Scream VI Directors Defend Ghostface Using a Shotgun in New Sequel

The first trailer for the upcoming Scream VI surprised audiences by showcasing that, in one scene, the killer Ghostface torments our heroes with a shotgun, while previous entries saw the figure commit their brutal crimes with knives, which is exactly why directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett wanted to introduce the weapon. The pair detailed that the upcoming installment won’t be a complete departure for the series, as there will be a number of trends from the franchise they will honor, but by introducing firearms, it’s clear that this Ghostface won’t be playing by the same rules as former killers. Scream VI lands in theaters on March 10th.

“We don’t want it to be safe. We don’t want it to be boring. We want it to be fun and to raise eyebrows,” Bettinelli-Olpin revealed to SFX Magazine, per Digital Spy. “When we heard ‘Ghostface in New York and he has a shotgun,’ it was like: ‘What?!’ The two feelings of ‘What are we doing?’ and ‘We have to do it!’ are often intrinsically tied and that was a perfect example of that.”

As compared to the killers in other slasher franchises, Ghostface has always been more grounded in reality, which includes being physically overpowered in various ways. If the killer has a knife, a potential victim can overpower Ghostface in a way that allows them to escape. The upcoming sequel will seemingly bring audiences a Ghostface that’s deadlier than ever.

“There are a ton of fun, wonderful, classic Ghostface moments, but it’s not the pratfalling Ghostface,” Gillet added. “We love that, but for this to be scary and to achieve a level of visceral tension, we wanted to put the character more in the real world. If Ghostface is trying to get through a door, it’s going to happen! There’s no giving up. When he’s in pursuit, the pursuit doesn’t end until he’s achieved his goal.”

The new film is described, “Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. In Scream VI, Melissa Barrera (‘Sam Carpenter’), Jasmin Savoy Brown (‘Mindy Meeks-Martin’), Mason Gooding (‘Chad Meeks-Martin’), Jenna Ortega (‘Tara Carpenter’), Hayden Panettiere (‘Kirby Reed’), and Courteney Cox (‘Gale Weathers’) return to their roles in the franchise alongside Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving.”  

Scream VI lands in theaters on March 10th.

What do you think of the killer wielding the weapon? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!