A lot of firsts occurred for all of us during 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic was all anyone was talking about. On the “not life changing but still interesting” end of the scale for me personally was doing my first “virtual” set visit for Scream, the fifth movie in the iconic horror franchise and first new Scream movie since 2011. More of a press junket than honest-to-goodness set visit, the prospect of gaining some info on the highly-secretive sequel was too alluring to pass up. While it’s not a reboot, it is being championed as a reinvigoration of sorts for the series, focusing on a brand new slate of young characters while bringing back a handful of easily recognizable fan favorites.
As should have been expected, both cast and crew were very tight-lipped about what the film has in store for us; they were only allowed to dole out the slightest of details regarding characters and plot. But what all parties involved were able to provide was insight into tackling the high expectations that come with a new chapter in a beloved franchise, which also happens to be the first Scream not guided by the reliable hand of director Wes Craven, who passed away in 2015. (It’s also the first Scream film being produced by Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment, as opposed to Dimension/Miramax.) This time around, the ship is being steered by Radio Silence, the filmmaking trio known for short works in the anthologies V/H/S and Southbound, as well as the wicked horror-comedy Ready or Not.
The virtual set visit took place in mid-October of 2020, while the cast was shooting in North Carolina. It’s worth noting that it became very clear that, outside of the team behind the camera, no one knew how the film would end or who was playing Ghostface (Marley Shelton revealed the cast had only received the first 77 pages of the script). While our interviews with directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and producer William Sherak can be read here, this space is devoted to the several members of the ensemble cast.
We should start with David Arquette, who is once again reprising his role of Deputy Dwight “Dewey” Riley, once the lovable deputy of Woodsboro. Arquette has, of course, been with the franchise since the very beginning, and just as his character has, he’s been through a whole lot since those simpler days in the mid-90s. Arquette spoke about what the role of Dewey means to him, taking part in the latest chapter of the Scream series, working with a fresh new cast and more!
On whether or not he was surprised to learn a new Scream film was being made, and how excited he is to be a part of this new chapter: “Definitely mixed emotions, knowing Wes wasn’t going to be directing was definitely my first kind of feelings about it… I love playing Dewey, it’s such a fun role to play, he’s very close to my heart. I was excited when I heard there were rumblings of doing a new one, and was especially excited knowing Wes’ family and Kevin Williamson’s a part of it, that they approved of it. I loved Ready or Not; Tyler and Matt having been inspired, and loving the original films and they loved Wes’ work, they were these tremendous directors really set me at ease and getting to know the whole Radio Silence crew was just amazing. Reading the script and just being blown away by it, having it really feel that it honored the past but it’s a new thing, and that it really kind of used all of the history of film and horror films and all of it into its conception, and what’s going on in the internet and what’s going on in the real world- it was exciting.”
On the importance of the Scream franchise throughout his life: “I’ve always been grateful for it. The experiences were all different. My mother was dying during the second one which was really painful. I got to work with my father on the second one which was really amazing, I got to act opposite my dad- that’s all Wes, his huge heart. My brother Richmond had a little role in the second one. I met my first wife on the first one [laughs], we have a daughter, I’ve gone through a divorce between the last one and this one, I got married again and I have two kids now. It doesn’t get any life milestones than that. It’s been such an interesting experience and I’m really honored to be a part of it. It’s really exciting seeing this new cast, it reminds me a lot of the first group, they’re the age I was when I did the first one. Just knowing they have such a love for these horror films and that Scream made an impression on them.”
On the legacy of the Sidney Prescott character, and his excitement for a new Scream film: “Sidney Prescott in general is just this strong female character, hero, badass. It’s just great to see her evolution. It’s kind of like when you’ve grown up with us, it’s not like we’re family, but we definitely have a connection. Outside of that, just all of us in general – Courtney, me, people know about us, we’ve been in people’s lives for a long time, it’s like we’re all kind of connected in this interesting way, especially when it comes to Sidney and this character, what she’s been through, her journey, fighting these terrible killers. We’re all invested in this as fans of these films. Even when they released the teaser, it’s like, ‘I’m so glad to see Ghostface’s mask again!’ As a horror fan, it’s fun to be a part of it, but I also feel like a fan of it.”
Also returning, albeit for only a second round, is Marley Shelton, reprising her character Deputy Judy Hicks from Scream 4. While it remains to be seen what Judy is up to in the new Scream movie (again, we weren’t told anything about anyone in the film), Shelton’s bright-eyed, enthusiastic performance as the character will surely be a highlight. Shelton spoke about entering the world of Scream again, the time she auditioned for the original Scream, on whether or not Judy could be Ghostface and more!
On being asked to reprise Deputy Judy: “This is the first time in my career I’ve been asked to reprise a role, which is a real honor and privilege. They approached me earlier this year, I had no idea that this was on the horizon, and I was thrilled and delighted. I think it’s such an incredible franchise, I’m so psyched they’re relaunching it, I think the late Wes Craven would be incredibly proud of the filmmakers they put together to continue his legacy.”
On the time she auditioned for the original Scream: “I actually auditioned for Scream 1, when the original working title was Scary Movie. I remember that was the gig to get, everybody was auditioning and it was this groundbreaking, fresh, terrifying new take on horror. I obviously did not get cast in the first one, but I’m so glad I eventually got my day. I think it was the Rose McGowan character I was up for, and she was fantastic in that role, but you know, she did get killed by Ghostface, and Judy’s still with us, so… [Laughs]
On the secrecy on the set: “The filmmakers have been very careful; they only released the script to us up to page 77, so we don’t know who Ghostface actually is, we don’t know which one of us is the killer, and we will not know that until they shoot those scenes at the end of our production. And in the Scream world, everyone’s a potential suspect or a potential victim, it’s been fun to live that out on the day that we’re shooting, it makes it fun and intriguing and keeps us all on our toes.”
