Zach Cregger's horror-thriller movie Weapons has become one of the biggest hits of the year, and now, people are taking the creepy run from the film and turning it into a meme.

The Weapons run is all over sites like X / Twitter and TikTok right now as people find funny ways to spin it, but many don't know that there's a dark backstory that goes with the run.

So, what inspired the Weapons run, and how is it being used as a meme? Here's what you need to know.

What Is The 'Weapons Run' Meme?

Weapons is a psychological horror movie about a classroom full of students who mysteriously go missing one day, launching an investigation into the matter.

Throughout the movie, people are seen running in a strange, distinct way, with their hands raised at their sides about halfway up their bodies. Some have compared it to the Naruto run, although the position of the arms is notably different (held at the sides instead of backward).

According to the film's director, Zach Cregger, there's actually a dark backstory behind the run.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Cregger revealed that the run is inspired by a famous photo called "The Terror of War" (also known as "Napalm Girl") showing a Vietnamese girl running with napalm burns.

He was quoted as saying:

There's that terrible photo of that girl in Vietnam with the napalm burn. I think that image is so awful, and the way she's holding her arms out just killed me. I think there's something really upsetting about that posture. If I had to guess, that might be where the seed is from. I don't know. But there was no second-guessing that pose. I knew that they would run that way.

How Is The 'Weapons Run' Used In Memes?

Despite the dark inspiration behind the run, social media users have taken an image from the movie of a boy running across the street and turned it into a meme.

These memes first started appearing on X on August 8th, 2025, the day of the film's release. One of the earliest examples adds the caption, "OMW to the liqa sto," a reference to another viral meme format.

Now, people are adding similar funny captions to the image, using it to represent how they might run in a certain situation.

One viral example reads, "leaving work early on a Friday afternoon like." Another reads, "Realizing I can run while I’m drunk." Some people over on TikTok are even turning the meme into a trend by doing the run themselves under similar captions.

@juicy.jacobb Funniest horror movie ever. We’re coming Aunt Gladys. #Weapons #weaponsmovie #funny #prank #horror @WEAPONS thanks for running @ashageddonn @jerk.it.jiya @kali @faithy 💕 @Kane @𝑒𝓋𝓎 🗝️ @𝒦𝒶𝓎𝓎 ♬ Beware of Darkness (2014 Remaster) – George Harrison

What Are Some More 'Weapons Run' Memes?

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For the full history of the Weapons Run, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.