Scream 4

Scream 4

Scream 4 (stylized as SCRE4M) is an upcoming slasher film and the fourth installment in the Scream series. It was directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream and Scream 2. It stars an ensemble cast of David Arquette, Neve Campbell,Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere. Campbell, Arquette and Cox are the only returning cast members from the previous films.

Originally, the series was intended to be a trilogy, but after ten years, Bob Weinstein thought it was time for another film. It is intended to be the first of a new trilogy, with both Craven and Williamson signed on for the duration. Filming began in and around Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 28, 2010 and ended September 24, 2010. It is scheduled to be released on April 15, 2011.

Plot

Several years after the events of Scream 3, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns to her home town of Woodsboro on the 15th anniversary of the first Woodsboro Murders for a tour of her new self-help book, where she encounters former allies Sheriff Dewey Riley(David Arquette) and entertainment journalist Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), as well as her younger cousin Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts), her best friend Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), aunt Kate Roberts (Mary McDonnell), and several of Jill's high school friends. However, with her return to Woodsboro also comes the return of past slasher-killer Ghostface, who is starting to stalk and kill Jill's friends and several other people in the Woodsboro area. The killer is now taking reference from horror-movie remakes by basing their murders on those similar to ones committed in the movie Stab, only with more twists on the 21st-century horror movie: in order to survive, Sidney, Dewey, Gale, Jill, and her friends must band together and follow the conventions of 21st-century horror movies to determine who the killer is and stop them before the murders spiral out of their control.

Cast

• David Arquette as Sheriff Dwight "Dewey" Riley^[2]
• Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, the protagonist; she has written a self-help book and does a book tour in Woodsboro and finds her cousin (Jill), aunt (Kate) and friends where trouble soon follows.^[3]
• Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers Riley; Cox told Entertainment Weekly about her character saying, "I kinda gave up my job as the entertainment journalist. I've written six books, but now I have major writer's block. I'm bored with my life and bored with my marriage and bored with the silly small town of Woodsboro". About Sidney's return to Woodsboro she said, "It's actually the anniversary of the first killing in Woodsboro. When she arrives to promote her book, things start happening, and I couldn't be more thrilled".^[3]
• Emma Roberts as Jill Roberts, Sidney's cousin.^[4]
• Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed, Jill's best friend.^[5][6]
• Anthony Anderson as Deputy Anthony Perkins, a cop.^[7]
• Alison Brie as Rebecca Walters, Sidney's personal assistant.^[8]
• Adam Brody as Deputy Ross Hoss, a cop and college graduate raised on the CSI TV series.^[9]
• Rory Culkin as Charlie Walker, Jill's friend.^[6]
• Marielle Jaffe as Olivia Morris, Jill and Kirby's friend.
• Erik Knudsen as Robbie Mercer, a character who is familiar with horror movie conventions and a provider of comic relief;^[9] the film's equivalent of Randy Meeks.
• Mary McDonnell as Kate Roberts, Sidney's aunt.^[3]
• Marley Shelton as Deputy Judy Hicks, a cop who knew Sidney in high school.^[9]
• Nico Tortorella as Trevor Sheldon, Jill's love interest.^[10]
• Brittany Robertson as Marnie Cooper^[11]
• Aimee Teegarden as Jenny Randall^[12]
• Shenae Grimes as Trudie^[13]
• Lucy Hale as Sherrie^[13]
• Kristen Bell as Chloe^[14]
• Anna Paquin as Rachel^[14]
• Roger L. Jackson as Ghostface (voice)
• Nancy O'Dell as the reporter that appears in Scream 2 and Scream 3.^[15]

Production

Development

Scream 4 was announced by The Weinstein Company in July 2008,^[16] with Wes Craven saying that he wouldn't mind directing the film if the script was as good as Scream.^[17] In March 2010 it was confirmed that he would indeed direct^[18] and stated that, "I am delighted to accept Bob Weinstein's offer to take the reins on a whole new chapter in Scream history. Working with Courteney, David and Neve was a blast ten years ago and I'm sure it will be again. And I can't wait to find the talent that will bring new blood to the screen as well. Kevin is right on his game with the new script – the characters and story crackle with energy and originality – to say nothing of some of the most hair-raising scares I've seen in a script since... well, since the original Scream series. Let me at it".^[19]

