Though there have been many starts and stops along the way, The Weinstein Company has never lost faith in a potential Scary Movie 5. The last film, which came out all the way back in 2006, was a big winner at the box office, pulling in $178 million globally on a $45 million budget, so it's not hard to see why the studio would be excited about another sequel. Progress has been made recently, with Malcolm Lee being hired to direct, replacing David Zucker who directed the last two, and a release date of January 11, 2013 was set.
The big question, however, has always been about who would be the lead actor. Anna Faris starred in all four previous films, but has spent the last six years fronting her own comedies. So will she be back for part five? It looks like the answer to that question is no.
The Weinstein Company has sent out a press release announcing that High School Musical star Ashely Tisdale will now be the one front and center for the latestScary Movie. The release does say that Tisdale will be playing "one of the leads," implying that there will be other actors that will have their names above the title on the poster, but no other performer is mentioned.
Even if Faris doesn't return, I do hope that they at least give her character, Cindy Campbell, a cameo and a proper send-off. It's not a franchise that obsesses over continuity, but it would be a nice treat for the fans. So what do you think of the casting news? Do you think Tisdale will do well as the lead?
