Scream 5 Director Explains How Courteney Cox And The Other OG’s Made Cast And Crew Feel Like ‘Family’

Courteney Cox in Scream 4

It’s a good time to be a horror fan, as franchises old and new have been arriving and making tons of money at the box office. Beloved properties have returned to theaters as a result, and moviegoers can’t wait to catch the new Scream movie when it arrives in theaters this January. Director Tyler Gillett recently shared how the OGs like Courteney Cox made the cast and crew feel like a family.

Scream 5 will mark the first installment of the beloved slasher franchise that wasn’t helmed by the late Wes Craven. Ready or Not director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have taken the mantle, with the latter filmmaker praising the original trio of Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell, and David Arquette for both their performances and attitudes. As Gillett put it,

I think we should also say that the legacy cast, these movies have been a part of their lives for a really long time. It would be easy to show up and kind of phone it in, but you can just tell they love these movies so much. And are really the beating heart of the franchise. And so to have the three of them so generously offering themselves to the movie. And in so many ways building the vibe of the movie, not only by just having told four incredible stories in this universe. By showing up, being willing to engage on a very personal level with us and with the other cast members. They created a sense of family.

As if I needed another reason to be invested in the fifth Scream movie. Because not only will the trio of beloved stars be back, but they’re leading the movie both in front and behind the scenes. We’ll just have to wait until the New Year to see how this translates to the finished product of Scream 5.

Tyler Gillett’s comments come from a recent conversation the producers and directors of Scream 5 had with a fan outlet titled Hello Sidney. While being careful to not actually reveal any of the movie’s contents, this love for the legacy characters is sure to increase anticipation for the mysterious sequel. Now the question is: what will Gale, Sidney, and Dewey be up to in this new story?

The original Scream hit theaters back in 1996, and forever changed the world of horror as a result. Since then, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette have come back to play their roles multiple times, each at a different stage in their lives. It’s seemingly because of this connection that those actors brought their A-game to Scream 5, and helped to make it a warm environment for newcomers. That includes Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin themselves, as they attempted to honor Wes Craven’s legacy.

Of course, there is at least one more returning actor appearing in the new Scream, as Marley Shelton is back as Judy Hicks from Scream 4. Some fans are also holding out hope to see Hayden Panettiere back as Kirby Reed. But we’ll just have to wait and see what twists and turns come with the fifth installment of the franchise.

Scream 5 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on January 14th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.