In May 2010, Cathy Konrad, who produced the first three films in the series, filed a $3 million lawsuit against The Weinstein Company, alleging that they violated a written agreement that entitled her company, Cat Entertainment, first rights to produce all films in the series.^[20] The Weinsteins argued that this contract required Konrad's services be exclusive to the franchise, which Konrad calls "false pretext," claiming the previous film did not require this condition.^[20] The suit accuses the Weinsteins of surreptitious behavior and "a scheme to force Plaintiffs to walk away from the Scream franchise without compensation,"^[20] enabling them to cut costs by hiring someone else to produce (Craven's wife, Iya Labunka, not named in the suit).^[21] In April 2011, it was reported that the Weinstein's had settled out of court with Conrad, the details remaining confidential, though it was claimed that she would receive a cash payment plus a percentage of the profits from Scream 4.^[22]

Writing

Craven stated that within the ten years that have passed between Scream 3 and Scream 4 there have been no "real life" Ghostface murders but have been numerous sequels to the movie-within-a-movie Stab. He also commented on the life status of Sidney Prescott, "She's done her best to move on from the events that occurred in the previous films, even releasing a successful book". Craven said that endless sequels, the modern spew of remakes, film studios, and directors are the butts of parodies in the film. The main characters have to figure out where the horror genre is in current days to figure out the modern events happening to and around them.^[2] Scream 3 writer, Ehren Kruger, was brought in during production to do re-writes. About Kruger being brought in, Craven said, "Look, there was a bumpy period when things shifted over from Kevin to Ehren. I signed up to do a script by Kevin and unfortunately that didn't go all the way through the shooting. But it certainly is Kevin's script and concept and characters and themes".^[23] It was reported that the actors were not given the script past page 75 in order to protect the identity of the ghostface killer.^[24] The script is 140 pages long.^[14]

Casting

In September 2009, Variety reported that Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox would return.^[25] Craven briefly explained their roles in a later interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying "It's a total integration of those three and new kids. The story of Sid, Gale, and Dewey is very much a part of the movie."^[2] At a press conference for Repo Men, Liev Schreiber—who played Cotton Weary in the first three films—stated there were no plans for his reprisal.^[26] In an interview with FEARnet, Williamson continued to deny a rumor of Jamie Kennedy returning, "I would love nothing more than to have Jamie Kennedy in the film. However to have Randy in the film, it sort of just takes it… I mean Scream 2 was a lie, you know? It's a false move. So I just won't do it. I can't do that. I just won't do it".^[27] In April, over 12 casting sides were released to the public to buy for auditions of the film.^[28]

In May 2010, Hayden Panettiere and Rory Culkin signed on.^[29] Ashley Greene was offered the role of Sidney's cousin, Jill, but the role later went to Emma Roberts. Lake Bell was to play a police officer who knew Sidney from high school but dropped out four days before filming due to scheduling conflicts.^[30] Nancy O'Dell reprises her role from the second and third films as a reporter.^[31] Roger L. Jackson returned as the voice of Ghostface.^[32] Lauren Graham was to play Kate Kessler, the mother of Roberts' character, but dropped out a few days into principal photography.^[33][34] Craven, like in the previous three films, has a cameo and took to his Twitter to ask fans to pick his role.^[35] The Hollywood Reporter reported that Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell have cameos in the beginning of the film akin to Drew Barrymore and Jada Pinkett Smith in the first and second Scream.^[14] Shenae Grimes and Lucy Hale also have cameos in the film.^[13]

Filming

On a budget of $40 million, principal photography began on June 28, 2010.^[2] Filming was scheduled to end on September 6, after a 42-day shoot, but instead concluded on September 24.^[14] Filming took place in and around Ann Arbor, Michigan.^[36][37] Some scenes for a flashback sequence portraying a school featured in a previous Scream film was shot at Woodworth Middle School in Dearborn, Michigan.^[38] The former 16th District Court in Livonia, Michigan was used as a police station.^[39]

In April 2010, while scouting for a bookstore to use in the film, Craven spotted a new bookstore that had not yet opened in downtown Northville, Michigan named Next Chapter Bookstore Bistro. Craven instantly loved the building as well as the name and decided to use both in the film. He also hired the owner's chef to prepare the food and pastry for a scene in the film. The scenes were shot the first week of July.^[40] After the test screening in January, Craven and Weinstein did not think two segments played well for the audience. Aimee Teegarden and Alison Brie returned to Detroit in late January and early February for four days of additional shooting. The scenes involved Teegarden's character who is talked at her home and Brie's character who is attacked in a parking garage.^[41][42][43] The film also extensively used computer-generated imagery (CGI), for the first time in the franchise. For example, instead of using a "collapsing knife", the knife's blade was added during post-production with CGI effects.^[44]