Longtime fans of the Scream franchise know that it’s one shrouded in as much secrecy as possible to preserve the surprises in store, especially when it comes to the identity of the killer. After all, the beloved horror-comedy and its sequels are whodunnits where, as Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy) aptly put it, “Everybody’s a suspect!”
That means that so far, practically everything about the upcoming Scream is shrouded in mystery. That we’ve lost the franchise’s driving force- Wes Craven– in the decade since the release of the previous installment only further exacerbates the natural curiosity of what a new sequel could entail. Namely, could the series continue without his unique touch?
Luckily, what we do know so far instills trust that the franchise is in the right hands. More importantly, Scream is earning a resounding seal of approval from the franchise’s legacy cast members and franchise writer/creator Kevin Williamson. It turns out that the screenwriter, director, and producer, who took to Twitter this morning to tease photos from his time on set, has been involved with the new installment from the very beginning.
And Williamson reveals today that yes, the new movie is simply titled Scream. Williamson also confirms that filming officially wrapped on the brand spankin’ new sequel this week.
Williamson tweeted, “I’m excited for you to return to Woodsboro and get really scared again. I believe Wes would’ve been so proud of the film that Matt and Tyler are making. I’m thrilled to be reunited with Neve, Courteney, David and Marley, and to be working alongside a new filmmaking team and incredible cast of newcomers that have come together to continue Wes’s legacy with the upcoming relaunch of the franchise that I hold so dear to my heart.”
That’s a wrap on Scream, which I’m excited to announce is the official title of the next film! Nearly 25 years ago, when I wrote Scream and Wes Craven brought it to life, I could not have imagined the lasting impact it would have on you, the fans. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/RCuhVUclG4
— Kevin Williamson (@kevwilliamson) November 18, 2020
Producer William Sherak (Ready or Not, Suspiria) told us in a virtual interview from the set earlier this year, “The first thing we did when [Spyglass Entertainment Co-Chair and CEO] Gary Barber relaunched the franchise was to go out to Kevin and bring him into the process. It’s not about a once over. His approval means everything. Let’s be clear; he’s the reason we’re all here. Making sure that we were doing it right for Wes and the fans, he’s been that True North that made sure we stayed on course. There was no heavy lifting done after the script we’d developed. When he was pitched the original idea, he gave us his thoughts on the pitch, and that’s what we then went and did. So, everyone had been pointing in that direction from the beginning. When Radio Silence read the script, they agreed with that version of the movie.”
Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of Radio Silence worked closely with Williamson in developing the sequel, penned by Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt. “We sat down with him before we were originally supposed to go into production, and we just spent an afternoon with him. He gave us many really thoughtful pointers, specifically on directing from Wes that he had picked up along the way. Just things to keep in mind while you’re making it so that it truly lives within the Scream world and has that DNA, and isn’t just a copycat or facsimile. It’s something that we really brought with us throughout this process,” Bettinelli-Olpin says.
The duo became the only choice to direct after demonstrating a keen ability to balance the scares and humor thanks to 2019’s Ready or Not, and the filmmakers credit their entire career to Scream. Gillett explains, “Everything that we know and understand about this tone, we learned from Kevin [Williamson] and Wes [Craven]. That’s not hyperbole in any way, shape, or form. They taught us everything we know and everything we love about that tonal tightrope of making something that’s scary and funny and emotional and meaningful. And thematically rich. They make it seem effortless.” Bettinelli-Olpin adds, “There would be no Ready or Not without Scream.”
Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not’.
In adhering to Craven’s legacy, the secrecy around this installment trickles down to the cast as well. At the time of this interview, most of the cast hadn’t been given the entire script, and the killer’s identity was still a mystery. That turned out to be beneficial for the directors, as Gillett explains, “It influences and informs the process in the right way. We talk about how the Scream movies are not innocent until proven guilty; it’s about people who are guilty until proven innocent. Everyone should feel like a suspect. So, it works.”
Proving just how much of a franchise study Radio Silence is, Bettinelli-Olpin adds, “One of the things that Wes did that we have implemented and learned from well is that he made a real point of making sure within each scene, there was always a misdirect. There was always a red herring, even if it was subtle or subconscious almost. You think about the shoes that the Sheriff is wearing in the first movie. Or the looks Henry Winkler’s character gave in the Principal’s office. All of those little moments just to keep the audience on their toes is something we’re trying to do in this one, and make it a true whodunnit.”
That all of the pieces in place instilled the confidence for Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Marley Shelton to reprise their characters brings reassurance to fans. But it also begs the question of stakes- would they dare kill off a legacy cast member? The filmmakers remain tightlipped on answering that question. Bettinelli-Olpin does share how vital these actors were to adding depth to this sequel, “All the actors who came back gave us input on the story level and the character level, in terms of where they saw their character at this time, and how that fits into the story that Guy and Jamie wrote. It all worked in really nicely and gave us a level of detail that I don’t think we would’ve had without them giving us that input.”
Considering Ready or Not played a large role in landing Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett the Scream gig, we couldn’t end our time with them without asking whether or not they ever considered casting Samara Weaving in Scream. Without hesitation, Bettinelli-Olpin gives an intriguing answer, “Yes. We would love to make every movie ever with Samara. She’s just ridiculously talented. The schedules just didn’t work out because she’s in Australia now doing all these amazing things, so it’s hard to get her. But we definitely talked about it. Maybe down the road? Maybe she’ll be in one of the future Scream movies.”
Scream is slated for theatrical release on January 14, 2022.
source https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3641873/interview-new-scream-will-honor-wes-cravens-legacy-kevin-williamson-acting-sequels-true-north/
No comments:
Post a Comment