The iconic slasher franchise is back for another installment in Scream VI. Another Ghostface rises to terrorize the survivors of its predecessors, from Scream staple Gale Weathers to its most recent victims, the Carpenter siblings.
But before you see the slashing and screaming on the big screen, here’s a round-up of some facts about the new horror movie that you might not know about.
1. Ghostface goes to the Big Apple.
While it all began in (and always leads back to) Woodsboro, the Scream franchise has taken place in different locations, with a new set of Ghostface killers following its protagonists wherever they go. This film is no exception.
After the events of the fifth Scream movie, the survivors try to start a new life in New York, but sure enough, even the bustling city wouldn’t be able to protect them from a new Ghostface killer on the loose.
2. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are back as directors.
Scream VI is the second film not helmed by its creator Wes Craven, after the filmmaker’s passing in 2015. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett– collectively known as Radio Silence– who directed the 2022 Scream film are back to direct the sequel, which was actually written before the fifth movie.
“It really moves like it’s on rocket fuel,” director Gillett told TOTAL FILM in an interview. “You sit down, it starts, and the movie is just a ride. You get off two hours later, and you feel like you haven’t taken a breath.”
3. Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Courteney Cox, & more familiar faces return alongside new characters.
Returning for the sixth installment of the film is Scream regular Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers as well as Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed from Scream 4 and Scream 5. They will once again join the new set of Scream protagonists Sam Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera, and her sister Tara portrayed by Jenna Ortega.
Other returning survivors from the previous film include Mason Gooding’s Chad Meeks-Martin and his sister, Jasmin Savoy Brown’s Mindy. New characters include Tony Revolori (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), Henry Czerny, Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Josh Segarra, Liana Liberato, and Devyn Nekoda.
Guess who’s the killer. #ScreamVI pic.twitter.com/ZkvWQmlxuY
— Scream (@ScreamMovies) February 7, 2023
4. The longtime protagonist Sidney Prescott will not be returning.
While the Scream films have had different main characters, the first “final girl” Sidney Prescott has always played a major role in the franchise. But the character will not be returning for the new movie as Neve Campbell decided to step away from the role because of the salary offer she calls “sexist.”
“I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise,” Campbell told Deadline. “It’s been a very difficult decision to move on. To all my Scream fans, I love you. You’ve always been so incredibly supportive to me. I’m forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years.”
While there are unconfirmed rumors about the salary negotiations getting a resolution and Campbell making a surprise cameo in the new film, what the directors did confirm is that Campbell can still return to the franchise in the future.
5. A “bolder, more brazen” Ghostface.
Of course, the identity of the latest Ghostface killer remains to be seen on the big screen, but if we expect the franchise’s tried and tested formula to be applied in the sixth installment, we’ll get another pair of killers donning the Ghostface mask.
The directors did comment about their newest Ghostface in an interview with TOTAL FILM: “We wanted to make this really different, while still having all the stuff you love. Having a bolder, more brazen Ghostface was a big part of that.”
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Scream VI opens in cinemas nationwide this Wednesday, March 8. Book your tickets in advance and buy your tickets here.
