Scream is coming back soon for the first time in over a decade, but it is bittersweet. The franchise’s original director, Wes Craven, passed away back in 2015, making the set of a Scream movie different than ever before. The fifth movie from the slasher franchise will reunite many of its original cast members and bring in a number of new names. According to one of its stars, the movie will also pay homage to the late filmmaker who ushered in the Scream movies.
Vida's Melissa Barrera, who also stars in this weekend’s In The Heights, spoke about Scream 5 ahead of its early 2022 release. Per her words, those who have been following the series are going to want to catch this one too:
[Directors] Matt [Bettinelli-Olpin] and Tyler [Gillett] bring their freshness to it, but we’re honoring Wes. I think it’ll make the fans happy, but also bring in a new audience to the movies, which I’m excited about.
The upcoming movie will star Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers, David Arquette as Dewey Riley and Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott. Scream 5 will also be written by the franchise’s original screenwriter, James Vanderbilt, along with the talent from 2019’s Ready Or Not, writer Guy Busick and directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.
Melissa Barrera is teasing some shared blood from the series that started it all, and it’s all on the knife. Scream 5 seems to be the kind of sequel you’d hope for. Although it will be the first time Wes Craven isn't involved, those on the project clearly love the franchise and want to return to make the late filmmaker proud and bring joy to fans.
The 30-year-old In The Heights star has her first major Hollywood role for the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical. She also talked to Variety about her experience working with the all-star cast:
I couldn’t believe it; I was being a fan the entire time. Every time they yelled, ‘cut,’ I would say to the directors, ‘Take a picture of us!’... Now Courteney is a really close friend of mine. They’re all so incredible and I loved it. I’m so excited for January.
It sounds like Melissa Barrera is a big Scream fan too, which always helps. As she shared, she was majorly geeking out on the set that includes Friends star Courtney Cox back in her famous horror role. Barrera won’t be the only new face in Scream, also joining the cast is Jenna Ortega, who will play the sister to Barrera’s character. Additionally, The Boys’ Jack Quaid, 13 Reasons Why’s Dylan Minnette and Love, Victor’s Mason Gooding have Scream roles.
Scream 5, which is reportedly simply called Scream, completed production late last year and is expected to come to theaters on January 14, 2022.
