Scream 6 Directors Weigh in on Their Universal Monster Movie and Escape From New York Reboot (Exclusive)

Following the breakout success they earned with Ready or Not back in 2019, directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin have scored themselves opportunities in various beloved franchises, with their next project being a movie set in the world of the Universal Monsters. While the pair is keeping a tight lid on what fans can expect from the project, and also avoiding addressing if we’ll be seeing an iconic monster being revived for the project, they recently teased that fans can expect an unconventional exploration of a century-old franchise. Their last film, Scream VI, is out now on Digital HD and streaming on Paramount+ and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on July 11th.

“We’re out here right now, we’re in Dublin, we’re hopefully starting to shoot in a few weeks, it’s very fast. It’s a Universal Monster movie and that, for us, is insane that we’re making a Universal Monster movie,” Bettinelli-Olpin shared with ComicBook.com in support of the release of Scream VI. “We are, as the guys who brought you Scream 5 and 6, very much fans of original, standalone movies. Kids of the ’80s and ’90s, we miss that. Obviously, that’s not really where the world is right now, especially with studio movies, and that’s fine, because there’s other ways to do that. And I think our approach is always, it sounds weird, but that’s our approach on Scream 5 and Scream 6 and that’s our approach on this one. Let’s make this original movie, it’s a standalone movie, there is a monster in it, that much is for sure.”

He continued, “It’s Universal doing their thing, where they’re giving different filmmakers, ‘Here, take this and run with it.’ That, for us, is exciting as filmmakers to be going into making this movie. It’s also really exciting to watch other filmmakers put their stamp on something we know from growing up.”

Gillett added, “It’s a weird, original way into a classic universe.”

Back in 2017, Universal Pictures aimed to revive their classic roster of Universal Monsters with their Dark Universe, which was poised to be a cinematic franchise similar to Marvel or Star Wars. When their first entry, The Mummy, was a critical and financial disappointment, that approach to reviving the characters was abandoned. In 2020, Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man offered an unexpected reimagining of the character, which became a hit with audiences and critics alike. Like that movie, it sounds like the filmmakers’ new film will similarly circumvent expectations, whether it features a familiar monster or an entirely original beast. 

Another project that the pair is attached to is a new take on John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, though with them moving forward on their monster movie, it might be a while before we get updates on that project. The duo shared last month that there wasn’t enough information on that project to provide any update, with Bettinelli-Olpin echoing that response, confirming, “That still remains.”

Between their Universal Monster movie and a possible Scream 7, it’s unclear when, or if, that new take on the Carpenter movie will move forward.

Scream VI 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.”

Stay tuned for updates on Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin’s future projects. Scream VI is out now on Digital HD and streaming on Paramount+ and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on July 11th.

Which film are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!