Horror fans may not know much about 2022’s upcoming Scream, but they can rest assured the movie is avoiding mistakes made by the earlier meta-horror reboot Blair Witch. Released in 1996, Nightmare on Elm Street creator Wes Craven’s Scream was a much-needed shot in the arm for the slasher genre. The sub-genre’s popularity was waning by the early ‘90s, but Scream’s innovative premise—the characters were savvy movie fans who recognized the tropes of the genre—made the slasher cool again.
The Scream sequels were a mixed bag, but many agreed the series ended on a comparatively high note with 2011’s Scream 4. As such, some gorehounds were concerned when 2022’s upcoming Scream was announced. Despite the potentially confusing title, Scream is a direct sequel to the original series rather than a reboot—much like 2016’s Blair Witch.
Luckily, fans of the Scream franchise and its many horror easter eggs can rest assured the new entry will not repeat the mistakes made by 2016's Blair Witch in terms of marketing. Both reboots of popular ‘90s meta-horrors, both 2022's Scream and the Blair Witch reboot tried to hide their spoilers before their release. However, where 2016’s Blair Witch was shot, screened, and eventually even advertised under a fake title (The Woods) to avoid fan anger, 2022’s Scream has embraced this mystery by keeping a trailer under wraps until less than 4 months before the movie’s release. Setting up Facebook’s “Woodsboro Horror Film Club” also allows it to tease news to the fanbase, incorporating fans of the originals into the fold instead of trying to hide from them as Blair Witch’s reboot did.
While unfortunately, the great director Wes Craven passed away in 2015, the new Scream will be helmed by the acclaimed duo Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin of Ready Or Not fame. However, the fact the pair directed a well-received, satirically sharp horror comedy may not be enough to keep the hopes of Scream devotees afloat, as 2016’s Blair Witch director Adam Wingard made the critically acclaimed You’re Next and The Guest before that disappointing outing. As such, it is fortunate the existence of the “Woodsboro Horror Film Club” proves Scream’s new creative masterminds are not afraid of the existing fandom and want to involve the franchise faithful in the new sequel's release.
Hiding the fact Blair Witch was a sequel in an attempt to avoid fan ire was just one of the numerous issues that plagued the 2016 movie, which most critics agreed was an unnecessary addition to the series. 2022’s upcoming Scream may have avoided this pitfall, but without a trailer or much in the way of promotional materials, it is tough to tell whether it will also avoid accusations of flat characters or over-reliance on rehashing the original that Blair Witch received. Only time will tell whether Scream can win over critics, but unlike 2016’s Blair Witch, the sequel is at least doing the work to keep the fanbase on board.