On whether or not she wonders in the back of her mind if Judy herself is Ghostface: “We kind of find, take to take, the many poker face character choices- it could be read either way. But I think the humor of it is that, nobody’s innocent. Judy Hicks of course is very righteous and sunny-side up and optimistic and a woman of the law, but I think just human nature alone has a dark side, so I think that’s what we’re thematically playing with this, as in all the Screams.”
On returning to the dynamic her character had with Dewey and Gale in Scream 4: “That has been a blast. Obviously, I can’t reveal too much about the twists and turns, but I will say we definitely explore those relationships, and to me that has been the most fun part of all of this.”
On where she thinks Scream (2022) will ultimately rank in the series: “I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but I have been hearing a lot of feedback already that this one harkens back a little bit more to the first one, and enough time has passed and there’s an infusion of fresh eyes and some fresh imagination that has gotten involved to carry on Wes Craven’s legacy, I think people are going to be happily surprised that it’s still very much a Scream movie but it’s cool we’ve got some new talent, there’s a new cast that’s amazing, there’s more diversity in our cast, Jamie Vanderbilt wrote an incredible script. I think it’s going to be closer to the original.”
Now to take a look at the newcomers to the series. Here’s what we knew during the virtual set visit: these young actors were in the film. And that was basically all we would find out. (Okay, and we found out Dylan Minnette plays Marley Shelton’s son.) That said, all of them seemed incredibly enthused about participating in the newest chapter of the Scream series, as most of them had grown up loving the original films. Here are some highlights from our chats with the actors:
Melissa Barrera (as Sam Carpenter): “Scream is all about the surprises and the turns in the story and taking the rug from under you. All of these characters are very interesting, I think the writers Guy and Jamie did a great job honoring the first four films, and I know the directors Tyler and Matt are very keen on honoring Wes’ legacy and honoring the first four films, and I think we have a great story and a great continuation of the franchise.”
Melissa on how important Scream is to her: “We’ve grown up with the legacy characters, we’ve seen them evolve, and that’s always super exciting to get to feel like you’re a part of their journey. And having Neve and Courtney and David come back and be with them in this story and continue to tell it is very exciting. We were too young when the first two movies came out, I think Jenna wasn’t even born yet. I think Scream was the first horror movie that I ever watched, when I was ten or eleven, behind my parents’ backs, and it’s so cool to see the fanbase that’s still so attached to them and loves them so much, because they still hold up. Scream created a genre of its own, basically, and it’s a very specific and very unique horror movie that makes you laugh and makes you jump out of your seat and it’s constantly asking you ask, ‘who’s the killer?’ And I think that’s something very exciting of this movie and it’s very unique to the franchise and that’s why people love it.”
Jack Quaid (as Richie Kirsch): “I love horror movies because of Scream, because Scream makes all of these references and all of these things that maybe you missed the first time, and it makes you go watch Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and I think it’s such a cool avenue for people to get into horror, so the fact that I’m in that kind of vehicle is so cool.”
Jenna Ortega (as Tara Carpenter): “The first four films are all connected, obviously, and this isn’t an exception. You’ll see how this film is connected to each of the previous ones and I think that’s the brilliance of this movie, how they did that, and how we’re honoring Wes and everything Kevin Williamson wrote. It’s a great thing that we get to continue that story.”
Jasmin Savoy Brown (as Mindi Meeks Martin) on the secrecy of the project: “We know enough to get the job done, but we don’t know everything, which makes it extra fun. There’s a lot of different versions of the ending, and no one knows which one is real.”
Jasmin on the diversity of the cast: “It’s an honor to get to work with them, to get to mingle this new cast with the legacy cast. I’m very excited for the visibility this film is bringing in terms of diversity. Just speaking for myself, being a queer woman of color, and getting to be my full self on screen is really cool, especially in this world and with such great writing and directing. None of our characters feel like tropes, they all feel like fully realized people, and that’s awesome to get to do on such a large scale.”
Dylan Minnette (as Wes Hicks): “Horror is one of my favorite genres, and with Scream it has horror elements, mystery elements, thriller elements, comedy, everything I love wrapped up into one thing. This one is very different tonally from the other horror movies I’ve done, a lot of them have been more slow burn, and then one of them was just very dark and violent. I think I have done three up until this point, I was thinking to myself, ‘I’m probably never going to do another horror movie again because I’ve just done so many, I don’t want to be that guy,’ but then Scream came along and it’s like, of course, it’s one of my favorite movies of all time, I have to be a part of this franchise. It was a pinch-yourself opportunity, it’s exactly why I love and appreciate acting and what I do, is getting the opportunity to be in something like this. I’m so proud of this.”
Mikey Madison (as Amber Freeman): “When I heard they were making a new Scream movie, I was incredibly excited. I auditioned in March and that’s when everything shut down because of Covid, so I didn’t hear about it for a long time and that was heartbreaking, I kind of mourned not getting it. Sometimes you send in these tapes and you just don’t hear anything back, and then when I heard I got the part it was incredibly exciting and there wasn’t any part of me that was like, ‘I don’t want to do this.’ It was just such a dream come true to be part of a movie like this that’s so well loved. There was no part of me that didn’t want to do it.”
Scream opens January 14, 2022.