Skeet Ulrich Didn’t Think Scream Would Be Funny Before Shooting

The 25th anniversary of the slasher icon Scream is being celebrated in the weeks leading up to the actual date of the first theatrical release in several ways. It’s exciting to be a Scream fan right now, from screenings of the original Scream in theaters to steel books, collectibles, and interviews with the cast and crew.

In a recent interview with EW.com celebrating the anniversary, Matthew Lilliard and Skeet Ulrich spoke about the humor on set and how unprepared Ulrich was for it.

Ulrich says he went into the film with one idea and was surprised when things moved in a different direction on day one.

“I think part of it was the mindset of Billy and me getting into that mindset. I saw it as this very serious documentary about two killers in high school and I was researching serial killers and the psychology of them, so I didn’t really key into the humor of the story until take one of day one.”

He went on to say that Jamie Kennedy and Lillard made him nervous with their performances. He thought they were running the film’s vibe.

I saw Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard performing more humorous moments. I just remember thinking, “What are they doing? Don’t they know?” Like, “This isn’t funny. This isn’t supposed to be funny.” And man, was I wrong.

While some might argue that the humor takes away from Scream being a “horror” film, others would say it brings a new level to the scare factor. There’s humor, but it’s twisted; we laugh, but it’s not the kind of hilarity you get when you watch a comedy; it’s darker and more focused.

You can watch Scream on streaming platforms now while waiting for the debut of the fifth installment in the franchise, Scream, to hit theaters on January 14, 2022.