Scream is an American meta horror slasher film series created in 1996 by Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven. Each of the films features a large ensemble of actors and actresses. The leading role of the series is Sidney Prescott, portrayed by Canadian actress Neve Campbell, who is accompanied by ambitious news reporter Gale Weathers, played by Courteney Cox, and the police officer Dewey Riley, played by David Arquette, who appear in all five Scream films. Other major recurring characters include film-geek Randy Meeks, played by Jamie Kennedy, and Cotton Weary, played by Liev Schreiber, in the first three films. The series consists of six films: Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), and Scream VI (2023). The first four films were directed by Wes Craven and scored by Marco Beltrami. Kevin Williamson wrote Scream, Scream 2 and Scream 4, but scheduling commitments meant he could provide only notes for Scream 3, with writing duties instead helmed by Ehren Kruger.
The Weinstein Company stated that the success of Scream 4 could lead to potential sequels and a new Scream trilogy, [1] with Arquette, [2] Craven [1] and Williamson [3] all having been contracted or expressed interest in appearing in future installments. However, it was eventually announced the franchise would continue through Scream: The TV Series , a television production that debuted on MTV in 2015. [4] [5] In 2019, Spyglass Media Group acquired the rights to the series. [6] Scream (2022) was announced in 2019, with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett signed on to direct. [7] Campbell, Cox, and Arquette all signed on to return for the film. [8]
The series is notable in the horror genre for casting established and popular actors which, before Scream (1996), was uncommon and difficult, the genre not taken seriously by mainstream actors. In particular, its cast of famous female actresses such as Drew Barrymore and Courteney Cox in prominent, strong roles was considered to give the genre credibility and allow future Scream and other horror films to attract big name actors with greater ease. [9] [10]
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.
The cast of the Scream series have won, or been nominated for, several awards, most notably Campbell who has received the most wins and nominations of the cast for her role as Sidney Prescott, including the Saturn Award for Best Actress and MTV Movie Award for Best Performance. [20] For Scream (1996) Skeet Ulrich and Drew Barrymore received Saturn Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. [21] Cox received a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Scream 2 but lost to Gloria Stuart for Titanic (1997). [22] Despite her brief cameo appearance as "Sidney Prescott" in the film within a film "Stab" series, Tori Spelling was nominated for a Razzie Award for "Worst New Actress" in Scream 2. [23]
Parker Posey's role as Jennifer Jolie received near unanimous praise from critics, with The New York Times ' Elvis Mitchell saying "[Posey] alone makes the picture worth seeing. Dizzy and nakedly – hilariously – ambitious, she's so flighty she seems to be levitating." [24] [25] So well received was her performance that she received an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance nomination in 2000 for the role but lost to Adam Sandler for Big Daddy (1999). [26]
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Associated film | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | 23rd Saturn Awards | Best Actress | Neve Campbell | Scream | Won | [27] |
Best Supporting Actor | Skeet Ulrich | Nominated | ||||
Best Supporting Actress | Drew Barrymore | Nominated | ||||
1997 | 6th MTV Movie Awards | Best Female Performance | Neve Campbell | Nominated | [28] | |
18th Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst New Star | Tori Spelling | Scream 2 | Nominated | [23] | |
1998 | 24th Saturn Awards | Best Actress | Neve Campbell | Nominated | [22] | |
Best Supporting Actress | Courteney Cox | Nominated | ||||
7th MTV Movie Awards | Best Female Performance | Neve Campbell | Won | [20] | ||
4th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Actor – Horror | David Arquette | Won | [29] [30] | ||
Favorite Actress – Horror | Neve Campbell | Won | ||||
Courteney Cox | Nominated | |||||
Favorite Supporting Actor – Horror | Jamie Kennedy | Won | ||||
Favorite Supporting Actress – Horror | Jada Pinkett-Smith | Nominated | ||||
2000 | 9th MTV Movie Awards | Best Comedic Performance | Parker Posey | Scream 3 | Nominated | [26] |
Best Female Performance | Neve Campbell | Nominated | ||||
2001 | 7th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Actor – Horror | David Arquette | Won | [31] [32] | |
Favorite Actress – Horror | Neve Campbell | Won | ||||
Courteney Cox | Nominated | |||||
2011 | 6th Scream Awards | Best Horror Actress | Neve Campbell | Scream 4 | Nominated | [33] |
Best Cameo | Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin | Nominated | ||||
Fright Meter Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Hayden Panettiere | Nominated | [34] | ||
2022 | 30th MTV Movie & TV Awards | Most Frightened Performance | Jenna Ortega | Scream | Won | [35] |
2023 | 31st MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Fight | Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers) vs. Ghostface | Scream VI | Won | [36] |
2024 | 4th Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actress in a Horror Movie | Jenna Ortega | Nominated | [37] |
Neve Adrianne Campbell is a Canadian actress. She is known for her performances in the horror and slasher genres, which have earned her recognition as a scream queen and in popular culture, and for playing roles in several comedy and drama projects. She is among the highest-grossing actresses and acclaimed heroines in horror, and has won two Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Best Actress, a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress, an MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance, and a Saturn Award for Best Actress, among other accolades.
