Scream star Jack Quaid says the cast initially received different scripts that changed who died and who was the killer. The new movie from directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett is the fifth entry in the storied Scream franchise, which began with Wes Craven's 1996 film of the same name. After experiencing some pandemic-related production delays, Scream (2022) finally releases exclusively in theaters on January 14.
This entry in the meta-slasher series will be the first made without Craven, who passed away in 2015, with 2011's Scream 4 being his final film. Much like that project, Scream (2022) mixes returning and debuting cast members, bringing back stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette as Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, respectively, while introducing a host of young actors as the next generation of victims. The film sees a new person take up the Ghostface mantle and once again terrorize the youth of Woodsboro, California.
In an interview with Bloody Disgusting, Quaid, who plays Richie Kirsch in the new Scream, recalls the lengths the filmmakers went to while keeping the story a secret. He describes how, in the early days of filming, the actors were all given different versions of the script, each of which changed up the death scenes and Ghostface-reveal. Quaid says it made it difficult to know exactly what was going on, and made the identity of the killer a fun guessing-game for the actors:
In terms of my character… especially in the beginning of filming, we all got different scripts. I was never really quite sure what the situation was. In some versions some characters die, in other versions other characters die. In some versions somebody’s the killer, in other versions someone else is the killer. It was like a big game of Among Us.
Absolute secrecy is certainly a necessity for a Scream movie, which is predicated on cleverly subverting the tropes of slashers while still delivering on their trademark thrills. The characters are left guessing at killer's identity along with the audience, though the film's marketing has so far hinted Ghostface will be among the younger generation, rather than a shocking heel-turn by one of the three legacy characters. Still, it's impossible to rule anyone out - except, perhaps, Sidney - and audiences will be doing their best to avoid any spoilers before they can make it to a screening.
Some fans might be nervous about a new Scream made without Craven, but if the pedigree of the Ready or Not directors succeeding him didn't instill confidence, early reviews of the horror film certainly should. Critics have responded very positively to the movie so far, with many claiming it to be the franchise's best sequel yet. Prospective viewers no longer have to wait to find out for themselves, as Scream (2022) is playing in theaters nationwide now.
Source: Bloody Disgusting
