Scream 5 Cast Reveals Which Horror Movies They Watched Before Filming
The stars of the upcoming Scream film reveal that they were directed to watch certain horror movies in preparation for shooting. The fifth installment of the Scream films, the forthcoming horror movie will be the first entry in the franchise since Wes Craven’s death in 2015. The veteran horror director helmed all four Scream movies, beginning with the original in 1996, as well as classics like The Hills Have Eyes and A Nightmare On Elm Street. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (V/H/S) are taking over directing duties for the 2022 feature.
Simply titled Scream, the upcoming slasher will follow a brand new Ghostface killer whose latest prey is those with ties to the original killers. The film will introduce a young crop of Woodsboro residents and new cast members, including Melissa Barrera, Jack Quaid, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, Dylan Minnette, Kyle Gallner, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mikey Madison. Scream will also bring back legacy franchise characters Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette). Marley Shelton will reprise her Scream 4 role as Deputy—now Sheriff—Judy Hicks.
In an interview with Collider, Jack Quaid and Jenna Ortega admit that directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett had the young stars bone up on classic horror films before they began filming Scream. The directing duo reportedly came prepared with a list which included Halloween and Prom Night, among others. Seeing as the filmmakers are keeping any and all Scream details close to the chest, the actors were reluctant to list too many movies for fear of giving anything away. Still, Ortega emphasized that the list focused on films in which the killers are “mysterious” and “unknown.” Check out the full exchange below.
ORTEGA: They gave us a list.
QUAID: They gave us a list, yeah. I feel like saying anything on the list might give something away. I don't know, I don't know. [Laughs]
ORTEGA: I don't know. I mean, you worry me when you say that. I would say they definitely told us to watch Halloween, Prom Night. Just other films that have mysterious, unknown killers. Just kind of in that vein.
QUAID: I'm so sorry I made you nervous, Jenna, about that. [Laughs]
ORTEGA: I was gonna say something, but then I was like, ‘He may be on to something. Hold on.’
QUAID: I'm never onto something. Don't worry about it.
Though the directors encouraged the actors to prepare by watching horror classics, for Quaid it was Scream that initially influenced him to see those films in the first place. The actor, known for his work on Amazon’s The Boys, called Scream a “gateway drug to horror movies,” adding, “when I first saw Scream, it kind of led me on paths to see Halloween for the first time and Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street.” For fans of Scream’s self-reflexive humor and horror references, it’s no surprise that the franchise would incite seeking out the source of those references.
As the press junket ramps up for the stars of Scream, the actors must be particularly careful as to not give anything away. Melissa Barrera owes the urgency to the smart, enterprising fan base, who are eager to puzzle over the tiniest plot details. For that reason, the actors were jumpy to even rattle off film influences. It’s also why the directors purposefully cut the Scream trailer with misdirection and red herrings. In doing so, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett hope to keep audiences completely on their toes when Scream hits theaters January 14, 2022.
Source: Collider