Scream is an American meta horror slasher film series created in 1996 by Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven. Each of the films features a large ensemble of actors and actresses. The leading role of the series is Sidney Prescott, portrayed by Canadian actress Neve Campbell, who is accompanied by ambitious news reporter Gale Weathers, played by Courteney Cox, and the police officer Dewey Riley, played by David Arquette, who appear in all five Scream films. Other major recurring characters include film-geek Randy Meeks, played by Jamie Kennedy, and Cotton Weary, played by Liev Schreiber, in the first three films. The series consists of six films: Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), and Scream VI (2023). The first four films were directed by Wes Craven and scored by Marco Beltrami. Kevin Williamson wrote Scream, Scream 2 and Scream 4, but scheduling commitments meant he could provide only notes for Scream 3, with writing duties instead helmed by Ehren Kruger.
The Weinstein Company stated that the success of Scream 4 could lead to potential sequels and a new Scream trilogy, with Arquette, Craven and Williamson all having been contracted or expressed interest in appearing in future installments. However, it was eventually announced the franchise would continue through Scream: The TV Series, a television production that debuted on MTV in 2015.[1] [2] In 2019, Spyglass Media Group acquired the rights to the series.[3] Scream (2022) was announced in 2019, with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett signed on to direct.[4] Campbell, Cox, and Arquette all signed on to return for the film.[5]
The series is notable in the horror genre for casting established and popular actors which, before Scream (1996), was uncommon and difficult, the genre not taken seriously by mainstream actors. In particular, its cast of famous female actresses such as Drew Barrymore and Courteney Cox in prominent, strong roles was considered to give the genre credibility and allow future Scream and other horror films to attract big name actors with greater ease.
| Character | Film | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scream (1996) | Scream 2 (1997) | Scream 3 (2000) | Scream 4 (2011) | Scream (2022) | Scream VI (2023) | |
Main characters | ||||||
| Ghostface | Roger L. Jackson | |||||
| Sidney Prescott | Neve Campbell | |||||
| Gale Weathers | ||||||
| Dewey Riley | David Arquette | David Arquette | ||||
| Randy Meeks | Jamie Kennedy | Jamie Kennedy | Jamie Kennedy | |||
| Cotton Weary | Liev Schreiber | Liev Schreiber | colspan="3" | |||
| Billy Loomis | Skeet Ulrich | Skeet Ulrich | ||||
| Kirby Reed | Hayden Panettiere | Hayden Panettiere | Hayden Panettiere | |||
| Judy Hicks | Marley Shelton | |||||
| Sam Carpenter | Melissa Barrera[6] | |||||
| Tara Carpenter | Jenna Ortega | |||||
| Chad Meeks-Martin | Mason Gooding | |||||
| Mindy Meeks-Martin | Jasmin Savoy Brown | |||||
Supporting characters | ||||||
| Stu Macher | Matthew Lillard | colspan="5" | ||||
| Tatum Riley | Rose McGowan | colspan="5" | ||||
| Maureen Prescott | Lynn McRee | Lynn McRee | colspan="3" | |||
| Debbie Salt / Mrs. Loomis | Laurie Metcalf | colspan="4" | ||||
| Derek Feldman | Jerry O'Connell | colspan="4" | ||||
| Hallie McDaniel | Elise Neal | colspan="4" | ||||
| Mickey Altieri | Timothy Olyphant | colspan="4" | ||||
| Mark Kincaid | Patrick Dempsey | colspan="3" | ||||
| Roman Bridger | Scott Foley | Scott Foley | ||||
| Jennifer Jolie | Parker Posey | Parker Posey | colspan="1" | |||
| Angelina Tyler | Emily Mortimer | colspan="4" | ||||
| Tyson Fox | Deon Richmond | colspan="4" | ||||
| Jill Roberts | Emma Roberts | colspan="2" | ||||
| Charlie Walker | Rory Culkin | colspan="2" | ||||
| Robbie Mercer | Erik Knudsen | colspan="2" | ||||
| Trevor Sheldon | Nico Tortorella | colspan="2" | ||||
| Richie Kirsch | Jack Quaid | Jack Quaid | ||||
| Amber Freeman | Mikey Madison | |||||
| Liv McKenzie | Sonia Ben Ammar | |||||
| Wes Hicks | Dylan Minnette | |||||
| Ethan Landry | Jack Champion[7] | |||||
| Quinn Bailey | Liana Liberato | |||||
| Wayne Bailey | Dermot Mulroney[8] | |||||
| Anika Kayoko | Devyn Nekoda | |||||
| Danny Brackett | Josh Segarra | |||||
Minor characters | ||||||
| Casey Becker | Drew Barrymore | colspan="5" | ||||
| Kenny Brown | W. Earl Brown | colspan="5" | ||||
| Sheriff Burke | Joseph Whipp | colspan="5" | ||||
| Principal Arthur Himbry | Henry Winkler | colspan="5" | ||||
| Steve Orth | Kevin Patrick Walls | colspan="5" | ||||
| Neil Prescott | Lawrence Hecht | Lawrence Hecht | colspan="3" | |||
| Hank Loomis | C. W. Morgan | C. W. Morgan | colspan="3" | |||
| Reporter | Nancy O'Dell | colspan="2" | ||||
| Guy at Party | Matthew Lillard | Matthew Lillard | colspan="5" | |||
| Cici Cooper | Sarah Michelle Gellar | colspan="4" | ||||
| Maureen Evans | Jada Pinkett | colspan="4" | ||||
