Horror Facts
The new installment of the “Scream” franchise was the first made without the involvement of horror master Wes Craven, who passed away in 2015. Known collectively as Radio Silence, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett took over directing duties after their indie hit “Ready or Not” earned a following of horror fans.
According to the “Scream” plot summary from Paramount Pictures: “25 years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.”
In the original Scream, stereotypes of horror were a big part of its appeal. Once again, Ghostface is on the loose, and this time he is targeting Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter. She has a connection to a character from the original Scream. Tara (Jenna Ortega) is the first victim of his attack. Assisted by his boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid), Sam seeks help from former police officer Dewey Riley (David Arquette), who knows everything about Ghostface. The killer is most likely to follow a strict set of rules related to movies, and the guilty party might even be one of her friends.
The Scream movie may be the first not directed by Wes Craven, but you can still sense his influence all throughout the film. The film is even dedicated to his memory and has a character named after him. Unlike most horror sequels, this film does not rehash the same tropes as previous installments, it enhances the franchise by adding new plot points and character development that enhance the narrative and at the same time enhances the mythology of the series. In short don’t let the lack of Craven turn you away from Scream 5.
I love the returning characters in this franchise. Sidney, Gale, and Dewey are always a pleasure to catch up with. It has been fascinating to watch their relationships grow over the course of the series. Despite the film’s striking and haunting visuals, it explores both the immense grief and agony that two sisters must be experiencing. The screenwriters at Scream wanted to add something more than a basic slasher to the movie, which could have easily been just another slasher.
This Scream has everything you could ever want if you’re a fan of the franchise. A legacy cast mingles with the new blood during self-aware meta-discussions about how horror works. In contrast to its predecessor, Scream (2022) gives the old cast a lot less screen time. Unlike Sidney, Gale, and Dewey’s stories, this is not really their story. Throughout the plot, everyone’s set role becomes more apparent as the plot unfolds.
Even though it has an unnumbered title, this fifth Scream is not your introduction to the franchise, but also does not require a deep understanding of the previous four films. This world has mostly been familiarized with the real-life Woodsboro murders through the Stab movies, which roughly correlate with our Scream films. In addition to those sequels, there is a latest one that hasn’t been well received by fans. Without spoiling the film for you this is a big part of the plot.
It would spoil the immense fun that comes with the mystery elements of this highly successful sequel if I said more about this film than I already have, but that would obviously ruin the excitement and fun that comes with Scream.
The bottom line is that if you are a ‘Scream’ fan then you need to see this latest installment.
