watching the early scenes with the school principal (Benedict Wong) becomes a totally different experience.
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If you're planning a movie night, just make sure you start before 10 p.m. It’s an exhausting watch, not because it’s boring, but because the tension in that final 20-minute showdown at Alex’s house is genuinely draining.
If you haven't seen it yet, go in cold. Don't worry about the length; the "Magnolia-on-acid" structure keeps it moving way faster than your average two-hour drama. Just keep an eye out for the name cards. They're more important than you think.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your Max subscription: Ensure your plan supports 4K streaming to see the intricate details of the Maybrook disappearances.
- Set aside 2 hours and 15 minutes: This accounts for the 128-minute runtime plus a quick "what did I just watch?" debrief with your friends.
- Watch Barbarian first: While not a sequel, it helps you get used to Zach Cregger’s habit of "forking" the plot halfway through.