, films that were already set to open next year but, in all probability, pushed their openings as a general precaution.
To its benefit, the anticipation surrounding the next chapter in the Scream saga has taken on a different life, one less-related to the coronavirus and primarily connected to casting decisions and production announcements. Most notably, both Courtney Cox and David Arquette will reprise their original roles in the new film; though it's unconfirmed, Neve Campbell has also expressed interest in returning to reprise her role as Sidney Prescott. Ready or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are set to direct. Everything about Scream 5 screams major release, but it will be just a little longer before the movie can do so.
Paramount has announced Scream 5 will release on January 14, 2022. The decision comes as part of Paramount's latest shuffling of its release calendar. It s other rescheduled titles like the G.I. Joe spinoff Snake Eyes (previously set for Oct. 23, 2020; rescheduled for Oct. 22, 2021) and the next installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise (pushed from March 19, 2021, to March 4, 2022). Other pushed films from Paramount include the feature-length adaptation of PBS' Clifford the Big Red Dog (moving from Nov. 13, 2020, to Nov. 5, 2021), and the studio's untitled Billie Holiday film, now set for Feb. 12, 2021, one week before the Academy Awards new cutoff date (Feb. 28).
These calendar alterations leave Paramount Studios with just one title left to premiere in 2020: Coming to America 2, which is set to open on December 18; originally, Tom Clancy's Without Remorse, Top Gun: Maverick, and A Quiet Place Part II were set for theatrical runs in 2020. Each of those films elected to push opening until (at least) 2021 due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. And while films like Unhinged, Tenet, and The New Mutants will look to serve as the bellwether for movies looking to open in theaters this year, the idea of safety seems to be taking the forefront. Mulan, Antebellum, and even the already-released Trolls World Tour were blockbuster-style films set for theatrical runs that bit the bullet and vied for streaming or PVOD in the interest of capitalizing on their popularity while also keeping viewers safe in their homes.
Given the general uncertainty that still exists surrounding COVID-19, it's hard to say whether or not 2021 will see audiences returning to theaters in the same numbers they did before the pandemic. Therefore, Scream 5's 2022 release looks better and better by the minute. It leaves room for anticipation to build, as well as for casting decisions to continue to make headlines. For example, David Arquette wants Hayden Panettiere involved in the fifth film; with more time before its release, might she sign on? Frankly, only time will tell, but the odds are better now that Paramount has pushed Scream 5's release.
Source: Paramount
