Most horror franchises get worse as the sequels pile up. I speak from experience, having recently watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. But the Scream series is the rare exception to the rule. OK, maybe Scream 3 isn’t great (although I think it’s better than its reputation), but Scream is a masterpiece, Scream 2 is a clever in-on-the-joke sequel, and Scream 4 is one of the few good reboots.
Can the fifth Scream movie, confusingly titled Scream, keep it up?
Scream is the first movie in the series to not be directed by horror movie legend Wes Craven, who passed away in 2015. Ready or Not‘s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett were handed the keys (knife?) to the kingdom, while Kevin Williamson, who wrote three of the first four films, is attached as an executive producer. Also back: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, and Roger L. Jackson (Ghostface himself), who are joined by newcomers Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Dylan Minnette, Mikey Madison, Sonia Ben Ammar, and Kyle Gallner.
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
Scream comes out on January 14, 2022.