Scream is a 1996 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, and Drew Barrymore. Set in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California, Scream's plot follows high school student Sidney Prescott (Campbell) and her friends, who, on the anniversary of her mother's murder, become the targets of a costumed serial killer known as Ghostface.
Wesley Earl Craven was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and editor. Amongst his prolific filmography, Craven was best known for his pioneering work in the horror genre, particularly slasher films, where he mixed horror cliches with humor and satire. Craven has commonly been recognized as one of the greatest masters of the horror genre due to the cultural impact and influence of his work.
Courteney Bass Cox is an American actress and filmmaker. She rose to international prominence for playing Monica Geller in the NBC sitcom Friends (1994–2004) and Gale Weathers in the horror film franchise Scream (1996–present). Her accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Award, nominations for two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Scream 2 is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie Kennedy, Laurie Metcalf, Jerry O'Connell, Elise Neal, Timothy Olyphant, Jada Pinkett, and Liev Schreiber. A sequel to Scream (1996), the film was released on December 12, 1997, by Dimension Films as the second installment in the Scream film series. Scream 2 takes place two years after the first film and again follows the character of Sidney Prescott (Campbell), along with other survivors of the Woodsboro massacre, at the fictional Windsor College in Ohio where they are targeted by a copycat killer using the guise of Ghostface. Like its predecessor, Scream 2 combines the violence of the slasher genre with elements of comedy, satire and "whodunit" mystery while satirizing the cliché of film sequels.
David Arquette is an American actor, producer and retired professional wrestler. As an actor, he is known for playing Dewey Riley in the slasher franchise Scream (1996–2022), which won him a Teen Choice Award and two Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. As a professional wrestler, he is best known for his panned 2000 stint in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) where he won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and headlined the Slamboree pay-per-view event. He also appeared in WWE and on the independent wrestling circuit.
Scream 3 is a 2000 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Ehren Kruger. It stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette, Parker Posey, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Lance Henriksen, Matt Keeslar, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Mortimer, Deon Richmond, and Patrick Warburton. It is a sequel to Scream 2 (1997) and the third installment in the Scream film series. The film's story takes place one year after the previous film's events and follows Sidney Prescott (Campbell), who has gone into self-imposed isolation following the events of the previous two films but is drawn to Hollywood after a new Ghostface begins killing the cast of the film within a film Stab 3. Scream 3 combines the violence of the slasher genre with comedy and "whodunit" mystery, while satirizing the cliché of film trilogies. Unlike the previous Scream films, there was an increased emphasis on comedic elements in this installment; the violence and horror were reduced in response to increased public scrutiny about violence in media, following the Columbine High School massacre.
Kevin Meade Williamson is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He is known for developing and writing the screenplay for the slasher film Scream (1996)—which launched the Scream franchise—along with those for Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 4 (2011). He is also known for creating the WB teen drama series Dawson's Creek (1998–2003), the CW supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017), the Fox crime thriller series The Following (2013–2015) and the CBS All Access thriller series Tell Me a Story (2018–2020).
Ghostface is a fictional identity that is adopted by the primary antagonists of the Scream franchise. The figure was originally created by Kevin Williamson, and is primarily mute in person but voiced over the phone by Roger L. Jackson, regardless of who is behind the mask. The disguise has been adopted by various characters in the movies and in the third season of the television series.
Sidney Prescott is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Scream franchise. The character was created by Kevin Williamson and is portrayed by Canadian actress Neve Campbell. She first appeared in Scream (1996) followed by four sequels: Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), and Scream (2022). She is set to return in the upcoming seventh film in the franchise. Until 2023's Scream VI, her character had appeared in each successive film in the series, her role initially that of the victim but growing into heroine where she personally confronts each killer and defeats them.
