Warner Bros. Pictures is building anticipation for its upcoming horror film Weapons with a cryptic and unconventional marketing campaign. From writer-director Zack Cregger, known for his 2022 sleeper hit Barbarian, Weapons is scheduled for theatrical release on August 8. The studio has released an unlisted, two-hour video on YouTube under the title “2025_░_░_06:17AM.mov.” The video presents what appears to be security or surveillance footage, much of it showing children wandering through suburban streets in the early morning hours.
The video’s unsettling premise is introduced through a promotional poster, which states: “Last night at 2:17 am, every child from Mrs. Gandy’s class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark… and never came back.” While the video’s title suggests a timestamp of 6:17 AM, the footage itself often references the earlier time of 2:17 AM, prompting speculation among viewers about the potential significance of the number 17. The studio has confirmed that 17 children are involved in the film’s central mystery.
Warner Bros has set up a in-universe website about the events of Zach Cregger’s new horror film ‘WEAPONS’
The website also teases a connection to Cregger’s previous film ‘BARBARIAN’
🔗: https://t.co/dlydrNUF3O pic.twitter.com/vivzjYODR7
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 14, 2025
The video itself does not include overt branding or recognizable cast appearances, though it contains several eerie and unexplained elements. One monitor shows the reflected face of a middle-aged man watching the screens, his expression blank and unreadable. Viewers have questioned whether this character may be played by actor Toby Huss, who is part of the film’s announced cast, which also includes Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, June Diane Raphael, and Benedict Wong.
Much like its predecessor Barbarian, Weapons is using viral marketing techniques that aim to immerse potential audiences in the film’s unsettling world before revealing plot details. The style is reminiscent of Warner Bros.’ 2008 campaign for The Dark Knight, which employed interactive websites and mysterious clues to generate speculation about the film’s version of The Joker. In the case of Weapons, the approach includes static-filled audio and imagery that resembles home security footage, dash cams, and other types of surveillance, lending the campaign a disquieting realism.
Zack Cregger’s previous film Barbarian achieved commercial success through a similar strategy. Initially marketed with misleading promotional content, the film pivoted midway through its trailer to reveal a much darker tone. With a production budget of $4.5 million, Barbarian grossed over $45 million worldwide, marking it as one of the most profitable horror films of the year. That success has heightened expectations for Weapons, which appears to be aiming for a similarly impactful debut.
The new campaign’s immersive approach has already sparked online discussions, with viewers analyzing clues within the two-hour video and speculating about the film’s themes and plot. Although Warner Bros. has not provided detailed information about the story, the combination of viral mystery and horror imagery has generated early interest in what is expected to be one of the more notable releases in the genre this summer.
Weapons is set for release on August 8 in theaters nationwide.
