The Floating Gun in ‘Weapons,’ Explained

by

Since its release in August 2025, Zach Cregger’s film, Weapons, has earned over $250 million, proving that original horror movies can still succeed in Hollywood. This darkly funny and spooky film starts with a simple idea – a group of children disappearing overnight – and then cleverly subverts typical horror tropes. While the ending might not fully satisfy some viewers, one particularly unsettling image from the movie continues to spark discussion.

The image shows a large AR-15 rifle hovering above a house, with the time ‘2:17’ displayed on the barrel. While the director hasn’t explained the meaning behind this striking visual, it’s sparked a lot of online discussion. Considering the film’s overall dark story and recurring themes, we can likely understand what the director is hinting at with this image. Here’s an explanation of what the floating gun symbolizes in Weapons.

How ‘Weapons’ Subverts Horrific Fairytales


Warner Bros. Pictures

Zach Cregger’s film, Weapons, starts with a fascinating and unsettling idea that’s likely to disturb both teens and their parents. The story centers around a strange event: seventeen students from the same class all mysteriously leave their homes at 2:17 AM. As the mystery unfolds, their teacher, Justine Gandy (played by Julia Garner), becomes a suspect and is put on leave while the events are investigated.

The story increasingly centers on Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), whose son was among the missing children, as Justine struggles with alcohol. The central mystery of the disappearances is compelling for much of the film. When Archer and Justine both start having the same strange dream about an old woman in clown makeup, the unsettling dream bleeds into a terrifying reality for the town in Pennsylvania.

Only Alex (Cary Christopher), a classmate who was often bullied, wasn’t affected by the disappearances, and his family might be connected to what’s happening. The story starts like a typical scary tale about children being targeted, but quickly becomes something else entirely. It turns out the children are being used as weapons, and the adults – their parents – are the ones who ultimately suffer the consequences.

While dedicated horror enthusiasts might find the big reveal in this popular witch movie a bit underwhelming, the director’s clever approach is impressive. He expertly builds up familiar horror tropes, then consistently subverts them. The film is full of strange, memorable images that reward close attention, and the floating gun over Archer’s house is perhaps the most puzzling of them all.

What Does The Floating Gun Represent in ‘Weapons’?


Warner Bros. Pictures

After his son, Matthew, goes missing at 2:17 AM, Archer is seen sleeping and has a strange dream. In the dream, a large AR-15 rifle floats above his house, with the time 2:17 appearing on the gun itself. The film doesn’t explain this unsettling image, encouraging viewers to draw their own conclusions. Director Cregger has even stated in Variety that he doesn’t know what the scene means and wants audiences to interpret it however they wish.

In Cregger’s words:

Cregger described a particular scene in the movie as a highlight, surprisingly because he doesn’t fully understand it himself. He encourages viewers to interpret the scene in their own way, explaining that he has several ideas about its meaning, but believes each person will likely have a unique connection to it.

I have to admit, Cregger leaves things a little open to interpretation, which can be frustrating. But it’s sparked some really interesting discussion online! The movie, Weapons, really hits on the scary themes of bullying and school threats, and with everything being set in Pennsylvania and that repeated 2:17 time, I think the huge floating gun is meant to be more than just a visual. It feels like a powerful statement about guns and politics, and it’s definitely made me think.

The Floating AR-15 in ‘Weapons’ Is a Call for Gun Control


Warner Bros. Pictures

In the film Weapons, the image of a gun hovering over Archer’s house is a symbolic representation of children being used as weapons, specifically at the 2:17 mark. Some viewers interpret Archer’s house as the gun itself, with the seventeen children leaving at once acting as the bullets. After it’s revealed that Gladys, Alex’s aunt and a witch, is the true villain, she kidnaps the children and transforms them into mind-controlled attackers. Later, Alex breaks the spell, turning the tables on Gladys and using the now-freed children against her, effectively making them weapons against the evil witch.

The image of the floating gun is striking, but the real power of the artwork lies in its political message. Someone on Reddit pointed out that the number 2:17 on the gun refers to the 217 votes needed to pass the 2022 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. This bill did pass the House of Representatives in July 2022, particularly in Pennsylvania – a crucial swing state – but ultimately failed in the Senate due to Republican opposition. The vote in Pennsylvania mirrored the national divide, with nearly all Democrats supporting the ban and almost all Republicans opposing it.

The two possible meanings aren’t necessarily contradictory. The AR-15 floating over Archer’s house could symbolize children becoming weapons and be a plea for stronger gun control. However, the creator’s vague response allows for other interpretations too. When considered together, these elements suggest Archer’s dream is a metaphor for the ongoing trauma caused by mass school shootings and a call to prevent them. As of September 23, 2025, there have been 53 reported school shootings in the U.S., according to CNN.

Director Zach Cregger knows people are reading a political message into the floating gun in Weapons, which many consider the best horror film of 2025, but he hasn’t explained what it’s supposed to mean. Here’s exactly what Cregger said about it:

I’m not sure what this scene means, and honestly, that’s part of what I love about it. I have some thoughts about its purpose, but I don’t think there’s a single correct interpretation. I like that it’s open to individual experiences – some people might find it boring, others might see a deeper meaning, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s not my job to define it; I just appreciate that it exists and allows for different reactions.

Because the movie doesn’t offer clear answers, it’s sparked lots of fan theories online. It remains to be seen if the issue of gun control will be explored in any future installments of the popular horror film.

Read More

2025-10-24 02:04