It’s official! We’re getting more Ghostface action with Scream VII. What’s more Scream and Scream VI directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are handing over the directing reigns to Freaky, Happy Death Day and We Have A Ghost director Christopher Landon.

As first reported by Bloody Disgusting and confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have stepped back, in part, to focus on an original horror movie for Universal, which currently remains impacted by the actors strike. The duo, as well as the third group member of Radio Silence, Chad Villella, will now act as executive producers.

The new iterations of the slasher series stars Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown, though it’s not been confirmed who will return to star in the seventh movie.

Also not confirmed is who will write the new movie, though Landon is an accomplished horror screenwriter himself, having penned five Paranormal Activity movies, as well as Happy Death Day 2U, Freaky and his most recent movie, We Have A Ghost, which stars David Harbour.

Landon took to Twitter to confirm the news saying: “Looks like 7 really is a lucky number. More to come…”

Indeed, watch this space for more Scream news and check out our exclusive interviews with Scream VI stars Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding who took a deep dive into the Scream franchise with us and discussed what made Scream VI stand out.

The post Scream VII: Happy Death Day’s Christopher Landon to direct new movie appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

“It does a lot of work to make them feel respected and seen and appreciated,” he continues. “There’s a lot of other horror movies that are very mean with their violence and their kills. Scream is not one of them – I think you leave the movie feeling better than you came into it.”

Gooding plays Chad in the upcoming addition to the horror franchise, one of the ‘core four’ – the four survivors from the previous ‘requel’ movie, Scream, which was released in 2022.

Now, if all of this sequel, requel and franchise stuff is getting a bit confusing, we’ll give you a quick tour right here. The original Scream was released back in 1996 and gave the slasher movie a new lick of paint with its clever – and very meta – take on the genre.

Directed by horror legend Wes Craven, it followed Sidney (Neve Campbell), Gale (Courteney Cox) and Dewey (David Arquette), who were all trying to escape and find the real identity of the Ghostface killer who is terrorising the quiet suburban town of Woodsboro.

Scream had a direct sequel with Scream 2 in 1997, and then another, Scream 3 in 2000, all directed by Craven.

There was then a bit of a gap in Scream movies, but Craven returned to the franchise in 2011 for Scream 4, which was sadly to be his final Scream movie before he died.

It starred the survivors from the original cast alongside Emma Roberts as Sidney’s cousin Jill and Hayden Panettiere as Kirby (who returns to the franchise in Scream VI). 

That could have been the end of the franchise if it wasn’t for the flurry of ‘requels’ gracing the silver screen in the past few years. A requel is basically a movie set within a franchise, and revisits the subject of an earlier film, but that does not necessarily mean it is a remake or a linear continuation of its plot (i.e not a sequel). 

Films like Mad Max: Fury Road, Halloween (2018) and Creed have done this successfully, and so did Scream when it was released in 2022. 

Directed by Ready Or Not’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the duo were the perfect pair to take on a new movie fad via a franchise that famously discusses movie fads within its storyline. 

Now the pair are back with Scream VI, and things are changing up once again with the usual setting of Woodsboro being moved to New York. It’s also the first movie with just one Scream alumni in it, with Cox returning once more as Gale Weathers. 

Okay, all caught up? Good. Back with the interviews. 

We’re wondering how a movie that’s set so far apart from the first Scream – in location, time and even without most of the original cast – can still fit within the franchise. And who better to ask than Jasmin Savoy Brown? 

Brown plays Chad’s sister Mindy – the horror geek who tells her friends (and us) the ‘new’ rules of the genre within the movies (she’s also Randy’s niece, the horror geek from the first movie. See how it all fits in?).

“Scream VI fits in this franchise because of Ghostface, the iconic killer,” she tells us. “We have the same theme of family and friends and ‘who could be the killer?’ Anyone could be the killer. But it’s different because this is the most brutal, intense, scary Ghostface that we have seen. It stands out because it takes everything from [Scream 2022] and brings it to another level.”

“He’s definitely killing a lot more people,” agrees Jenna Ortega who plays Tara (another of the ‘core four’). “He’s a lot more careless. 

“Ghostface has typically been shown as falling over himself at times,” she continues. “He’s kind of lovable and funny because he’s got his own little quirks and in this one there’s still definitely those moments but he’s more dangerous [in this movie]. I would say he’s not as methodical. It’s strictly murder.” 

