A new Scream reboot is coming. It’s coming from some awfully talented filmmakers, too, known collectively as Radio Silence. Radio Silence consists of Matthew Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, and Chad Villella. They are the three brilliant minds behind one of 2019’s most entertaining films, Ready or Not.
Scream 5
Discussing Film first broke the news about the sequel, which The Hollywood Reporter confirmed. Villella is producing the sequel, which Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin will direct. That’s how the three work together. Spyglass Media, founded only a year ago, is making the Scream reboot. The company took control of the Scream rights after the Weinstein Co. bankruptcy sale in 2018.
For those who missed the news, Harvey Weinstein got what he deserved and was sentenced to over 20 years behind bars.
Scream Reboot
Spyglass wouldn’t comment on the news and whether the sequel will bring back old characters, played by the likes of Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette. Lately, reboots like Halloween and Candyman have been popular. They’re remakes dressed up as reboots. Audiences love the familiar and the nostalgic, which another Scream movie could deliver to them. The iconic mask from the series has been gone from theaters long enough to interest or excite moviegoers with a return. Who wouldn’t love to see another great Scream movie in this day and age?
The Return of Scream
The Scream franchise has been gone long enough. It’s time for the hit horror series to return, especially when taking into account how much bank horror movies are making today. Audiences are hungrier for them than ever with Blumhouse killing it, the It movies making superhero movie money, and the return of franchises such as Halloween and Candyman. It’s surprising we still haven’t seen more from Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th these days.
The History of Scream
The first Scream is now 24 years old. Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, the horror movie was a huge hit and has remained a greatly entertaining horror movie. Scream 2 was a solid sequel that continued to deconstruct the genre, although maybe not quite as slickly as the first movie. The novelty wore off a little, and it wore off more when the series hit a low point with Scream 3. The franchise perked up a little in 2011 when Craven returned to direct Scream 4, which has its serious fans. In the nine years since Scream has been absent from theaters, there have been plenty more horror movie cliches a Scream 4 could have a field day with.
A random piece of Scream trivia: Quentin Tarantino read the script and considered directing the original Scream at one point. He wasn’t a fan of the finished movie. Tarantino felt Craven wasn’t the right director for it.
Watch Ready or Not
Anybody who’s seen Ready or Not will recognize why this is splendid news for the Scream franchise. The Radio Silence filmmakers know how to blend comedy and horror just right. They can craft sharp tension and scares and know exactly when to go for a big or small laugh. They know the genre well, too. Ready or Not played with expectations and cliches and stayed steps ahead of an audience. A Scream movie needs directors like that.
These movies need filmmakers who understand the genre enough to shake it up and poke fun at it. Radio Silence can do just that. There’s no word on when the Scream reboot will happen, but more than likely, it’s a major priority for Spyglass Media. Expect updates sooner than later on the next Scream film.
