One of the Strangest Details in ‘Weapons’ May Actually be a Heartfelt Tribute to Zach Cregger’s Late Best Friend

Even if you aren’t chronically online, you have likely seen a peculiar still from Weapons that, out of context, seems like a strange addition to a horror movie. The scene in question is a spread of food, featuring cookies, carrot sticks, chips, a totally normal amount of ranch dressing, and no less than seven hot dogs. Within the context of the movie, the image serves to flesh out the relationship dynamic of Principal Marcus (Benedict Wong) and his husband, Terry (Clayton Farris). In this small detail, the viewer is immediately let into the tone of their relationship, which is extremely sweet and loving but lacking in passion.

However, the scene has a much deeper meaning and is actually a heartfelt tribute to director Zach Cregger’s best friend Trevor Moore, who died in 2021. The grief from Moore’s death is what led Cregger to start writing Weapons, and the theme of loss permeates the whole movie. This small tribute may be the most overt reference to Moore, but the whole feature is an honest portrayal of the different ways Cregger attempted to deal with the loss of his friend and collaborator, with each character representing a different way grief can manifest. It highlights the intimacy present in Weapons, and how it may seem like a large piece of political analogy, but it is in fact a personal recollection of loss.

What Do the Hot Dogs Represent in ‘Weapons’?

The internet has been going crazy for the smorgasbord of chips, dip, and hot dogs that features in a still from Weapons, with recreations and speculation over its inclusion. On the surface, it serves to offer an intimate insight into the consumers, Marcus and Terry, and shows the audience what their home dynamic is like. Since the movie is told through character vignettes, this moment—a part of Marcus’ story—isn’t out of place and shows how differently he is dealing with the disappearance compared to the rest of the community. In fact, it serves as evidence that his life hasn’t changed all that much at all, and he and his partner are sitting watching TV as if nothing has changed. It offers a stark contrast to the stories told before, with Justine (Julia Garner) relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism and Archer (Josh Brolin) sleeping in his son’s room yet still experiencing consistent nightmares.

Terry prepares the meal, indicating Marcus’ sense of authority has trickled into his relationship, and brings it into the living room. The pair take their seats on individual armchairs and sit down to watch a nature documentary on parasites—a subtle nod to the movie’s conclusion. The singular seats partnered with the absurdity of the spread of food and their matching Disney t-shirts indicates that whilst there is a lot of genuine care and love in their relationship, that initial spark has all but completely fizzled out. In this one scene, Cregger manages to tell the audience everything they need to know about Terry and Marcus’ dynamic: loving yet tame.

The Hot Dogs in ‘Weapons’ Very Well May Have a Hidden Meaning

An array of food including chips, carrot sticks and seven hot dogs from Weapons

However, this scene has a much deeper hidden meaning, and it relates to Zach Cregger’s late friend Trevor Moore. The choice of seven hot dogs is a tribute to Moore, calling back to the pair’s early days. Together, Moore and Cregger were part of a sketch group called The Whitest Kids U’Know, which included a TV series that ran for 5 seasons. One of the skits in the show entitled Hot Dog Timmy starred Moore as a doctor who was giving a man his test results. As part of the diagnosis, he asks the man how many hot dogs he eats on average a day, to which the man replies seven. In shock, the doctor admits that seven is a little too many. This scene is the reason that Terry prepares seven hot dogs for him and Marcus to eat; it seems like a lot, but that is the entire point.

Grief Is the Core Theme of ‘Weapons’

Trevor Moore passed away in 2021, and Cregger has admitted that the grief he felt was the inciting event that led to him beginning to write Weapons—which, at its core, is a story about loss and the impact it has on a community. Each character is given an extended amount of focus so the audience can see in detail how grief is affecting them. We see Justine repeatedly visit the liquor store to buy vodka, often buying two bottles and even encouraging Paul to break his sobriety. Archer is shown dreaming of assault rifles whilst following a visage of his son running away. Each character represents a different facet of mourning and the way it manifests, and consequently a different way Cregger experienced the death of his friend. Although it should be noted, Cregger has been sober for 10 years but bonded with Brolin over having an alcoholic parent.

However, the most earnest and intimate representation of Cregger within the movie is Alex and the hard-hitting truth of what he has been dealing with throughout the movie. The loneliness Alex feels as he becomes solely responsible for his parents, feeding them soup just to keep them alive, is harrowing to watch. Cregger admitted that Alex’s chapter is based on his own experience being the child of an addict and ultimately becoming a caregiver. This loss is different from the others in the movie, as it is the loss of childhood and almost serves as Cregger grieving the adolescence he didn’t have. It is a heartbreaking interpretation of the movie’s core theme and hits even harder in the movie’s final moments, when Alex’s parents are free from Gladys but still in a catatonic state. It shows that Weapons was never designed to be a grand, political statement but instead serves as an intimate insight into Cregger’s life and emotions.