Being part of such an epic franchise means not only does the latest iteration have to feel part of the universe, but to be a real success, it needs to stand out too. 

“I think Scream VI stands out in this franchise because it’s probably the most intense Scream has ever gotten,” Ortega explains  “I think that the horror aspect really comes into play in this one.” 

That new setting plays a big part too in ensuring the movie carves (sorry) a path of its own.”It’s the first time that our franchise has left the West Coast,” nods Melissa Barrera, who plays Tara’s sister Sam. “So now it’s a completely different terrain, which makes it exciting and different, because of New York as a character. The city is a character in the movie, and it I think it just raises the stakes.” 

The reason the franchise has changed location is because the core four have done the same. They’ve moved from the quiet suburbs of Woodsboro to go to college in New York City. But surely they’ll be safer in the busier setting?

“They’re definitely trying to distance themselves from the tragedy that took place in Woodsboro,” Gooding explains. “It’s said in the movie that lightning can’t strike twice, so naturally, they’re going to try and move forward with their personal lives. It isn’t until tragedy finds them again, and they’re thrust back into the Ghostface scenario that they have to regroup and find out how a family can really pull them together.”

Indeed, family and friends have always been a major component in the Scream franchise (and not just because one of them could always be the murderer) and Scream VI is no different. The relationship of our four main characters are developed in this movie and shows how they’re all coping and coming together in the aftermath of the tragedy that they saw in Scream 2022. 

“I feel like we established the core four a bit more on this one,” Ortega explains. “They’re sibling pairs and I feel like the dynamic between siblings and also the trauma that we all went through last year… It’s been really fun to elaborate that and I feel like we have a stronger base for characters.” 

It’s that strong family connection that Brown hopes audiences take away from the movie when those credits roll (alongside a few thrills, naturally): “I hope that they take away the power of family and that people of colour are very smart and resourceful,” she tells us. “I hope that they’re impressed and that they’re a little bit scared and excited.”

You can find out whether it did just that in our review here.

Scream 6 will be in cinemas on 8 March 2023. 

The post Discussing the Scream franchise with the stars of Scream VI appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

The post Scream VI Review: A Barnstorming and Bloody Rampage appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

In Scream 6, following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York.

Directed by Scream 5 directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the movie sees the return of Melissa Barrera (Keep Breathing), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Yellowjackets), Mason Gooding (Fall), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) and Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers.

“You can expect an amplified and distilled version of what we’ve always loved about the Scream franchise,” said co-director Tyler Gillett last month when we asked him what we can expect from the new movie. “There’s [also] genuine emotional character work.

“There are really fun chase, action, and kill set pieces. It’s fun. It’s a really really good time, this one.”

So, want to amp up that good time with our latest competition? We have a Scream merch bundle (which includes a hoody and a tote bag), PLUS a £50 Creams voucher to give away!

To be in with a chance of winning this awesome prize, simply answer the question below…

This competition closes on 16 March and is open to UK residents only. See the Terms & Conditions below. Good luck!

• No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability, and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
• Each Creams voucher will expire on 31.08.2023. After this date voucher will not be eligible for extension or replacement

Scream 6 will be in cinemas on 8 March 2023. Watch more trailers at the SciFiNow You Tube channel.

The post Scream VI Competition: Win Scream bundle PLUS £50 Creams voucher! appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

Watch the latest trailer here…

Scream VI is a direct follow-up to 2022’s successful Scream ‘requel’ from directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and the duo are back for more Ghostface action, along with producer Chad Villella.

We still have a while until Scream VI is released this March but we just couldn’t wait until then and had to find out more…

What can we expect from Scream VI?

Tyler Gillett: You can expect an amplified and distilled version of what we’ve always loved about the Scream franchise. There’s [also] genuine emotional character work. There are really fun chase, action, and kill set pieces. It’s fun. It’s a really really good time, this one.

What was it like getting everyone back together after 2022’s Scream?

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin: It was a dream come true.

We had some apprehension about it because the fifth movie, our first one, Scream 2022 felt like such a magical experience. I think going into this one we were worried about trying to replicate that and I think we sort of threw that out and were like, ‘fuck it. This has to be its own thing.’

In doing that, it became another magical experience for us. So that was really special.

It was just great seeing everybody. The funny thing is, it’s only been a year, but everybody feels so much more mature. They all feel like they’ve really grown up and been through some things and so there’s a lot of fun texture to all the characters in this one if you watch them side by side.

