“People loved to be scared,” says writer-director Kevin Williamson. Nearly three decades since writing the first Scream film and upending horror films forever, Williamson has stepped into the director’s chair for Scream 7.
He recalls getting on the online call where Scream queen Neve Campbell asked him to direct the film. “I had never really thought about directing a Scream film,” he said. “I didn’t really think it was even a possibility. And now that I’ve directed it, I realized I’ve always wanted to direct one.”
In November 2023, following the release of Scream VI, actress Melissa Barrera was fired from the project for sharing pro-Palestine posts on social media. Her co-star Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon also dropped the film, with both suggesting that production had “fallen apart” after Barrera’s departure. Williamson was then asked to step in as director.
In the new film, now showing in Philippine cinemas, Sidney (Campbell) has moved into a quiet town to build a new life. But just as her family’s settling in, a new Ghostface emerges, targeting her daughter Tatum (Isabel May). “Your goal with the Scream films is to keep doing something fresh and new, but you also want to bring back the nostalgic feeling that the first film gave us,” said Williamson about taking on the movie and bringing in the franchise’s OGs.
The latest installment in the meta-horror franchise boasts comebacks from the original cast, including Campbell as Sidney, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, David Arquette as Dewey Riley, and even Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher.
While early reviews of the film haven’t been stellar, The Hollywood Reporter says that pundits believe this latest installment can beat Scream VI’s opening domestic numbers, besting the previous film’s $44.4 million launch in the U.S. with an expected $60 million start.
In this interview, Williamson talks about falling in love with horror, honoring Scream director Wes Craven’s legacy, and why nothing beats the thrill of watching a scary movie with a packed, screaming crowd.
On the horror genre
“Making the first film was such a magical time. I was able to work with my hero, Wes Craven. I have loved the horror genre since I was a little kid and saw my first horror film: Halloween. I have never forgotten the excitement of the audience watching it. They were screaming at Jamie Lee Curtis, ‘Don’t drop the knife!’ And then she dropped the knife!”
On becoming the ‘Scream 7’ director
“We got on a Zoom, so [Campbell] got to see me cry. The first words out of my mouth were, ‘Yes, of course I’ll do it. Yes, yes, yes!’”
“I had never really thought about directing a Scream film. I didn’t really think it was even a possibility. And now that I’ve directed it, I realized: I’ve always wanted to direct one. Sometimes you don’t know what you want until you get it. I wanted to do this with all my heart, and it was a blast. I can’t imagine a better experience.”
On his goal for the film
“My goal with this movie was to create some very visceral moments and really scare the audience. That’s what Craven would do, and we wanted to honor that. Your goal with the Scream films is to keep doing something fresh and new, but you also want to bring back the nostalgic feeling that the first film gave us. And that’s what I tried to do. To make it as thrilling and emotional as the earlier films. I tried to use everything I learned from Wes.”
On working again with Neve Campbell
”In the beginning, there was Sidney. Having Campbell made this a really special film for me. Sidney’s the heart and the core of this story. People love her so much they still stop me on the street and ask about her. This movie is about who she is now, how she survived and what would happen if Ghostface came knocking on her door today.”
“I wanted the audience to catch up with her. How does her past affect her mothering a child? How does she parent? That’s what we explore in this film.”
On working with Isabel May
“We were on the same page from the start. I asked her what kind of music Tatum would listen to and she came back to me with a well-thought-out list. There are posters for all the artists on Tatum’s bedroom walls and each tells part of her story. For example, she listens to The Runaways, who recorded in the 1970s. That says that she seeks out the past. And the past is what she so badly needs to learn about from her mother.”
“She’s a phenomenal actress. Tatum and Sidney have a complicated relationship and Isabel was up for all the challenges that presented.”
On Ghostface
“Ghostface is always a trickster. You never know what you’re going to get. The goal is to constantly surprise the audience. I don’t want Ghostface to just show up and kill somebody. I love a good chase scene. I want the victims to fight for their lives. I want to see Ghostface go at it with someone audiences love. Jennifer Badger, our truly great stunt coordinator, and our equally great effects team brought their best game to help me build the sequences to create the most visceral scares for the audience.”
On Wes Craven’s best advice
“He said just tell the story, what happens, and then what happens next. And tell it from an emotional place. [Cinematographer] Ramsey [Nickell] and I were very clear that we weren’t going to get precious and try to wow people with fancy footage and angles. That can take you right out of a movie like this. We kept it simple.”
“Making Scream 7 reignited so many of the feelings I had on the set with Wes Craven through those first films. In terms of the genre, I learned what true emotional horror is from him. He would always tell me it’s not about making a ‘horror film.’ It’s not about just making something scary. You have to make it emotional or nobody will care. When I got the chance to direct this film, I was excited to jump into those shoes and take my turn.”
“It’s still got lots of jump scares and set pieces. We give the audience a little taste of everything. What makes the franchise unique is that there’s a little Agatha Christie in addition to someone wielding a knife. There are all sorts of scary stories, but someone with a knife in the dark is one of the scariest.”
