The fact that a fifth Scream film is quickly creeping up has horror fans experiencing complete euphoria - knowing within a month's time, the franchise that reinvigorated the slasher genre will once again leave an epic impression. Fortunately, the team behind the revived Scream has managed to be scarce about the film's details to avoid major leaks and spoilers, Scream's top-notch marketing has offered just enough about its return to further enhance the anticipation.
With new character posters, teasers, and even a Woodsboro-focused ARG (alternate reality game), Scream promises that the fifth film in the franchise will be its biggest yet.
#ForWes
First and foremost, it has to be acknowledged that without Wes Craven's directorial work on Scream 1-4, the film franchise wouldn't be where it is today. Thankfully, the new team that's helming the film has repeatedly expressed their admiration for the late, renowned filmmaker.
In the earlier stages of the relaunch, there had been a hashtag used on social media citing the film was #ForWes, with a new recent featurette reaffirming that all-important respect. Original Scream scribe turned Executive Producer Kevin Williamson noted that the film will in fact be dedicated to Wes. All involved who had worked with Craven have only positive, wonderful sentiments about this new chapter of Scream.
Importance Of Legacy Characters
"Hello Sidney, it's an honor." has been used in several teasers and trailers so far, making direct reference to how crucial Sidney is to Scream. Though Ghostface is the timeless villain of the franchise, its legacy characters (most importantly due to backstory, Sidney) are just as synonymous with Scream as the serial slasher.
That said, Sidney isn't alone, with Dewey shown to explain the rules and Gale present for a Ghostface smackdown that she always seems to find herself in. These characters have been around for 25 years, so there's a genuine love for the trio that can't be replicated in other horror franchises. Even if removed from the primary target this time around - the posters and trailers promise that Scream isn't going to sideline the beloved survivors of four separate murder sprees.
Previous Killers Are Dead (Despite Conspiracy Theories)
Ever since Scream was announced to be a continuation of previous events - many fans took to social media questioning if killers like Stu or Jill could actually still be alive. Even with Sidney shooting Jill and electrocuting/crushing Stu's face, people still believed it was possible until the new ARG made it impossible to dispute.
The ARG itself has provided a clever preview at the Woodsboro High class that the film will focus on (@TooBrAshSarah on TikTok) but used this opportunity to also squash rumors that fans have remained persistent about. That doesn't mean that the film won't acknowledge former killers or motives in some capacity. However, don't go into this new Scream expecting there to be any zany twists about old killers faking their death.
Plenty Of New Blood
With every chapter of Scream comes exceptional supporting characters and new blood - (Derek, Jennifer, Randy, Kirby, etc) because a contributing factor to viewers' investment comes with well-written roles. The new Scream trailers have offered up the next generation to Ghostface but keep a few promising bloodline connections to characters involved 25 years prior.
Everything thus far has suggested that the trio of returning characters will be very entwined with the events, while not being the targets they once were. This will provide a different chance to flesh out this friend group more thoroughly than others - with the notion that we can presumably expect to earn a few new additions to the Scream final girls/boys.
The Power Of Sidney
When it was first confirmed Scream would return, most wondered if there would be a return for Sidney. When that was confirmed, fans were concerned she would be an opening kill, or possibly even a cameo, souring the memory of a beloved "Scream Queen". Everything that the film has offered so far suggests that those concerns can be laid to rest.
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Sidney is pivotal to the trailer, the film's promotional posters, and marketing gearing up for its release, giving her the blood-red carpet treatment that the character has earned. There's some indication that we'll get to see Sidney experience deja-vu with the original film's climactic revelations, so for fans of Sindey, rest assured that her badass energy is coming back and seemingly more confident than ever.
Parallels To The Original Woodsboro Murders
With the film taking back the title Scream (by ditching the numerical listing) there were initially elements of confusion about how it would fit into the pre-existing continuity, but it's very much established that everything remains canon.
However, this highly anticipated reimagining is titled Scream because it has duality as a sequel and pseudo-reinvention. The official trailer brings on the return of Stu's home, scene recreations, and more recently, callbacks to Randy's "I'll be right back" rule, but in ways that show it's clearly meant to feel newly accessible. The franchise has always poked fun at the concept of original films being the most effective (Scream 2 comfortably scoffs at that mentality). If this Scream accesses its full potential, then it could have that same lightning in a bottle originality.
Ghostface Increases The Brutality
In order to be received as a proper Scream film, there are still expectations to consider. One of which is the all-important component of brutality that kicked off the first film and shocked audiences into theaters for the weeks that followed.
The new trailer appears to incorporate that exact same intensity - and a recent holiday remix played up the sounds of bones snapping and Ghostface's knife to implement some reliable Scream carnage. The teasers have also complied footage of several stabbings, bloody knives, and even fire, which leads people to assume that Scream is wanting to take this a step up from being your average (modern) horror sequel. From the looks of it, modern Scream is definitely not for the squeamish, so prepare for a bloodbath!