Gale Weathers is a fictional character of the Scream film series, created by Kevin Williamson and portrayed by Courteney Cox. The character first appeared in Scream (1996), followed by five sequels: Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), and Scream VI (2023). She is the only character who has appeared in every film in the series. For playing Gale, Cox also holds the record of being the only actress to appear in six consecutive films of a horror franchise. At the MTV Movie & TV Awards, Scream VI (2023) won Best Fight for the scene where Ghostface attacks the character, the first time in the franchise where the killer and the character interacted over the phone.
Randy Meeks is a fictional character in the Scream franchise. Randy first appears in Scream (1996) as a high school student with a passion for the horror genre. He is portrayed by Jamie Kennedy. A self-professed "geek", Randy provides comic relief during his appearances throughout the franchise, using his in-depth knowledge of horror film plots and clichés to define the series of murders that occur in the franchise. Director Wes Craven fought for Kennedy's casting for the film, as the studio planned for a bigger name to take the role. Despite Kennedy's lack of experience, Craven got his way, citing that actor Johnny Depp was not a big name when cast in A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Scream is an American murder mystery and meta slasher franchise that includes six films, a television series, merchandise, and games. The first four films were directed by Wes Craven. The series was created by Kevin Williamson, who wrote the first two films and the fourth, and will return to direct the seventh film. Ehren Kruger wrote the third. The fifth and sixth installments were directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, with Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt serving as writers and Williamson returning as executive producer. Dimension Films produced the first four films. Spyglass Media Group took over the rights from the fifth film on with Paramount Pictures distributing. The film series has grossed over US$900 million at the global box office.
Casey Becker is a fictional character from the Scream franchise, first appearing in the 1996 film Scream, as its false protagonist. The character was created by Kevin Williamson and originated by American actress Drew Barrymore. Casey was subsequently played by Heather Graham in Scream 2 for its movie-within-a-movie scenes. Casey and Steve Orth, her boyfriend, are the first characters to be killed in the franchise, in what has been called "one of the most famous scenes of all time."
Scream 4 is a 2011 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. Produced by Outerbanks Entertainment and distributed by Dimension Films, it is a sequel to Scream 3 (2000) and the fourth installment in the Scream film series. The film stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie, Adam Brody, Rory Culkin, Marielle Jaffe, Erik Knudsen, Mary McDonnell, Marley Shelton, Nico Tortorella, and Roger L. Jackson. The film takes place on the fifteenth anniversary of the original Woodsboro murders from Scream (1996) and involves Sidney Prescott (Campbell) returning to the town after ten years, where Ghostface once again begins killing students from Woodsboro High. Like its predecessors, Scream 4 combines the violence of the slasher genre with elements of black comedy and "whodunit" mystery to satirize the clichés of film remakes. The film also provides commentary on the extensive usage of social media and the obsession with internet fame.
Dwight "Dewey" Riley is a fictional character in the Scream franchise. Dewey first appears in Scream (1996) as a bumbling police deputy doing his best to deal with the first Woodsboro massacre. He was created by Kevin Williamson and portrayed by David Arquette. A comic relief character of sorts, Dewey is known for his affable personality, his bravery, and his resourcefulness. Arquette was initially called in to audition for the role of Billy Loomis but requested to director Wes Craven that he play Dewey instead, which Craven agreed to.
Scream is a 2022 American slasher film directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. It is the fifth installment in the Scream film series and a direct sequel to Scream 4 (2011). The first in the series not directed by Wes Craven, who died in 2015, the film is dedicated to Craven at the beginning of the closing credits. The film stars Melissa Barrera, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Sonia Ammar, with Marley Shelton, Skeet Ulrich, Roger L. Jackson, Heather Matarazzo, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell reprising their roles from previous installments. The plot takes place twenty-five years after the original Woodsboro murders from Scream (1996), when yet another Ghostface appears and begins targeting a group of teenagers who are each somehow linked to the original killings.
Kirby Reed is a fictional character in the Scream film series, created by Kevin Williamson and portrayed by Hayden Panettiere. She first appeared in Scream 4 (2011) and returns in Scream VI (2023).
Scream VI is a 2023 American slasher film directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. It is the sequel to Scream (2022) and the sixth installment in the Scream film series. The film stars Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Roger L. Jackson, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Hayden Panettiere, and Courteney Cox, all reprising their roles from previous installments, with Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving joining the ensemble cast. The plot follows a new Ghostface killer, who begins targeting the survivors of the Woodsboro murders in New York City.