Scream 5 has officially got itself a distributor. This year has seen plans for a fifth movie in the meta-horror franchise finally ramp up, with Spyglass Media Group putting the wheels in motion by hiring Ready or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett to take over from the late, great Wes Craven. As casting is now underway, it’s been announced that Paramount Pictures has picked up the film and it’s set to release sometime in 2021.
There was initially some confusion about whether this new Scream movie was a reboot or a continuation, but it was confirmed to be the latter when David Arquette signed up to reprise his role as Woodsboro sheriff Dewey Riley. To date, he’s the only original cast member to officially join the project, but we know that Neve Campbell is in talks to return as series protagonist Sidney Prescott, too. Presumably, Courtney Cox has also been approached to return as Gale Weathers.
We’ve still got no idea about plot details, but fans are wondering if the filmmakers have got something bold planned like killing Sidney off in the opening scene, Drew Barrymore-style, for example. Either way, Campbell has said she’s impressed with the directors’ vision and their intention to honor Craven’s original quartet.
The screenplay has been penned by James Vanderbilt and Ready or Not‘s Guy Busick, with creator Kevin Williamson serving as executive producer. Shooting is due to begin sometime later this year in Wilmington, North Carolina, once safety protocols are in place.
Paramount is the natural choice of distributor for Scream 5, of course, as the studio received the majority of Dimension Films and Miramax’s properties following the downfall of Harvey Weinstein. It’s good news that it could be with us in 2021 as well, presumably sometime in the second half of the year, as it’ll mean that the movie comes out during the 25th anniversary of the first film.
