Scream 5 co-director Tyler Gillett praises returning Scream cast Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette for their positive attitudes on set. The original installment of the slasher franchise premiered in 1996 and eventually achieved cult status. Directed by Wes Craven, a director renowned for his work in the horror genre, Scream offered a clever subversion of slasher tropes. After its debut, critics and fans alike lauded the film for its meta-commentary on the teen horror narrative and its willingness to deconstruct expected story beats. During this time, lead actress Campbell received a positive reception for her nuanced portrayal of the “final girl.” Characters played by Cox and Arquette similarly garnered praise for their humorous takes on a quarreling duo trying to investigate the murders. Over the years, all three actors returned to reprise their roles in multiple sequels to Scream.
In the first film, protagonist Sidney Prescott (Campbell) attempts to lead a normal life in her small town while struggling with the recent murder of her mother. As she attempts to recover from her grief, she clashes repeatedly with a local reporter, Gale Weathers (Cox), who penned an investigative book about her mother’s death. During this time, a number of murders targeting high school students destabilize the town. A rookie deputy sheriff, Dewey Riley, tries to make a name for himself by working to unravel who, exactly, has begun wreaking deathly havoc. Along the way, Sidney finds herself repeatedly pursued by the masked serial killer. While she eventually escapes and unleashes her own vengeance, the legacy of Ghostface lives on.
While speaking to Hello Sidney, Scream 5 co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett discussed the production of the film. In the interview, Gillett applauded Campbell, Cox, and Arquette for their consistently thoughtful approach to the Scream franchise:
“I think we should also say that the legacy cast, these movies have been a part of their lives for a really long time. It would be easy to show up and kind of phone it in, but you can just tell they love these movies so much. And are really the beating heart of the franchise. And so to have the three of them so generously offering themselves to the movie. And in so many ways building the vibe of the movie, not only by just having told four incredible stories in this universe. By showing up, being willing to engage on a very personal level with us and with the other cast . They created a sense of family.”
In prior interviews, the co-directors explained why they chose not to reboot Scream, but instead dig deeper into the original chapters. As Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett acknowledged, the legacy characters portrayed by Campbell, Cox, and Arquette remain a deeply beloved facet of the entire slate of films. As a result, they sought to pay homage to the narratives of Sidney, Gale, and Dewey by writing an evolution of the Scream universe that connected their lives with a group of new characters.
Although more than twenty years have ed since the initial release of Scream, the slasher movie endures as a crucial staple of the horror genre. Much of the success is owed to the dynamic performances of the original characters, as well as the franchise’s commitment to upending slasher clichés. Fortunately, it seems that the new directors of Scream 5 understand the weight of this legacy and seek to re-capture the magic of the first few installments. Hopefully, the movie sheds light on the ways in which these tough heroes have grown to face their fears.
Source: Hello Sidney