Chad Villella: I can’t express how much love we have for every single cast member and everybody who was involved in both movies and also the new family members that we brought in for this one.

We’ve been very lucky and very fortunate. I think all of us are aware of it, and just really embrace all of our time together.

Scream 2022 was a big success – what do you think it was about that movie that captured audiences’ attention?

Chad Villella: Hopefully it was a little bit of staying true to the tradition of what Scream is and what Scream can be for fans and for people who love movies.

I think it’s part of the daily conversation about what makes both a great horror movie and just a movie in general because there are so many wonderful elements that you can express.

At the end of the day, it’s a really fun whodunnit. You have that mystery element at play as well. I think all of those things combined make it just one of the best franchises in movies ever. We pinch ourselves every day that we’re a part of it, and get to continue the story forward.

Was there anything you wanted to expand upon from the last movie for this one?

Tyler Gillett: You always learn unexpected things. I think that goes for the process of making it but also just what path the story should take. What we learned on the last one was that we had a real opportunity to bring this franchise back into people’s lives, and that there were things that we had to do to achieve that. A lot of what we had to do was really pay homage to the movies that came before and recognise and show people that we understood that we were in a lineage of movies that we consider ourselves to be just deep, deep, deep fans of. So we had to play the greatest hits.

I think what we learned having played the greatest hits, is that Scream VI wouldn’t be the right kind of movie if we showed up and did the same thing – if we played the greatest hits again.

That isn’t to say that this isn’t a Scream movie in all the ways that I think people hope for and are going to feel comfortable experiencing, but we had to challenge ourselves and challenge the material of what this franchise is and could be. So we learned that we had to cut the brake lines on this movie. There’s an energy in this movie, in New York. The process just feels challenging and a really fun risk. We hope that people see that in the movie.

The trailer shows that Scream VI will take place in New York – how will the setting change affect the Scream formula?

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin: It puts a lot of it in public. That is a big change. We learned from the last one and then were able to really apply to this one – because it was set in New York – is that we were able to do these really big set pieces in this one and these chase scenes that I think in the last one for budgetary reasons we just weren’t able to do.

In this one, once it was set in New York… when Guy [Busick] and Jamie [Vanderbilt] were writing it, they were really meticulous about setting up these set pieces that were very New York-specific. A lot of it deals with fear of public places and being alone in a crowd. That’s something we haven’t really seen in Scream yet. So it’s a new flavour that was super fun for us to create.

The trailer also promises a whole new Ghostface – what does that mean?

Tyler Gillett: I think what’s very different about this Ghostface is that there is a fearlessness and a relentlessness. Obviously, that slasher icon has always been terrifying and brazen and relentless, but because of the setting and because of what that setting forced us to achieve, that character has to take some risks and some chances that maybe we haven’t seen before.

We love the pratt-falling Ghostface, he has a dear place in our hearts. This Ghostface is very physical and very capable in ways that are genuinely, genuinely terrifying.

Scream 2022 was very meta – will you be going down a similar path for Scream VI?

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin: We kept going back to this idea that we had to just not do what we did in Scream V. That was fun to build in all those Easter Eggs and be super meta, and there is a level of that for sure because I think we’d be disappointed as fans if Scream wasn’t aware of itself. The movies kind of have to be on some level.

But one of the things in this one that I think is really fun is that a lot of that meta-ness gets baked into the plot in a very intentional way. So it’s a different approach to it.

What are you looking forward to audiences seeing in Scream VI?

Tyler Gillett: Everybody in the returning cast I think and this goes across the board, the newcomers are incredible as well. There’s a level of depth and nuance and emotion in those relationships, specifically between Sam and Tara, Melissa [Barrera] and Jenna [Ortega]’s characters that I think people are going to just… it feels really good.

What’s happening emotionally at the heart of this movie is really complicated. It’s a big, fun, action horror slasher, but there’s a real heart and those characters – and those two actors – represent it so well. This one has a surprising level of emotional depth.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin: One of the things we all love in movies is when there are really well-designed stand-up-and-cheer moments. We really just took the time to make sure that we had a few of those where if you’re on board with the movie and you’re connecting with the characters, there are a few moments that hopefully will just really be satisfying.

Chad Villella: The movie is fun. Just go with a big group of people and just have a blast!

We certainly shall!

Scream 6 will be in cinemas on 10 March 2023. Watch more trailers at the SciFiNow You Tube channel.

