Wes Craven’s Scream epitomized the slasher genre when it was released in 1996. A classic whodunnit that was aware of its genre and the tropes that come with it, balancing the old with the new while capturing the state of a generation on the cusp of mass media. And like other slashers, it had its scream queen in the name of Neve Campbell.
Campbell and her co-star David Arquette have held prominent roles throughout a franchise that has spawned a total of five films now, including this newest release. Despite the 11 year gap between sequels, Campbell is always happy to see the legendary masked killer named Ghostface.
“It’s always exciting for me,” said Campbell. “People are always like, are you scared of this? I’m like, no, I’m excited when I see Ghostface ‘cause that means we’re doing it again. We’re jumping in. and I love making these movies.”
Arquette echoed Campbell’s sentiment towards Ghostface’s status, taking it a step further.
“He’s one of the great horror characters, so to see him and to see the costume and to be on the set and be a part of it all and that voice. That voice that’s part of it all.”
Early Reception
The word on the street thus far is mostly praise for the sequel, which currently holds a fresh rating on rotten tomatoes. However, it is still very early and the film has yet to see a wide release.
However, the films generally generate movement toward the theater. Scream 4 is the only film to have not grossed over $100m worldwide. The others have hit well over $150m. Campbell is appreciative of the acclaim and buzz the franchise still holds.
“It’s crazy. You always hope every time we make one of these that people will still love it and they’ll enjoy it and they’ll think we did a good job, said Campbell. “And kudos to the new directors and writers and new cast, they’ve all done a phenomenal job.”
The New Generation
It is also worth pointing out the absence of iconic horror filmmaker Wes Craven, who had helmed the entirety of the franchise up until this point. The film is directed by directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) take the baton this time around.
“I was reticent about not having Wes with us,” said Campbell. “But Matt and Tyler, the new directors, had written us letters expressing how they were such great fans of Wes and he was the reason they were directors and they made Ready or Not because of the Scream movies. And Ready or Not was amazing. So they really want to honor his legacy and do right by Wes and by these movies and they really did.”
Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett’s presence is a symptom of the blending of generations occurring in the newest film, particularly in the cast. Veterans of the franchise like Courtney Cox make their return and work with younger talent such as Melissa Barrera who is coming off the success of In the Heights.
The film’s re-introduction of older IP to newer audiences puts it in the same vein of other blockbusters that have gone with the same approach, joining Spider-Man: No Way Home and Lana Wachowski’s Matrix: Resurrections. All done to varying degrees of quality.
See Scream in theaters now.
