Do you like scary movies? Hey, wait! Don't run away! We just wanted to let you know that "Scream
6" is coming out soon, and give you the must-know details about it. You're not scared, are ya?
The release date
The first three "Scream" installments came out in pretty rapid succession, in 1996, 1997,
and 2000. It would be 11 years before "Scream 4" hit theaters in 2011, though. There was
another 11-year break before the fifth film, simply titled "Scream," hit in January 2022.
"Oh my god, he's making a requel!"
"A what?"
It's a sequel that also serves as a reboot, introducing new characters
alongside established vets. The result was one of the very best movies of 2022,
basically guaranteeing a new entry in the series.
Fortunately for "Scream" fans, the movies are back to a rapid release clip. According
to Bloody Disgusting, "Scream 6" originally had a release date of March 31, 2023, but Paramount
Pictures actually moved it up to March 10. Paramount likely moved the date because the
studio has another big release scheduled for the 31st: "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves."
There are lots of other competing releases throughout March, including "Creed III,"
"John Wick: Chapter 4," and "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," so it'll be interesting to
see if "Scream 6" can slice and dice its way to the top of the box office rankings.
The trailer
The official trailer for "Scream 6" promises something far more intense
than we've seen in the series so far. It kicks off with two of the protagonists from
2022's "Scream," Sam and Tara Carpenter, desperately seeking shelter in a New York
bodega. But that won't stop Ghostface, who gets his hands on a shotgun and begins to
hunt our heroes down. We then jump back to slightly less scary times as Sam tells us,
"I had this secret. There's a darkness inside of me."
Sam is no doubt referencing the specter of her dad, Billy Loomis, one of the original Ghostface
killers. Together, Sam and the other survivors from the previous film plot to execute the new
Ghostface, but this villain seems considerably more violent than any version we've seen before.
The trailer offers a glimpse of a Ghostface shrine and a collection of Ghostface statues,
each one seemingly representing the film series' previous baddies. It also highlights what's bound
to be one of the creepiest moments of the movie. Our heroes are trapped on a subway
filled with costumed trick-or-treaters as a Ghostface figure slowly but surely makes
its way towards Mindy Meeks-Martin. It's pretty clear he's not looking for candy.
The plot
The 2022 "Scream" actually had a good number of survivors. Tara and Sam Carpenter, Mindy
and Chad Meeks-Martin, and the pistol-packing Gale Weathers all made it through to the end.
Original final girl Sidney Prescott also survived, though she won't be returning in "Scream 6."
The new installment is moving from Woodsboro to New York,
as the surviving heroes from the fifth film look to escape their bloody past and find
a new start. But like Jason Voorhees once did, Ghostface is taking Manhattan. Tara,
Sam, Mindy, and Chad will have to join forces with intrepid reporter Gale if they're going
to make it out alive. Star Jenna Ortega, who plays Tara, told Entertainment Tonight,
"Ghostface gets a lot more intimidating. It just gets more and more gory. I think
that this is probably the most aggressive and violent version of Ghostface we've ever seen."
Melissa Barrera, who plays Sam, backed this up, telling Collider,
"With the last 'Scream,' [directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett] were
tip-toeing and trying to be very respectful of what the franchise had been, up until that point,
and keeping their inner gory dreams at bay. But with this one,
they were like, 'We're going all out.' It's potentially a hundred times gorier."
The cast
There are two mainstays of the "Scream" franchise: Ghostface and Sidney Prescott.
But as we mentioned, "Scream 6" is the first installment of the
series in which Sidney won't be appearing. Actress Neve Campbell, who plays Sidney,
told People that the paycheck she was being offered for the film was insulting. She said,
"I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this
franchise and have brought to this franchise for 25 years. [...] I honestly don't believe that
if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years,
that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered."
Another original cast member, Courteney Cox, will be back in action as Gale Weathers. She'll be
joined by another vet from the franchise, Hayden Panettiere. Her character, Kirby Reed, who was
introduced and seemingly killed in "Scream 4," evidently survived her stab wound. They'll also be
joined by "Scream" 2022 stars Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Melissa Barrera, and Mason Gooding.
Plenty of newcomers are on board for the sixth installment, too. Tony Revolori from the MCU
"Spider-Man" films and "The Babysitter" star Samara Weaving will have roles. They'll be joined
by Henry Czerny, Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, and Josh Segarra.
And while we don't know who's wearing the Ghostface mask,
we know who'll provide that chilling voice: as always, Roger L. Jackson.
"But there's never been one like me, Gale."
The directors
The 2022 "Scream" was a hit with critics and at the box office,
so there's no reason to mess around with that formula. That's why Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and
Tyler Gillett have returned to direct "Scream 6." Along with producer Chad Villela, the trio is
known collectively as Radio Silence. In addition to 2022's "Scream," they've honed their horror
chops on the anthology horror flick "Southbound," the "10/31/98" segment of the original "V/H/S,"
and the hilarious demonic thriller "Ready or Not," which starred Samara Weaving.
Speaking with NME, Gillett explained the directing duo's goals for the new flick, saying,
"Part of our assignment on 'Scream 5' was to play the greatest hits, to really show that
we were part of a long lineage of characters. With 'Scream 6,' we wanted to subvert that warm blanket
and make something that's grittier and rawer. [...] It's relentless and really visceral."
Writers and producers
Screenwriters James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick collaborated to help revive the
franchise with the 2022 "Scream," and now they're teaming up again for "Scream 6."
Busick has worked with Radio Silence before, co-writing the script for "Ready or Not."
He's also contributed to TV shows such as "Castle Rock" and "Stan Against Evil." As for Vanderbilt,
he's got an eclectic set of credits, including "The Amazing Spider-Man," "Independence Day:
Resurgence," "Murder Mystery," and David Fincher's "Zodiac."
On the producing side of things, Radio Silence's Chad Vilella will serve as
an executive producer alongside many others, including Courteney Cox and Kevin Williamson,
who penned the scripts for the original "Scream" and "Scream 2."