A new featurette for 2022's Scream looks back on the late, great Wes Craven and his impact on the franchise, as well as the horror genre altogether.
BY RACHEL LABONTE
PUBLISHED 3 DAYS AGO
Wes Craven Drew Barrymore 1996 Scream
A new featurette for 2022's Scream puts the spotlight on late director Wes Craven's enduring legacy. It's been 25 years since Craven and writer Kevin Williamson brought the Scream franchise to life, and the entire property is gearing up for a reboot. Set to arrive in theaters in just under a month, the new Scream returns to Woodsboro just as the latest Ghostface killer sets his or her sights on a new generation of victims. Luckily, Ghostface isn't the only one who is back: Legacy characters Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Dewey Riley (David Arquette), and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) return to teach the young citizens of Woodsboro how to survive a horror movie.
The 2022 Scream is notable for another reason than just being the first franchise installment in ten years. This will be the first one not directed by Craven, who passed away in 2015. Prior to his death, there were rumblings of a Scream 5, but they faded for a time. It's thanks to Ready or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett that Scream 5 is finally happening, along with writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick; their vision for the new film inspired confidence among those who worked with Craven on the original films.
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Both in honor of Scream's upcoming debut and the 25th anniversary of the original 1996 film, Paramount Pictures has released a new featurette focusing on Craven's legacy. Through interviews with those like Campbell and Williamson, as well as behind the scenes footage from the first movie, the video pays tribute to Craven and his impact on the horror genre. Additionally, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett reaffirm their commitment to doing right by Craven with the new film. Check out the Scream featurette down below.
Click here to watch the video on YouTube.
For those who worked with Craven on the original Scream movies, returning without him for the new film had to be bittersweet. Several of the franchise's stars have spoken about how it felt carrying on with the Ghostface saga in the wake of Craven's death, with Arquette at one point saying he felt Craven's presence on set. Though some fans might've felt apprehensive about the idea of a Scream movie without Craven, this featurette shows the 2022 film was made with love and respect.
Hopefully, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have crafted a Scream that both lives up to expectations and offers something new. Already, the promotional efforts behind Scream have created a good sense of intrigue; the mystery of who is behind the Ghostface mask has become just as thrilling as the old-fashioned scares that come from a slasher. With Scream set to debut in mid-January, it's only a matter of time before fans are able to decide whether this new installment does Craven proud.
