After the success of 2018’s Halloween, it now looks like another famous slasher could make a comeback as a new Scream entry is potentially underway.
Wes Craven’s original Scream was a love letter to the slasher genre and spawned three sequels, as well as a television series in 2015. Spyglass Media Group is reportedly behind a new project and little is known as to whether it will follow the canon of the other films or be a reboot of some sort.
Craven directed all four Scream movies and, since his passing in 2015, fans would no doubt notice his creative absence. Even original star Neve Campbell has gone on record saying, “he was the reason those movies were so good” and “it would be difficult to work with another director.”
In contrast, David Arquette is more optimistic about the idea, saying “it would be like a tribute almost,” in reference to the late director.
Scream was always known for its homages and spoofs of the horror genre. It would be interesting to see how that could be done now. We have the outrageous, Raimi-esque horror of Andy Muschietti’s It movies, along with the haunting and disturbing side of things with Ari Aster’s Hereditary and Midsommar. A successor to the nerdy Randy Meeks of the first two movies could provide a recap on the recent evolution of horror.
Another thing Scream had over most other slashers was a sense of mystery. Unlike Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers, the Ghostface persona was taken up by different killers in each movie. In this sense, they were almost like detective stories; giving audiences something to solve.
Wes Craven’s artistic signature will obviously be missed, but a tribute to him and the slasher genre is something fans could easily celebrate. Whether it’s a direct sequel or a reboot, here’s hoping the Ghostface killer sees the same success Michael Myers saw last year.