| Chief Louis Hartley | Lewis Arquette | colspan="4" | ||||
| Joel | Duane Martin | colspan="4" | ||||
| Lois | Rebecca Gayheart | colspan="4" | ||||
| Murphy | Portia de Rossi | colspan="4" | ||||
| Phil Stevens | Omar Epps | colspan="4" | ||||
| Joshua Jackson | Joshua Jackson | Joshua Jackson | ||||
| Dawnie | Marisol Nichols | colspan="4" | ||||
| Gus Gold | David Warner | colspan="4" | ||||
| Officer Andrews | Philip Pavel | colspan="4" | ||||
| Officer Richards | Chris Doyle | colspan="4" | ||||
| John Milton | Lance Henriksen | colspan="3" | ||||
| Tom Prinze | Matt Keeslar | colspan="3" | ||||
| Sarah Darling | Jenny McCarthy | colspan="3" | ||||
| Steven Stone | Patrick Warburton | colspan="3" | ||||
| Christine Hamilton | Kelly Rutherford | colspan="3" | ||||
| Detective Wallace | Josh Pais | colspan="3" | ||||
| Bianca Burnette | Carrie Fisher | colspan="3" | ||||
| Martha Meeks | Heather Matarazzo | Heather Matarazzo | ||||
| Hoss | Adam Brody | Adam Brody | colspan="3" | |||
| Anthony Perkins | Anthony Anderson | colspan="2" | ||||
| Rebecca Walters | Alison Brie | colspan="2" | ||||
| Olivia Morris | Marielle Jaffe | colspan="2" | ||||
| Kate Roberts | Mary McDonnell | colspan="2" | ||||
| Marnie Cooper | Britt Robertson | colspan="2" | ||||
| Jenny Randall | Aimee Teegarden | colspan="2" | ||||
| Vince Schneider | Kyle Gallner | |||||
| Deputy Farney | Reggie Conquest | |||||
| Deputy Vinson | Chester Tam | |||||
| Christopher Stone | Henry Czerny[9] | |||||
| Jason Carvey | Tony Revolori[10] | |||||
| Laura Crane | Samara Weaving | |||||
Stab characters | ||||||
| Sidney Prescott | Tori Spelling | colspan="4" | ||||
| Billy Loomis | Luke Wilson | colspan="4" | ||||
| Casey Becker | Heather Graham | Heather Graham | Drew Barrymore | |||
| Sherrie | Lucy Hale | colspan="2" | ||||
| Trudie | Shenae Grimes | colspan="2" | ||||
| Rachel | Anna Paquin | colspan="2" | ||||
| Chloe | Kristen Bell | colspan="2" | ||||
| Ghostface | Matthew Lillard | |||||
| Stu Macher | Vince Vaughn | |||||
| Tatum Riley | Alicia Silverstone | |||||
| Randy Meeks | Christopher Speed | |||||
| Principal Himbry | Ron Howard | |||||
The cast of the Scream series have won, or been nominated for, several awards, most notably Campbell who has received the most wins and nominations of the cast for her role as Sidney Prescott, including the Saturn Award for Best Actress and MTV Movie Award for Best Performance. For Scream (1996) Skeet Ulrich and Drew Barrymore received Saturn Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Cox received a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Scream 2 but lost to Gloria Stuart for Titanic (1997). Despite her brief cameo appearance as "Sidney Prescott" in the film within a film "Stab" series, Tori Spelling was nominated for a Razzie Award for "Worst New Actress" in Scream 2.
Parker Posey's role as Jennifer Jolie received near unanimous praise from critics, with The New York Times
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Associated film | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 23rd Saturn Awards | Best Actress | Neve Campbell | Scream | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Skeet Ulrich | |||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Drew Barrymore | |||||
| 1997 | 6th MTV Movie Awards | Best Female Performance | Neve Campbell | |||
| 18th Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst New Star | Tori Spelling | Scream 2 | |||
| 1998 | 24th Saturn Awards | Best Actress | Neve Campbell | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Courteney Cox | |||||
| 7th MTV Movie Awards | Best Female Performance | Neve Campbell | ||||
| 4th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Actor – Horror | David Arquette | [11] [12] | |||
| Favorite Actress – Horror | Neve Campbell | |||||
| Courteney Cox | ||||||
| Favorite Supporting Actor – Horror | Jamie Kennedy | |||||
| Favorite Supporting Actress – Horror | Jada Pinkett-Smith | |||||
| 2000 | 9th MTV Movie Awards | Best Comedic Performance | Parker Posey | Scream 3 | ||
| Best Female Performance | Neve Campbell | |||||
| 2001 | 7th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Actor – Horror | David Arquette | [13] [14] | ||
| Favorite Actress – Horror | Neve Campbell | |||||
| Courteney Cox | ||||||
| 2011 | 6th Scream Awards | Best Horror Actress | Neve Campbell | Scream 4 | [15] | |
| Best Cameo | Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin | |||||
| Fright Meter Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Hayden Panettiere | [16] | |||
| 2022 | 30th MTV Movie & TV Awards | Most Frightened Performance | Jenna Ortega | Scream | [17] | |
| 2023 | 31st MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Fight | Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers) vs. Ghostface | Scream VI | [18] | |
| 2024 | 4th Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actress in a Horror Movie | Jenna Ortega | [19] |