The horror genre has been in a renaissance for years now, to the delight of fans. But there are certain projects that stand out as game changers. Wes Craven’s 1996 Scream is certainly in that category, starting a franchise that’s continuing with the upcoming fifth movie. And OG stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox have reflected on making this sequel without Craven.
Horror legend Wes Craven was the man behind the camera for all four of the previous Scream movies, so the pressure on for Ready or Not filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett to deliver in the new sequel. Luckily they’re giant fans of Craven, which is partly why the legacy cast decided to return for another appearance. In a new video published by Paramount Pictures, the trio of original heroes reflected on returning to Woodsboro without Wes. As David Arquette put it,
When I got the script for the new Scream, I was really impressed by Matt and Tyler with how much Wes had an impression on them.
David Arquette has been open about what an emotional experience it was to film Scream without his friend and collaborator Wes Craven. The slasher franchise in many ways has marked milestones in his personal life, specifically his marriage with Courteney Cox. Luckily, the directors of the new movie were able to win him over thanks to their clear love for Craven’s work.
Of course, David Arquette wasn’t the only original cast member returning for the new Scream. Fans can’t wait to catch up with Neve Campbell’s final girl Sidney Prescott, who has become a mother since the last time we saw her. In this same clip, she shared her original apprehension to join the fifth installment, saying:
I had been apprehensive about doing another one without Wes, but Matt and Tyler really wanted to honor him.
Exactly how Wes Craven will be honored in Scream remains a mystery, but the project will seemingly be intimately connected with the 1996 original movie. Dylan Minnette’s character is also named Wes, in a clear nod to the beloved filmmaker. Additionally, Stu’s house from the original is seemingly a major setting in the new Scream.
Courteney Cox is also back in Scream as Gale Weathers, rocking her signature bright suits in the process. She also reflected on filming the new movie without Wes Craven on set. She said,
I’ve done four Screams with Wes Craven. I was like ‘Oh wow, what a perfect way to reinvent this movie.
Overall it certainly sounds like directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett made the new Scream a love letter to Wes Craven’s legacy. We’ll just have to see how the new slasher performance, and if a new line of movies is kickstarted in the process. You can see the cast and crew speak about Craven in the clip below,
Luckily for the generations of Scream fans out there, the wait for the new sequel is nearly up. The marketing campaign has been kicking up as a result, and smart money says more clips like the one seen above will make their way online over the next few weeks.
Scream will hit theaters on January 14th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
