Well it’s impossible to go on the internet without seeing the news that David Arquette has officially signed on to reprise his role of Dewey in the upcoming Scream 5.
And with Neve Campbell reportedly in talks to come back as Sidney, some fans are excited at the idea of 2 of the 3 main characters returning (the jury is still out on Courtney Cox).
Some fans are more apprehensive however, feeling that a fourth sequel is entirely unnecessary, while others feel that a sequel is still better than Scream getting the dreaded “reboot” treatment (which Scream 4 already satirized).
And honestly, there are valid points to all of these arguments. So let’s take a stab at the pros and cons of Scream 5!
PRO – There’s Always Something to Satire
Back in the 90’s slashers were definitely dying out, and Scream brilliantly satirized them with its meta approach.
Scream 2 then tackled the tropes and clichés of endless horror sequels, while the third film analyzed trilogies, and even Scream 4 got in on the satire by taking a critical look at remakes, which have always been rampant in horror.
And while it’s hard to know what kind of approach it will take, Scream 5 definitely has a lot to draw from. When the fourth film came out, reality TV and torture porn had been all the rage, and in the time since then, it seems like slashers have almost gone out of style again.
Paranormal and demonic movies like Insidious, Sinister, and The Conjuring franchise have dominated the last decade, and maybe Scream 5 could even take a supernatural angle, or at least the appearance of one. Point is, horror is ever-changing, and there’ always something to analyze with a meta lens.
CON – The Loss of a Legend
Scream 4 was the last film that Wes Craven directed before tragically passing away in 2015. Scream was one of the very rare slasher franchises to have the same director for every film, and it just won’t feel like Scream without him.
Craven had a wealth of experience in the horror genre, as well as a sharp critical eye for Hollywood itself (as seen in Scream 3), and a deep understanding of meta horror (as seen in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare).
Not just on a practical level, it will be truly bittersweet, and even sad to see the opening credits of Scream 5 without seeing the words “Directed by Wes Craven”…
PRO – Still in Good Hands
No one can fully fill the void that Craven left, but the directors (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) and co-writer (Guy Busick) of Ready or Not come close.
Arguably one of the best horror-comedies of 2019, Ready or Not took its violent and murderous premise, and infused it with a witty, dark sense of humor.
In addition, it did a great job of creating an ensemble cast of characters, who all felt developed (and hilarious) in their own unique ways.
If anyone can even attempt to create another Scream film, this team is certainly the best choice. So many horror-comedies lean too much one way or the other, but Scream always managed to perfect that balance, as did Ready or Not!
CON – Where’s Gale?
Thus far we have David Arquette confirmed, and Neve Campbell all but confirmed, so the question is, where’s Courteney Cox?
There hasn’t much news either way, but without the all three main characters, it will be hard for this new one to feel like Scream. Gale was such an integral and iconic role in the past, and it would be a shame if the movie went on without her.
Cox’s 2013 divorce from Arquette may have played a factor, but for the sake of all horror fans, hopefully they’re able to secure the infamous and brutal Gale Weathers!
What do you think about the upcoming Scream 5? Is it an unnecessary sequel, or do you wanna see Ghostface continue killing?!
For more reviews, rankings, and other fun horror content, follow Halloween Year-Round on Facebook and Twitter!
You can also check out Halloween Year-Round’s new YouTube channel!
Halloween Year-Round 