It’s a reunion 25 years in the making. In this year’s Scary Movie, Anna Faris, who plays the horror parody franchise’s eternal final girl Cindy Campbell, joins the rest of the Core Four — Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Regina Hall — now all back in the franchise since starring together in Scary Movie 2 (2001).
Faris began her journey to comedy icon as a theater-loving kid living in Edmonds, Washington. In 1999, she submitted an audition (videotaped by her mother) for the original Scary Movie and crossed her fingers.
“I had decided to give Los Angeles a year,” Faris remembers. “I didn’t know anybody there until Keenen [Ivory Wayans, director of Scary Movie 1 and 2] asked me to fly down and audition for him. I was terrified. I’d never done comedy so Scary Movie was boot camp for me. I got to learn from all these brilliant actors. Then the movie became a cultural lightning bolt and suddenly I was a part of that.”
When she was approached about returning to the role one more time, it felt like the right time, Faris says. “I was already on board before the script was sent because I loved the idea of all of us coming back. Then on top of that, the script was so funny. It’s been kind of surreal in the best of ways to be back.”
Working with director Michael Tiddes has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Faris. “Mike is an awesome director in so many ways,” she says. “He never underestimated me. I can’t ask for anything more out of a director. This shoot has been such an incredibly satisfying journey for me. In the past I would be nervous when I got to set. This time I got to celebrate with everyone like a big class reunion.”
Tiddes was equally enthusiastic about working with Faris and bringing the beloved character of Cindy back to the screen. “Getting the chance to work with Anna playing Cindy Campbell was honestly surreal and incredibly rewarding. Cindy is such an iconic character, and Anna has this rare ability to make her feel completely hilarious, lovable, chaotic, and grounded all at the same time,” the director says.
“From day one, it felt less like she was revisiting a character and more like she was reconnecting with an old friend who still had plenty of surprises left. What made this experience so special was how fearless and collaborative Anna was throughout the process. We had so much fun pushing the character into new situations, watching Cindy Campbell slowly morph from this frazzled, broken recluse into someone channeling this chaotic, John Wick-level confidence was unbelievably fun to explore. Anna has this rare ability to make Cindy hilarious, vulnerable, and badass all at once, and every day on set felt like we were rediscovering why audiences connected with her in the first place.”
In the first four movies, Cindy was put through the wringer as the serial killer Ghostface pursued her relentlessly though high school, college, and beyond. After a brief hiatus during the fifth film, she returns as a far cry from the naïve teen first targeted by the murderer. “Cindy does many childlike, illogical, and absurd things, but she has always had good intentions,” says the actress. “Sometimes you just have to throw your hands up and say, yep, this is what she’s doing. In this story, she is consumed by paranoia and believes that everyone is out to get her.”
Since she was last seen, Cindy has been a recluse. She is depressed, lonely, and she drinks… a bit. She has neglected her kids and hidden herself away as she trains to defend herself against whoever will try to kill her next. “One of the best things was that I didn’t have to train for a bunch of fights,” Faris notes. “Cindy has a million guns now and she knows how to use them. After playing her throughout the years at different times in her life, this time I have the honor of emulating John Wick as Cindy morphs from this frazzled, miserable mess of a person to sleek and confident and badass. Now I’m Cindy fucking Campbell and when I run out of guns, I find solutions.”
Cindy is reunited with her ride-or-die pal Brenda (Regina Hall), who has been by her side for better or for worse since high school. “They’ve survived a whole lot together,” says Faris. “I’m not sure that Brenda thinks of Cindy as her best friend, but Cindy would kill or die for Brenda.”
Scary Movie opens in Philippine cinemas June 10. Rated R-16, no cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Core Four refers to Anna Faris, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Regina Hall, who starred together in Scary Movie (2000) and Scary Movie 2 (2001) and reunite in the 2026 reboot.
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Scary Movie opens in Philippine cinemas on June 10, 2026. It is rated R-16 with no cuts.
Anna Faris reprises the role of Cindy Campbell, the franchise’s central final girl, which she originated in the 2000 film.
The film was directed by Michael Tiddes, who previously directed A Haunted House (2013) and its sequel.
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In the new film, Cindy is no longer the naïve teenager from the original. She has become a paranoid recluse who has retreated from the world, neglected her kids, and trained obsessively with firearms — eventually evolving into a John Wick-style, gun-wielding version of herself by the film’s end.
