The fifth Scream movie has officially wrapped up filming, which means Wes Craven’s self-referential horror franchise continues to grow. Fans have been hoping for a new film in the series since Scream 4 in 2011, but that hope began to shatter when Craven passed away in 2015. Now that it is confirmed that new directors will be taking over the popular franchise, there are a few things that Scream 5 needs to do in order to succeed.
Scream 5 has an official release date of January 14th, 2022, and will be helmed by the filmmaking team Radio Silence, a trio composed of producer Chad Villella and directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (Ready or Not). The film will be also be co-written by James Vanderbilt (Murder Mystery). The new movie is about Sidney (Neve Campbell) returning to her hometown in Woodsboro, California after copycat murders begin happening around the town.
In order for Scream 5 to be successful, there are a few things that need to occur. Firstly, some original cast and crew members need to return, which Scream 5 has already accomplished. It’s already been confirmed that Neve Campbell will be returning to her famous role as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox will be reprising her role as Gale Weathers, as well as David Arquette as Dewey Riley. Aside from cast members, original screenwriter Kevin Williamson will also be returning, serving as executive producer.
Honoring Wes Craven is significant to both fans and original cast members of Scream as well. When interviewed for hellosidney, Radio Silence claimed that Scream 5 would feature many easter eggs for longtime fans. Both Kevin Williamson and David Arquette also let fans know that the film is in good hands with Gillett and Olpin. Williamson, in particular, told Deadline: “Their take on the movie is both original, inventive, and honors Wes’ legacy in a wonderful way.”
Scream was first released in 1996 and starred Campbell, Cox, and Arquette, along with Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard. It follows Sidney (Campbell), a high school student who becomes the target of a killer in the now-iconic Ghostface mask. The film garnered $173 million at the Box office and became a runaway hit while being a self-referential horror film that completely changed the horror genre’s direction.
In order for Scream 5 to be effective, it will need to have the same self-referential and fourth-wall-breaking elements that made Scream so successful. Wes Craven is a pioneer for self-parodying films, and Scream is laced with many horror film stereotypes. The protagonists in these films are teenagers and defy the rules that are prominent in slasher films (drugs, sex) but are also well aware of the conventions of this genre, with Sidney even joking that all slasher films are the same and pointless. These stereotypes are mocked throughout the film.
For example, when Tatum (Rose McGowan) is about to get killed, the first image the camera shows is Tatum with a see-through shirt, automatically sexualizing her in this scene. The camera draws the spectator to her body right away, and she dies soon after. In the scene that follows Tatum’s death, Randy, a horror film buff, is telling his friends the top rules to survive a horror film. These include: Never have sex, don’t drink, and don’t do drugs. Tatum checked all the points on not surviving a horror film, so she never stood a chance. Scream 5 will also need to comment on these typical horror movie tropes and alter the genre in its own way.
Obviously, a lot has happened since the first film in 1996, and Scream 5 should touch on that. The original films considered the horror genre during the time and commented on it: The 80s were over, and slasher films appeared more funny than scary. Scream altered the dying genre by parodying the horror subgenre and changing its structure. Horror films are different now, so Scream 5 will need to be different, too, while still keeping the self-referential element.
Aside from being self-referential, Scream is also known for its unique “whodunit” plot. When it was revealed who the killers were in the first Scream, viewers were shocked, but after rewatching, Wes Craven made sure that the clues are all laid out. Craven drops hints throughout the films, and it’s always exhilarating to discover who is behind the mask at the end of each film. The mystery component adds a new element to the horror subgenre instead of having the same killer in each movie. In order to be successful, Scream 5 should keep the “whodunit” portion of the formula.
Scream 5 will star Campbell, Arquette, and. Cox, along with new cast members as well: Melissa Barrera, Jack Quaid, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mikey Madison, Sonia Ben Ammar, Mason Gooding, and Kyle Gallner. With Scream being such a beloved franchise among horror fans, it's easy to be worried that the new film won’t live up to the original. Luckily, the new movie is getting taken over by huge Wes Craven and horror fans who have already made a successful horror film by co-directing Ready or Not. If Scream 5 has some originality but also serves as an homage to Craven, it will likely be a successful sequel.