The post Scream VI directors: “We had some apprehension.” appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

Ghostface with a shotgun?! The latest trailer for Scream 6 is here and there’s a whole new level of Ghostface terror going on.

Watch it here…

In Scream 6, following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter.

Check out some first-look images from the movie in our gallery…

Directed by Scream 5 director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the movie sees the return of Melissa Barrera (Keep Breathing), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Yellowjackets), Mason Gooding (Fall), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) and Courteney Cox (Shining Vale).

They’re joined by new franchise additions Jack Champion (Avatar: The Way Of Water), Henry Czerny (Supergirl), Liana Liberato (The Beach House), Dermot Mulroney (Umma), Devyn Nekoda (Utopia Falls), Tony Revolori (Willow), Josh Segarra (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), and Samara Weaving (Ready Or Not).

Scream 6 will be in cinemas on 10 March 2023. Watch more trailers at the SciFiNow You Tube channel.

The post Scream 6: See a whole new Ghostface and Hayden Panettiere in the latest trailer appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

Do you like scary movies? Do you like free stuff? If you’ve said yes to both of those then we have the competition for you! To celebrate the release of Scream on digital, 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD we have a horror bundle to give away!

Scream is the fifth movie in the Scream franchise and we loved it (read our review). Check out the trailer below…

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, Scream sees a new killer don the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past. Find out more with the trailer…

“They’re big, fun, entertaining movies, and they do a bit of everything and they do it all so well!” director Tyler Gillett told us recently when we spoke to him and co-director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin recently about making the film. “They’re terrifying, they’re violent, they’re funny, the characters are super interesting and the dynamic between them is so watchable and rewatchable. For us, that’s the experience that we always want to have when we go to a movie theatre and these movies, every single one of them, achieves that at such a high level.

“Then outside of that, they’re also just such a fun reflection of the time when they were made. I think part of what’s so unique to a Scream movie is that they’re all really interested in tackling something topical and specific. So they feel like time capsules.”

Now, we’re giving you the opportunity to add to your very own Scream time capsule with our competition to win the movie on Blu-ray PLUS a Scream hoody which asks ‘What’s Your Favourite Scary Movie?’ on the front and shows the iconic Ghostface mask on the back! How cool is that!?

To be in with a chance of winning the bundle, simply answer our question below…

This competition closes on 10 May so get your answers in now!

Scream is available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray & DVD now. Follow SciFiNow on Twitter for more competitions.

The post Scream: Win a horror goodie bundle appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

Surprise Sidney! Scream will be available to take home from 11 April and to celebrate, we spoke to the movie’s directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett in an exclusive clip, who tell us how they first got on board with the latest movie in the Scream franchise and what a gift the script was.

Watch it here…

Set 25 years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, Scream is the fifth movie in the popular franchise and sees a new killer donning the Ghostface mask and targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have brought their unique style and humour (check out their previous movie, Ready Or Not, for more of that) to the Scream franchise and were actually offered the job by a friend of theirs…

“We were offered the job which was awesome!” Matt Bettinelli-Olpin told us recently when we spoke to him further about getting on board with the franchise. “It was a very serendipitous situation where a friend of ours, who’s also one of the writers and one of the producers, got the opportunity with his producing partners to make the new Scream and he said ‘this is the group we want to make it with’ and we were a part of that group! For us, honestly, it’s just been a dream come true.

“It’s one of our favourite movies. It’s one of our favourite franchises. It’s everything we love about movies and so to be offered the opportunity to step into Wes Craven’s shoes and carry on his legacy and this franchise has just been unbelievable.”

“I mean, up until the moment they said, ‘hey, you should come read this script’, I don’t think any of us would have ever said that we would make a Scream movie just because of how dear they are to us!” Tyler Gillett adds. “How much they mean to us and the level of risk involved in jumping into that and maybe screwing up.

“Then we read the script and we were so excited by what they had written that we couldn’t not be involved!”

Scream is available to Download & Keep from March 30 and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray & DVD from April 11. Read our review here.

The post Scream: Exclusive video from directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (pictured above) are bringing their unique style and humour (check out their previous movie, Ready Or Not, for more of that) to the Scream franchise and we spoke to the pair about carrying on Wes Craven’s legacy and why we’re still obsessed with Ghostface over 20 years on…

What is it about the Scream franchise that pulled you into wanting to do a new addition?

