Scream 6 | Are we Going to Witness a Wednesday and Ghost face Showdown?
It was the winter of 1996, and everyone was in love with the slasher genre. However, a few creative minds chose to satirize the beloved category in the best way possible. Another slasher, which will challenge clichés of all in the same bracket. 27 years, 4 sequels, and a series later, we are about to face Ghost face again in Scream 6.
The movie franchise with an immense cult following has a rich history behind it. However, even such fame cannot get over production troubles. The Scream 6 cast, and the scandal of Weinstein, all suggest that there is a lot of mystery behind the screen as much as there is on it. Let us move ahead with the script, and unmask the franchise’s rollercoaster ride across the decades.
Franchise Background – Recap before Scream VI
The story starts in Woodsboro. A small town with stories of its own. The protagonist, Sidney Prescott is fighting for justice against the crime that her mother has been subject to. However, things go awry and the city finds itself tormented by a mysterious killer famously known as Ghost face. The end ties together all the questions which the movie opened. The sequels follow a similar tone however the killer is different in each. The protagonist along with her group finds herself caught in a showdown with the killer in the skeletal mask.
What made Scream a phenomenon is how they parody the genre but retain its tropes. This is done simultaneously, courtesy of smart script writing and direction. All characters in the franchise are aware of the tropes of the slasher genre. However, it does not protect them from falling victim to the killer. There are also multiple references to many franchises like Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc. It is quite evident from the introductory scene itself what the audience is in for.
The series has its key focus on mystery and action, rather than the supernatural. This is another reason why it has been popular amongst the masses. When people watch Scream, they are closer to reality and that makes it scarier.
Scream 6 Production – Worthy of a Movie Itself
The first part was a breath of fresh air to the horror-lover community. The second one did everything right with the first, and a few things were even better. However, the series saw a dip after the first two installments. The franchise was showing signs of fatigue with a lack of original content. It was becoming similar to the ones it parodied. All this led to the fourth installment getting shelved. However, things were much more complex than the scriptwriting issues.
There was a change in Producer, and the transition was not smooth. The original producer, Cathay Konrad, got into a legal tussle against The Weinstein Company (TWC). The production nightmare led to a large number of reshoots, and the result was evident in the movie. The audience response was also poorer than the three before.
But in 2015, tragedy struck the cinema world with the demise of Wes Craven. The legendary horror director passed away and left a huge void in the hearts of his fans.
Alas. all the off-screen drama was, however, far from over.
Things took a grave turn in 2018 due to the nature of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein. The Production giant was accused by over 80 women of acts rape, sexual abuse, and assault. Soon after, he was dismissed from TWC and also the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The series saw a revival after Spyglass Media Group acquired the necessary rights to make a Scream movie. This took place in 2019, and the gears were set in motion. In 2022, the movie saw the light of day.
Scream 6 Cast – Welcome Additions and Major Misses
The 2022 installment was a total revamp of the franchise. It saw many fresh characters along with a few series veterans. Along with that, the life of many characters that the fans were aware of had drastic changes. Famous additions included Dylan Minette, from 13 Reasons Why, and Jack Quaid, from The Boys. Both were critical in pulling new audiences to the franchise. The 2022 soft reboot also saw the return of Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox. All of them reprised their roles.
Official trailer:
However, the sixth installment is taking an interesting turn. It seems that it is finally time for the mantle of the protagonist to be pass-on to the younger generation. Here is our take on the casting of Scream VI.
Daughter of Ghost face
Scream (2022) introduced two interesting characters. One was played by Melissa Barrera, who was revealed to be none other than the daughter of Billy Loomis. For those new to the series, Loomis was the original Ghost face killer along with his accomplice Stu. This set up for an interesting foundation to build up the future of the series.
Rise of Jenna Ortega
The Star of the super popular Netflix series Wednesday returns to the screen. She played the title and knocked it out of the park. Her iconic dance steps in the gothic costume have been all over social media for quite some time.
Is she going to play the second fiddle now? Or is she going to take over as the main character? Well, our bet is on the latter. Jenna is the perfect choice to make the franchise iconic again. Given her popularity with the current generation, she adds the star power to bring in revenue.
Missing the Series Veteran
Here is some bad news for the old fans. Neve Campbell will be absent from the sixth installment. However, does this mean the end of Sidney Prescott or is it just a temporary absence, we cannot be sure. Another actor we might miss is David Arquette. We might have to wait for the next part to know the fate of these characters.
Change in Ghost face
The trailer makes it clear that this time Ghost face is not a country town killer. With the revelation of a “Shrine” and the claim of “there’s never been one like me”. The new killer seems intent on terrifying the audience and characters alike.
To conclude, the latest installment seems intriguing by the backdrop. The excitement rises with the Scream 6 release date drawing close. Whether this Scream turns out to be loud or ends in silence, well only time will tell.
