Three crew members on Scream 5 have tested positive for COVID-19, Deadline is reporting. The much-anticipated latest installment in the meta-horror franchise only just started shooting in Wilmington, North Carolina, but it’s already faced something of a setback. Luckily, it seems it’ll be able to overcome this hurdle as filming is scheduled to continue as normal.
Deadline notes that the shoot wrapped up for the week as expected on Thursday, with production due to pick up on Monday after a planned weekend break. The positions of the affected crew members haven’t been revealed, but it’s known that they’re not part of the primary pool of key personnel – for instance, the director, assistant directors or DP. If they were, filming wouldn’t be able to press ahead.
While production continues, the three crew members who tested positive will be immediately quarantined and undergo more testing. Deadline explains that contact tracing is also being practised. To date, then, Scream 5 has managed to avoid a huge stumbling block like the one faced by Warner Bros.’ The Batman, which had to shut down for a week or so when star Robert Pattinson came down with the virus.
Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, who have starred in all previous entries in the series before this one, are once again back as Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley, respectively. They’ll be joined by a full cast of franchise newcomers, too, including Jenny Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Dylan Minette, Kyle Gallner, Jack Quaid, Mason Gooding and Jasmine Savoy Brown. Marley Skelton is also returning as Deputy Sheriff Judy Hicks from Scream 4.
Ready or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are taking over the reins from the late Wes Craven, with original screenwriter Kevin Williamson exec producing. Paramount is due to release Scream 5 on January 14th, 2022.
