Kevin Williamson says Scream 5 will ditch deconstruction and meta-horror for something fresh. But how will it honor Wes Craven’s legacy?
With Scream 5 nearing the end of production, Kevin Williamson has revealed a major shift in direction—and according to him, that’s a good thing.
Over the weekend, Williamson reunited with Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and the original Scream cast for a nostalgic online panel via Looped Live.
While no plot details were revealed, the film’s tone was a hot topic, with Williamson dropping a significant clue about how Scream 5 will stand apart from its predecessors.
When asked about the new rules for horror, Williamson admitted that he wasn’t sure what they were anymore. And while fans tried their best to extract new details, he did underline one key change:
“No deconstruction. No self-awareness. Just the opposite of what we did.”
“I do worry that the franchise kind of wears itself out with all the meta and the deconstruction, and there’s only so many times you can do it. So many people have, since then, done horror films like it or in the vein of it. So you do worry that it kind of runs its course.”
Considering that Scream 4—despite its growing cult status today—didn’t perform as expected at the box office in 2011, this shift in approach might be exactly what the franchise needs.
While Scream 5 might break away from heavy meta-commentary, it won’t abandon its roots completely.
“What I love about the new Scream is that it takes a fresh approach. It’s this beautifully fresh new movie, but it also has this nostalgic factor that runs through it. That, to me, was a perfect blend of how to do the next Scream.”
With Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett taking the reins, Williamson had high praise for the directors, as did Neve Campbell, who wrapped her scenes with the Radio Silence team:
“The script is great. I am very happy with the direction they have taken with Sidney.”
If there was one thing that made Williamson hesitant about returning, it was continuing without Wes Craven.
“I’m blown away by the directors, and I was really nervous because nobody is Wes Craven. I was really hesitant to even jump on board and be a part of it, and boy… am I glad I did because I think it’s going to make Wes proud.”
Filming for Scream 5 officially ends tomorrow, November 17th.
As the countdown to January 2022 begins, one thing is certain:
🔪 This is going to be a very different Scream.
Are you excited about a new direction for the franchise, or do you think Scream should always stay self-aware? Let us know in the comments!
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