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin: Well, we were offered the job which was awesome! It was a very serendipitous situation where a friend of ours, who’s also one of the writers and one of the producers, got the opportunity with his producing partners to make the new Scream and he said ‘this is the group we want to make it with’ and we were a part of that group!

For us, honestly, it’s just been a dream come true. It’s one of our favourite movies. It’s one of our favourite franchises. It’s everything we love about movies and so to be offered the opportunity to step into Wes Craven’s shoes and carry on his legacy and this franchise has just been unbelievable.

I think our biggest concerns were ‘we can’t mess this up’. Let’s not mess it up. Let’s make sure we do it justice and that’s something we talked about throughout the process. I guess we’re still talking about it a little bit [haha!] but it’s been incredible.

Tyler Gillett: I mean, up until the moment they said, ‘hey, you should come read this script’, I don’t think any of us would have ever said that we would make a Scream movie just because of how dear they are to us! How much they mean to us and the level of risk involved in jumping into that and maybe screwing up. Then we read the script and we were so excited by what they had written that we couldn’t not be involved!

What is it about the Scream movies that keep us wanting to come back for more?

Tyler Gillett: I think it’s so many things. The tone is a huge thing. It’s one of the things that’s been so influential on us in the way that we approach the kind of stories we want to tell. They’re big, fun, entertaining movies, and they do a bit of everything and they do it all so well!

They’re terrifying, they’re violent, they’re funny, the characters are super interesting and the dynamic between them is so watchable and rewatchable. For us, that’s the experience that we always want to have when we go to a movie theatre and these movies, every single one of them, achieves that at such a high level.

Then outside of that, they’re also just such a fun reflection of the time when they were made. I think part of what’s so unique to a Scream movie is that they’re all really interested in tackling something topical and specific. So they feel like time capsules.

We’ve had this conversation about Scream 4 a bunch. It’s been sort of reappraised because it was so ahead of its time when it first came out. Now we’re living in the reality that that movie was just starting to scratch when it came out. That’s an incredible thing for a movie to be able to do and I think it’s part of what’s so fun about these movies.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin: Also, just by the nature of what they are, they have to accept your expectations and then subvert your expectations so that each movie is an evolution of the previous movies. Not just in the story, but in the way that it interacts with the audience, which is something that a lot of franchises don’t have to do.

This one has to be like ‘we know what you’re thinking, we’re going to do it slightly differently… Ahh, we got you!’ and then do it in a totally different way.

The other big thing is the characters. They’re characters that we love. Sidney Prescott is one of the all-time great characters. You always kind of want to see where they are in life and how that’s progressing and follow them…

What do you want for audiences to take away from the movie?

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin: We’ve had a lot of people tell us that the end credits made them cry which was I think about the best, highest compliment you can get. If the movie can make you that emotional… especially a movie that’s wildly just fun and kind of bananas for a large part of it!

I think the conversation that this movie is having, with the motive behind the killings, is very topical for us. It’s very interesting, and it’s a conversation that we as movie fans are kind of having. I think it’s fun to throw this out there and then talk about it. Let’s see where it goes and what’s the evolution of that and what’s it going to be about next.

The fun of it for us was that it’s a topic that we get to live on both sides of because of who we are. If you haven’t seen the movie, this will all make sense later, but it was really fun for us, in a very, very meta way…

Tyler Gillett: I also think part of what we hope the movie does is whether you absolutely love it or don’t love it, that you can have that opinion of it and not take yourself or the movie so seriously.

There are a lot of really interesting, a lot of really poignant, deep things happening in it. But at the end of the day, we hope that it’s just fun and entertaining and is a good time. Maybe that’s enough…

Scream is available to Download & Keep from March 30 and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray & DVD from April 11. Read our review here.

The post Scream: Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett on continuing the legacy appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.

A whole new set of teens are being targeted in Woodsboro in the latest trailer for the new Scream movie, which also sees a few familiar faces.

Check it out here…

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready Or Not), Scream sees the return of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette alongside Melissa Barrera (In the Heights), Kyle Gallner (The Haunting in Connecticut), Mason Gooding (Electric Easy), Mikey Madison (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood), Dylan Minnette (Don’t Breathe), Jenna Ortega (Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous), Jack Quaid (The Boys), Marley Shelton (Rampage), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Sound Of Violence), and Sonia Ammar.

Scream is exclusively in cinemas on 14 January.

The post Scream: Ghostface is back in new Scream movie appeared first on Sci-Fi Tips.