Scream first scared audiences in 1996. Starring Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette as a trio who can never get away from the Ghost Face killings. It makes it worse for them since every Ghost Face is a different killer, so there’s always a mystery as to who’s under the mask.
The first Scream is viewed as one of the best horror movies. It’s also very self-referential, educating viewers on the tropes of horror. Furthermore, it highlights the best ways to survive.
Since 1996, Wes Craven directed three more movies in the franchise. Unfortunately, we live in a Wes Craven-less world, and everything is worse for it.
Next year, Scream returns to the big screen under new direction. However, some of the original cast returns with new faces.
Take a look at the trailer below:
The first thing that comes to mind when I watch the trailer is Halloween – the 2018 version. A version of the Final Girl who’s ready to take down the knife-wielding maniac and I’m all here for it. If every horror franchise did it, I’d watch it over and over.
Seeing Sydney Prescott back in action is great. In fact, Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley returning is also a big yes. There’s no Scream without the three of them.
However, the trailer also focuses on the new faces.
From the looks of it, Jenna Ortega won’t be in the movie for long. It seems she’ll be the opening scene murder. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who knows the franchise. The first Scream opens with Drew Barrymore of all people dying, subverting the well-known actor survives trope.
We’re also introduced to the characters played by Melissa Barrera and Jack Quaid. If you’re wondering why they’re familiar, Melissa portrays Venessa in In the Heights movie. Meanwhile, Jack Quaid fights a corrupt Amazon-like company creating Superheroes as Hughie in The Boys.
Scream looks dark. Every movie has had its moment, but there’s usually levity with it. This trailer makes it seem like it’s going to be more serious, and less forgiving.
Although, the next trailer might change that.
I have enough faith the same brevity in the other movies will be here. I know the creative team want to honor Wes Craven’s work. Besides, Kevin Williamson, the man behind Scream, had this to say about the new team:
Once you listened to James Vanderbilt and Guy, when they pitched it to me and when I met with the Ready or Not Radio Silence guys, [I realized] they have such love for the first film. They understood the heart and soul of it, and they understood the emotionalization, that it’s not about horror, it’s about the emotion and really making the audience feel something.”
Kevin Williamson in an interview with US Weekly
It appears Scream is in safe hands, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store when it finally arrives.
Scream releases in theatres on the 14th January 2022.
