Although notably absent from the press junkets during Scream 4’s theatrical release, Marley Shelton—a seasoned actress in the horror genre with credits in Valentine and Planet Terror—finally stepped into the spotlight for the film’s home video launch.

In a candid and entertaining interview with MovieWeb, Shelton discussed her character, Deputy Judy Hicks, and dropped hints about the character’s role in the franchise’s future.

Red Herrings and Lemon Bars

When asked about Judy’s suspicious demeanor and her connection to the franchise’s signature misdirects, Shelton responded with humor:

On Judy’s suspicious nature:
“She did have some red herring aspects to her. Which is such a fun part of the Scream franchise. Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson always pepper in characters that have those on-the-nose red herring moments.”

On Judy’s mysterious lemon bars:
“She could be sneaking something into those lemon bars that is slowly disintegrating Dewey’s motor skills… You just don’t know. Judy is such a mysterious woman. Who knows what her true intentions are?”

Surviving Scream 4

Shelton also revealed an interesting tidbit about Judy’s fate during the filming process:

“They tested the movie, and they decided to keep me alive. It was an option to kill me. I guess people responded to Judy, so they kept the version where I lived.”

Her survival, Shelton joked, “bodes well for future Judy,” noting that most characters in the Scream franchise don’t share her luck.

Hints for Scream 5 and Beyond

The most intriguing part of the interview came when the conversation turned to the future of Scream. According to Shelton, Wes Craven had hinted at Judy Hicks’ potential role in the overarching story arc of the new trilogy (Scream 4, Scream 5, and Scream 6):

“Wes mentioned that Judy will actually have ties into how this new trilogy continues to move forward in the future. That she is a central player in the overall story arch… There has been casual conversation about that. But nothing in writing.”

Shelton encouraged fans to rewatch Scream 4 carefully:

“About 80% of the Scream cast ends up losing it. The fact that I survived this one, alone? That bodes well for me. Let’s see what happens.”

What’s Next for Judy Hicks?

Could Judy’s mysterious backstory and red herrings play a more prominent role in the Scream universe? With her survival and Craven’s comments about her importance in the new trilogy, fans have every reason to speculate.

For now, all eyes are on Scream 5—and what might be next for the ever-suspicious Deputy Hicks. Stay tuned for updates!