Scream 2022 Script Was Written Before Returning Cast Signed On

The script for 2022’s Scream was written before securing the lead stars it featured. The fifth entry in the Scream franchise stars returning cast members Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette, who have all appeared in every film. The first Scream was released in 1996 and spawned three more sequels, directed by the late Wes Craven, who passed away in 2015. Kevin Williamson wrote and created the series, as well as serving as an executive producer on the new film.

The Scream franchise has featured several new and returning cast members throughout, but due to the nature of the series, not many survive past one film. Campbell’s Sidney Prescott has been the main protagonist for most of the films, with Courtney Cox’s Gale Weathers and David Arquette’s Dewey Riley being fan favorites that have managed to stay alive up to now, as they battle one killer after another who dons the infamous Ghostface mask to murder those closest to them. The last Scream film was Scream 4, which was released in 2011 and served as the final film directed by Wes Craven. The fifth film in the series, called simply Scream, was written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, with directing duties handled by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who helmed the 2019 horror hit Ready or Not.

However, per EW, the script for the film was written with the original leads in mind but was finished before Campbell, Cox, or Arquette agreed to appear. This created a tense situation for the filmmakers, as the script hinged on their inclusion in the project. Gillet says it made “a wildly anxiety-producing situation” and that the roles were essential to the film.

“They were not disposable roles; they were very, very important and the heartbeat of what was great about the script. We couldn’t imagine the movie without any of them and so not having that perfectly locked-in right off the bat was definitely scary,” said Gillet.

Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillet have worked on several horror-related projects together, including Devil’s Due and V/H/S. Their affinity for Wes Craven appeared to win over at least one cast member. Neve Campbell shared that she was “of two minds” in approaching the return to the franchise, as the thought of making a Scream movie without Wes Craven seemed “challenging” to her. “I loved the man very much. But Matt and Tyler wrote me a letter, speaking of their appreciation and great respect for Wes Craven, and speaking of the fact that the very reason that they are directors today was because of these movies and because of Wes, and that meant a great deal to me.”

Despite winning over the cast to return, the Scream filmmakers worked hard to keep the reveals and twists secret as far into production as they could, as the Scream franchise’s twist endings are one of the key elements of its success. The return of Scream would not feel the same without the returning cast, which seems to be a familiar trend for long-running franchises. In this month’s Halloween Kills, Jamie Lee Curtis, who starred in the 1978 original film, is also back in the lead, lending specific credence to the series, similar to Scream’s.

While there’s always the option to reboot a franchise, the fact remains that many franchises are successful because of the cast, so ignoring that aspect could be a tremendous mistake. While some franchises may seek to recast or reboot, others hold steady and recognize the impact of the people that made it special, to begin with. Some franchises aren’t the same without the staple actors that brought it all to life, be it Halloween, Indiana Jones, or Scream.