Scream Directors’ New Horror Movie Makes Us Mad That This Actor Couldn’t Play Scream 7’s Next Ghostface Killer

WARNING! This article contains spoilers for Abigail (2024)!

Radio Silence has another horror hit on their hands with Abigail, and one star’s incredible performance proves he would have been the perfect Ghostface killer if the directing duo had returned for Scream 7. Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, collectively known as Radio Silence, have directed some of the greatest horror-comedy hits of the past few years, beginning with Ready or Not in 2019, extending with two additions to the Scream franchise, and now growing further with the Universal vampire film Abigail. As Abigail’s cast shines with Melissa Barrera in the lead, it’s difficult not to imagine what could have been if another Radio Silence Scream movie had come to fruition.

Abigail is Radio Silence’s first horror movie since 2023’s Scream VI, which starred Melissa Barrera as the lead character Sam Carpenter. While the directors’ Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023) both released to critical acclaim and impressive box office performances, it was announced that Radio Silence would not be returning for Scream 7, with Melissa Barrera later being removed from the sequel. Consequently, it’s even more disappointing given how much potential there was for a compelling Scream 7 story about Sam under Radio Silence’s direction, and the matter is made worse by Abigail’s horror talent, who would have flawlessly fit the slasher franchise.

Abigail’s Dan Stevens Would Have Been Perfect For Scream 7’s New Ghostface Killer

Dan Stevens’ Frank seemed like the perfect audition for Scream’s Ghostface

Alongside Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, and the rest of Abigail’s “Rat Pack” group, Dan Stevens gave a standout performance as Frank, the self-described “a**hole” of the heist team. Abigail marked Stevens’ first collaboration with Radio Silence, but his apparent comfort and ease with their approach to the horror genre suggests that it won’t be the last. As such, it’s disappointing that Dan Stevens started working with Radio Silence after the directing duo left the Scream franchise, as the actor’s Abigail role proves he would have been incredible as a similar villain in the slasher film series.

Like Jack Quaid and Mikey Madison in Scream (2022) or Liana Liberato in Scream VI, Dan Stevens’ performance in Abigail confirms that he can masterfully draw the line between villain and hero in a manner that keeps audiences constantly guessing whether to trust him. Stevens’ Abigail character, Frank, rides the fence of audiences never quite knowing whether he’ll turn on the Rat Pack or reveal more devious intentions than he leads on, and this guessing game is brilliantly paid off with his vampire twist in Abigail’s ending. Consequently, Stevens’ approach to Frank would have fit the tone of Radio Silence’s Scream movies while reflecting the franchise’s greatest Ghostface killers.

Sadly, however, it seems unlikely that Dan Stevens will be able to play a Ghostface villain in the Scream franchise, which still has a fairly unclear narrative future despite confirmations that Neve Campbell will reprise her role as Sidney Prescott. While it’s still possible that he could be cast in a sequel, his introduction to Scream would have fit far better under the purview of Radio Silence while placing him opposite Melissa Barrera again. Still, if Melissa Barrera and Radio Silence ever get the opportunity to continue Sam Carpenter’s story one day in the future, at least the team already has a great actor to cast for one of the next Ghostface killers.

Radio Silence’s New Horror Movies Help Replace The Scream Villains We Never Got

Radio Silence still creates twist-heavy villains outside the Scream franchise

Though Radio Silence’s Scream movies are technically over after their 2023 entry, the duo’s upcoming horror movies still provide an outlet for the types of villains they may have added to the franchise had they continued with the Carpenter sisters’ story. Dan Stevens’ Frank already fits the bill for the type of villain that could have been seen in another Scream movie, so it’s likely that the directors’ future films will continue to yield similar characters. While another Scream movie may not be coming from Radio Silence, it’ll still feel like it with the compelling Final Girls they have in the lead and the twisted villains they place among their ensembles.

Dan Stevens Is Still Continuing His Horror Movie Streak After Abigail

Stevens has more horror movies lined up after Abigail

From playing the Beast in 2017’s live-action Beauty and the Beast remake to voicing Korvo in the animated sci-fi show Solar Opposites, Dan Stevens has traversed various genres with plenty of success. However, many of his most recent and exciting victories have come from his roles within the horror genre. Stevens has had critical acclaim in the horror genre long before Abigail’s Rotten Tomatoes success this year, with his films and TV shows such as The Guest (2014), Apostle (2018), The Rental (2020), Love Death + Robots, and Cabinet of Curiosities standing among his highest-scoring projects on Rotten Tomatoes.

Abigail certainly revives Dan Stevens’ Scream King contention on a greater scale in 2024, with the actor already continuing his success in the genre shortly after. Arriving only four months after Abigail, Dan Stevens’ next movie is Cuckoo, a horror film hitting theaters in August 2024. Starring alongside Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer, Stevens plays the elusive Mr. König in Cuckoo, with the character being described as the upcoming horror movie’s villain who runs a disturbing breeding program. With Abigail recently highlighting Stevens’ talents as a twisted horror villain, Cuckoo is shaping up to be a fitting continuation of his roles within the genre.

Radio Silence Already Has Another Great Horror Movie Perfect For Dan Stevens

Stevens can still become a frequent horror collaborator for Radio Silence

Despite the unlikelihood of a Dan Stevens-starring Scream movie from Radio Silence, his horror successes make another collaboration between the actor and directors more probable. Radio Silence has yet to officially announce their next movie after Abigail, but they have confirmed that a sequel to their 2019 horror hit Ready or Not is in development. According to the directors, a screenplay for Ready or Not 2 has already been written, which they have described as being an “absolute f***ing” banger of a sequel.” It’s unclear whether Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin would return as the directors for a potential sequel, but it’s safe to say that they’ll be involved should it come to fruition.

If Ready or Not 2 does happen, which seems more likely after Abigail’s positive reception, Radio Silence would likely recruit some of their frequent collaborators for the cast. The directors have already worked with actors Samara Weaving and Melissa Barrera multiple times, so it’s possible that Dan Stevens could join the troupe as one of Radio Silence’s frequent collaborators. The story for Ready or Not 2 is still under wraps, but if Abigail is any indication, the sequel could greatly benefit from casting Dan Stevens as an anti-hero or full-on villain in the horror tale’s return.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes