Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett, alongside producers Chad Villella & William Sherak, sat down with Geeks of Color, Collider, and Bloody Disgusting to discuss the creative process, tone, influences, and casting decisions behind Scream 5.

We’ve compiled the best insights from their conversations.

On the Script

🖊️ Tyler Gillett:

“When we found out Jamie [Vanderbilt], a friend of ours, was writing the script, we kind of lost our minds. That was before we even knew we were involved. But one of the things that’s so important to any Scream is how it speaks about the current state of horror and how it evolves horror—and that’s baked into Jamie and Guy’s script.”

🖊️ Chad Villella:

“What Scream does is swing that pendulum between modern horror and the classics. Scream is aware of it all—it always has been. It takes that comprehensive knowledge and pushes it forward for a modern audience. That’s what makes a Scream movie fun.”

On Tone and References

🎬 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin:

“We talked a lot about Jordan Peele’s films because what he’s doing tonally is something we love. We also discussed the visual style of Us because it captured something very honest and organic while still feeling like a big, fun movie. That’s what Wes Craven mastered—especially with A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream.”

“Unlike when the original came out and horror was on a downward trend, now horror is bigger than ever. That changes how we approach it. But at the end of the day, scary is scary, and that’s our aim. That’s something we learned from Wes—going all the way back to Last House on the Left. A Nightmare on Elm Street was probably the first movie that truly terrified us.”

On Representation & Today’s Horror Landscape

🎭 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin:

“It’s a really hard question to answer without spoilers, but we can safely say that the script is extremely aware of today’s cultural shifts. And it reflects that in ways Scream always has.”

🌍 William Sherak:

“Our goal was to get a cast that represents a real community. Diversity isn’t just important—it’s reality. We built a cast that reflects what a small town actually looks like. Paramount and Spyglass fully supported that, and I think we put together a talented, diverse group that feels real, both on-screen and in real life.”

Bringing Scream Back to Its Roots

📽️ William Sherak:

“Right now, we’re halfway through our shoot. We have both the legacy cast and the new cast working together, and they’re all crushing it. Our goal has always been to honor what came before while delivering something fresh for a new generation. It’s been a long time since the first Scream, and this new audience grew up on horror films that didn’t exist when the original came out. Our job is to bridge those two worlds.”

📖 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin:

“The actors who returned gave us input on both the story and their characters. They had a strong sense of where their characters would be at this time in their lives, and that input helped add a level of depth we wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

Honoring Kevin Williamson & Wes Craven

🎭 William Sherak:

“The first thing we did when [Spyglass CEO] Gary Barber relaunched the franchise was bring in Kevin Williamson. His approval meant everything. Let’s be clear—he’s the reason we’re all here. Making sure we honored Wes and the fans was our priority. When Kevin was pitched the original idea, he gave us his thoughts, and we ran with that. That vision has been our guide from day one.”

🎬 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin:

“We sat down with Kevin before we started production. He gave us some really thoughtful pointers—especially on things he learned from Wes while directing. Little details that made Scream what it is. We carried that wisdom with us through the entire process.”

🎭 Tyler Gillett:

“Everything we understand about Scream’s tone, we learned from Kevin and Wes. They mastered that tonal tightrope—making something scary, funny, emotional, and meaningful. They made it seem effortless.”

🔪 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin:

“There would be no Ready or Not without Scream.”

🎭 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin:

“One of the things Wes did so well was making sure every scene had a misdirect. Even in small, subtle ways. Think about the sheriff’s boots in the original. Or the way Henry Winkler’s principal acted just a little too suspiciously. Those little touches kept audiences on their toes—and we’re doing the same thing in this one.”

How to Keep the Ending Secret

📜 William Sherak:

“One of the first things Kevin told us was that, early in Scream, they created multiple drafts with different killers to prevent leaks. We’ve done something similar. There are different versions of the script floating around—even among our cast. Our goal is to keep everyone guessing, even the people making the movie.”

Samara Weaving & a Potential Sequel

🎭 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin:

“We’d love to make every movie ever with Samara. She’s ridiculously talented. The schedules just didn’t work out this time—she’s in Australia working on amazing projects. But we definitely talked about it. Maybe down the road? Maybe she’ll be in a future Scream movie.”

The Future of Scream

With Radio Silence at the helm, Scream 5 is shaping up to be both a tribute to Wes Craven’s legacy and a bold new chapter.

Now the question is: How will it change the game this time?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments! 🔪