Woodsboro Again: Scream 2022 Requel Explained

Scream (2022) is the fifth film in the Scream slasher series and the first not directed by Wes Craven, who died in 2015. The film is dedicated to him. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of the filmmaking group Radio Silence directed it from a script by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. Twenty-five years after the original Woodsboro murders, a new Ghostface targets a group of teenagers who all have links to the first killings. Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid and Mason Gooding lead the new cast, while Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette return. The film calls itself a “requel,” part sequel, part reboot. It was well received and a hit, earning $138 million on a $24 million budget.

At a glance

Release date	January 14, 2022 (US)
Directors	Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Writers	James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick
Based on	Characters created by Kevin Williamson
Starring	Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Neve Campbell
Runtime	114 minutes
Rating	R (US), for strong bloody violence, language throughout and some sexual references
Budget	$24 million
Box office	$138 million
Franchise	Scream: sequel to Scream 4 (2011); followed by Scream VI (2023)

Plot summary

Twenty-five years after Billy Loomis and Stu Macher’s killing spree, Woodsboro teenager Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) is home alone when Ghostface attacks her. She survives, and her estranged older sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) comes back from Modesto with her boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid). Sam has a secret: she discovered as a teenager that her biological father is Billy Loomis, and she has been seeing visions of him.

As Tara’s friends start dying, Sam and Richie go to a retired Dewey Riley (David Arquette) for help. Dewey warns Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown), the niece of the original film’s horror buff Randy, explains the rules. The killer is making a “requel,” pitting a new generation against the legacy survivors, and using Sam’s connection to Billy to lure them back.

Spoiler section: the ending

Dewey is killed at the hospital, which brings Sidney back to town. At a party at Stu’s old house, Tara’s friend Amber (Mikey Madison) shoots Liv and unmasks herself as Ghostface, and Richie is revealed as her partner. They are toxic fans of the in-universe Stab movies, angry at the latest sequel, and want to create a new, true story to inspire better ones, with Sam framed for the murders. Gale shoots Amber, who falls on a lit stove. Guided by a vision of Billy, Sam stabs Richie to death and shoots him to make sure. Tara finishes off the burned Amber. Gale decides to write a tribute to Dewey rather than a book about the killings.

Production and behind the scenes

After Scream 4 underperformed in 2011, plans for more films stalled. After the 2017 sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, the Weinstein Company closed, and Spyglass Media Group acquired the rights in November 2019. Radio Silence, who were developing Cocaine Bear at the time, were hired in March 2020. At first, Kevin Williamson turned down Vanderbilt’s invitation to get involved because he didn’t want to make a Scream film without Craven. He later agreed to be an executive producer on the condition that the film be dedicated to Craven. Arquette, Cox and Campbell signed on during 2020, with Barrera and Ortega cast in August. Roger L. Jackson returned as Ghostface’s voice. Skeet Ulrich shot his scenes as Billy in a single day in front of a green screen.

COVID-19 delayed the start of filming in Wilmington, North Carolina, which finally began on September 23, 2020, under the working title Parkside, and wrapped on November 17. The production received a $7 million rebate from North Carolina. To prevent leaks, several versions of the script were written and some alternate scenes were shot. Nervous about killing Dewey, the studio asked for an alternate scene in which he survives. The directors filmed one with no intention of ever using it. Brian Tyler, who had scored Ready or Not for the directors, replaced the longtime series composer Marco Beltrami.

Release and reception

Paramount, which took over distribution from Dimension Films, released the film on January 14, 2022. Its red carpet premiere was canceled because of the Omicron wave. It opened with $30 million, $33.8 million over the four-day holiday weekend, and became the first film to knock Spider-Man: No Way Home off the top of the box office. It grossed $82 million in the US and Canada and $138 million worldwide, and Deadline estimated a net profit of $56.7 million. It holds 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus says it is “working harder than ever to maintain its meta edge – and succeeding surprisingly often,” and 60 on Metacritic, with a “B+” CinemaScore.

Campbell’s return was widely praised. The Hollywood Reporter called it “a pleasure to see Campbell again in fine form as Sidney.” Critics were divided on the jokes. Some found it clever, while Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times called it “entirely fright-free” and wrote that “planting Easter eggs is no substitute for seeding ideas.” Jordan Peele later called it “clever” and “fun,” adding that “the performances are great.”

Legacy and influence

Scream (2022) successfully relaunched the series under Spyglass and Paramount. A sixth film was green-lit on February 3, 2022, less than three weeks after release, with the same creative team. Scream VI followed in March 2023, bringing back Barrera, Ortega, Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown, along with Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed from Scream 4. Campbell did not return, saying the offer “did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.” The 2022 film is built on the series’ meta rules. Mindy names the “requel” formula, and the villains are fans furious with the in-universe Stab 8. It also leans on its past, with Stu’s old house, the kitchen where Sidney first fought Billy, Ulrich’s ghostly Billy and a shrine to Randy. All of this ties it closely to Scream (1996), a quarter-century on.

Trivia

Matthew Lillard, Drew Barrymore, Jamie Kennedy, Hayden Panettiere, Henry Winkler and Adam Brody all lend their voices to partygoers toasting Wes.
Lillard also voices Ghostface in the film-within-the-film Stab 8, and Barrymore voices a school principal.
Rian Johnson was meant to cameo but was busy with Glass Onion. Instead, he is named as the director of Stab 8.
Jamie Kennedy supplied real photos of himself as a young man for the Randy Meeks shrine.
Kyle Gallner auditioned for Richie and was cast as Vince, Stu’s nephew.
Editor Patrick Lussier gave notes on an early cut; Michel Aller edited the film.