Scream 5 star, Courteney Cox, teases the upcoming movie's place in the franchise's continuity. The fifth installment of the iconic horror film franchise is directed by Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, following the 2015 passing of Wes Craven, who directed all four previous films. The fifth Scream film has been long-awaited since the 2011 reboot with Scream 4, which was met with disappointment by some fans who felt the film did not live up to the previous movies. However, Scream 5, officially titled Scream, is expected to go in a new direction from the previous films while honoring the series and Craven's legacy.
For years there had been rumors of Scream 5 in the works, but fans were surprised when it was officially announced that Spyglass Media Group acquired the rights to the project. Franchise regulars David Arquette, Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell signed on to reprise their roles as Dewey, Gale and Sidney earlier this year, confirming that the film would not be a hard reboot. Filming was originally set to begin in May with a release date of 2021, but like many productions this year, was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Production was underway by September, with filming taking place in Wilmington, North Carolina while following COVID-19 safety protocols. Despite three members of the production testing positive for COVID, production continued. The movie officially wrapped filming back in November 2020, with a release date set for January 2022. The film will follow a young woman who returns to her hometown, only to encounter disturbing murders connected to the infamous masked serial killer. While most details surrounding the movie are being kept secret for now, Cox is sharing where the film fits in the franchise.
In a recent interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, Cox spoke about where Scream 5 fits in the franchise's continuity. Cox explained that the new movie is the beginning of a completely new franchise. "Scream, this is the fifth one. It's not Scream 5 though, this is Scream….These directors are incredible, they're making it absolutely, it's a new franchise," said Cox. "It's hip, it's scary, it's just a new Scream. It's not a reboot, it's not a remake, it’s just a brand new launch. I think it’s going to be fantastic."
While the much-anticipated sequel will see familiar faces return from past films in the franchise, there will also be some newcomers that will help give it a whole new generation. Jack Quaid, Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Dylan Minnette are among the cast making their debut in the franchise. Other details behind the film are being kept so secret, that it was revealed last month that multiple versions of the screenplay were written to keep from spoilers being leaked.
It will certainly be interesting to see what direction Scream will go in, and how the new characters will unite with the originals to fight off the iconic masked serial killer. While there's still a little less than a year to go before the film hits theaters, Cox is likely making fans even more eager to see the new film. While it's difficult to imagine how the new movie is not a remake or a reboot when there are multiple characters returning from the franchise, things will likely make more sense once audiences see the movie.
Source: The Drew Barrymore Show