The horror genre has seen an exciting renaissance over the past few years, as new, critically acclaimed movies arrive in theaters to critical acclaim. But horror was always built on long-standing franchises, and some classics like Halloween and Child's Play recently returned to theaters. Next up is Scream 5, which will mark the first time an installment in the film series wasn't helmed by the late visionary Wes Craven. The upcoming sequel will feature Her actress Jenna Ortega, who recently teased how it'll fit in with the previous four installments.
Scream 5 will be directed by Ready or Not filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and will feature all three of the OG actors reprising their roles. They'll be paired with a slew of new characters, many of whom likely won't make it out of their experience with Ghostface alive. Jenna Ortega is one of the newcomers, and shared how the highly anticipated slasher will fit in with previous Scream installments. As she put it,
It fits perfectly [in the franchise]. Also how incredible that we have the main cast coming back. That is insane to me... Throughout the years, the franchise has done really well at calling back and bringing some sort of nostalgic aspects to the script. I'll definitely say that there are some here.
Well, that's definitely exciting. There's a ton of pressure to nail it with Scream 5, especially since its the first sequel to arrive in theaters after Wes Craven's 2015 death. Luckily, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have proven their skills with a comedy-horror with Ready or Not. We'll just have to see how they approach the Woodsboro murders.
Jenna Ortega's comments to Entertainment Tonight is just the latest tease to come from Scream 5, with the new movie is gearing up to begin filming this week. Despite being so early in the process, there's already been a ton of praise thrown at the duo of filmmakers who are bringing the sequel to life. Even before Neve Campbell officially signed on to reprise her role as protagonist Sidney Prescott, she revealed that Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett had a true mastery of the franchise's tone, in a way that honored Wes Craven.
Indeed, Scream 5 will bring back the leading trio of Sidney, Gale and Dewey, played by actors Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette respectively. Another returning face is Marley Shelton as Deputy Judy, although fans are also hoping that Hayden Panettiere makes a surprise appearance as Kirby. Only time will tell.
As for Jenna Ortega, she's already becoming a scream queen in her own right. The young actress had a strong performance in Season 2 of You, going toe to toe with a serial killer in the process. And most recently she appeared in McG's The Babysitter: Killer Queen, with another spirited performance in the over the top comedy/horror project.
It should be interesting to see details about Scream 5's contents slowly make their way to the public as filming on the highly anticipated movie begins. Will the story once again focus on Sidney in Woodboro, or will the story move on to another location? The generations of fans will also be thrilled to see how the cast of beloved characters changed in the years since Scream 4's events unfolded.
Scream 5 is currently expected to hit theaters on January 14th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trip to the movies next year.
