Weapons
A novel showcase of Circe's witchcraft
ESTIMATED domestic box office revenue
$91 – 132MM
Mythosis universal quests used
5
Audience appeal
2.20% – 2.69%
Hidden potential
$546 – 607MM
Weapons is a 2025 horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Zach Cregger. The film begins with a re-imagined Pied Piper legend as seventeen children simultaneously flee their homes at precisely 2:17 AM. The story revolves around a teacher burdened by community blame, a father consumed by grief and a malevolent abductor.
The film masterfully uses sound and shadowy cinematography to ratchet up unease. Its non-linear, multi-viewpoint structure deepens the puzzle but fails to keep the tension thick. Certain chapters stall the pace and feel more like fillers than essential pieces.
1. The invisible plot structure of Weapons
1A. Script of Weapons borrows 86% of its events from 5 mythological tales
The desire to dominate others drives Gladys’ quest of Power. The quest borrows events from the tale of Circe in Greek mythology. Both Circe and Gladys create a façade of godliness and treachery to seize control.
The desire to find an elusive object/person drives Justine’s quest for Expedition. The quest borrows events from the tale of Jason in Greek mythology. Similar to Jason’s quest for The Golden Fleece to get the throne, Justine embarks on finding the children to clear her name.
Archer’s quest of Family. The quest borrows events from the tale of Demeter in Greek mythology. Both Demeter and Archer embark on finding their missing loved ones.
The desire to punish offenders drives Alex’s underdeveloped quest of Vengeance. The quest borrows events from the tale of Dron from Hindu mythology. Both Dron and Alex seek to avenge betrayal and the humiliation of their loved ones.
The desire to be in a safe environment drives Marcus’ underdeveloped quest of Tranquillity. The quest borrows events from the tale of Odysseus in Greek mythology. Like Odysseus faces the gods’ wrath after his crew kills the cattle of Helios, Marcus suffers the consequences of Terry’s reckless actions.
Both Paul & James have extremely thin character journeys bereft of a clear quest.
Mythosis plot structure
541,945
Tales interweaved
Circe, Dron, Jason & Demeter
I. How does interweaving mythological tales lead to infinite story plots?
II. Can the pursuit of a Desire have more than one quest?
2. Potential of Weapons' plot structure: $91 – 132MM
The interweaving of 32 mythological tales can generate a billion unique stories. By using these 32 tales, we can extract the plot structure of any story across various genres. Our study of blockbuster, hit, and flop plot structures led to the discovery of the Mythosis Code. The Code is a set of principles for creating compelling stories. These storytelling principles reveal the strength of a story’s plot structure.
2A. Plot structure evaluation of Weapons
- All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. Weapons is created around the single universal quest of Power. The quests of Expedition, Family are sparingly used.
- In Blockbusters, every character mirrors ONLY ONE universal quest. Justine mirrors the universal quests of Expedition. Gladys mirrors Power whereas the quest of Family is mirrored by Archer
- Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. Gladys borrows 40% events from the universal quest of Power. Justine & Archer borrow 11% from their respective quests.
- Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Weapons quest interweaving score of 0.67 is above par.
2B. Box office revenue estimation of Weapons
The script has an original premise since it weaves three universal quests. It also exceeds the interweaving benchmark, indicating that multiple quests unfold simultaneously. Gladys’ character journey is structurally sound and hence impactful.
But the weak development of other characters undermines clarity leading to a lop-sided narrative.
The limited use of Vengeance and Tranquillity quests suggests missed opportunities for emotional depth and tension.
The Script Score measures the potency of a plot structure. Higher its adherence to the principles of Mythosis Code, greater is the potency. The Script Score helps estimate a movie’s audience appeal & revenues. Blockbuster plot structures have a score of at least 0.64 and appeal to 20% of the audiences.
Script Score
0.08
Audience appeal
2.20% – 2.69%
I. How is Mythosis Code used to estimate revenues?
II. Aren’t box-office revenues influenced by several factors beyond just the story plot?
3. Ideal plot structure of Weapons
We have identified 32 mythological tales. These are the superset of all tales across cultures. The quests of these tales have recurred over time periods. They represent human behaviours embedded in our shared memories. Each tale is the richest expression of the pursuit of a human desire. The tales have a unique pattern of events spread over 5 major arcs.
32 mythological tales strengthen the story and unlock its hidden potential. First, we map a character’s quest to the relevant mythological tale. This exercise reveals the gaps in their quest, if any. Second, identify missing events to plug the gaps. Plugging gaps deepens the character quest. Third, use missing events to strengthen the interweaving between various quests.
3A. Gaps in the current plot structure
Lopsided Plot: Gladys dominates the narrative with significantly more quest depth, overshadowing other characters and creating an imbalance in emotional engagement and character development.
Neglected Core Arc: Alex, despite being central to the storyline, lacks a fully developed quest. This omission weakens the narrative’s emotional core and leaves a critical character feeling incomplete.
Detrimental Subplots: The quests of Paul and James are thinly sketched and poorly integrated. Their limited development and seemingly forced screen presence disrupt the pacing and coherence of the overall script.
3B. Unlocking the hidden potential
The untapped potential of Weapons is fully realized through Mythosis Plot Structure # 541,945 that intricately weaves together the timeless quests of Power, Vengeance, Expedition and Family. This refined structure deepens the narrative and restores thematic balance.
- Expanded Character Arcs: Justine and Archer’s quests are enriched by integrating missing events from the mythic journeys of Jason and Demeter. These pivotal events fill the gaps that previously weakened their roles.
- Alex’s Vengeance Quest: Alex’s journey is restructured around Dron’s legendary quest for vengeance, creating a powerful emotional arc that interlocks with Justine’s expedition. Their intertwined paths add dramatic weight and narrative propulsion.
- Streamlined Cast: Gladys and Marcus are retained in their original roles. However, Paul and James are removed to tighten the script and focus the narrative.
i. Mythic Interweaving in Action
A key moment from the revised plot illustrates Alex’s vital role:
“Justine & Archer, clueless about thwarting Gladys’ witchcraft are helped by Alex. He tells them about the bonsai plant and gives them a strand of Gladys’ hair.” In this single scene, two ancient mythological threads begin to intertwine. Medea aiding Jason to overcome King Aeëtes’ challenge, while Dron guiding Arjun to defeat Dhrupad.
By integrating these mythic threads each character’s motivations sharpen. Moreover, their quests interlock with greater cohesion. A lopsided, unfocused script transforms into a tapestry of harmonized quests, rich in emotional stakes and narrative clarity.
ii. Elevated Engagement & Revenue Potential
This mythological backbone not only enhances thematic resonance but also dramatically boosts audience engagement. Based on predictive modeling, Mythosis Plot Structure # 541,945 is expected to generate a lifetime domestic box-office revenue of $546 – 607MM.
Access Mythosis Plot structure # 541,945, the blockbuster blueprint of Weapons to enhance revenues by 6X!
Tags: Demeter, Family, Jason, Expedition, Circe, Power, Zach Cregger, New Line Cinema, Vertigo Entertainment, BoulderLight Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2025