Scream Star David Arquette Hopes New Film Is a “Healing” Experience Following Wes Craven’s Passing

The upcoming Scream will see the returns of original stars David Arquette and Courteney Cox to the franchise, but one prominent figure who will be absent is director of the first four films Wes Craven, having passed away in 2015, with Arquette hoping the new project is a “healing” experience. Debuting in 2015 was MTV’s Scream: The TV Series, which reimagined the original concept and tone with new characters, though that failed to capture the public’s attention as effectively as the original movies. While it’s understandable that fans would be apprehensive about such an endeavor without Craven’s perspective, clearly Arquette believes in new filmmakers Matthew Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and the therapeutic nature of crafting a new entry into the series.

“I talked to the directors and they were huge Wes fans,” Arquette shared with the Corpse Club podcast. “He’s been a huge inspiration for them their whole career. So, they have their hearts in the right place, they want to do something that he’d be proud of. And then the fact that Courtney’s coming back and hopefully Neve [Campbell] comes back as well — there’s something healing about that, for us to be able to carry on these films that he’s done, and just keep telling stories.”

It’s difficult to overstate the impact Wes Craven had on the world of horror over the years, having helmed a number of iconic movies. Directing films like The Last House on the Left, The Hills Have Eyes, The People Under the Stairs, and the Scream series would be more than enough to cement someone in the annals of horror, but it was his creation of A Nightmare on Elm Street and all-time horror icon Freddy Krueger that truly takes Craven’s legacy to another level.

“I mean, he was an incredible storyteller, but beyond that, he was just one of the greatest human that I’ve ever met in my life,” the actor detailed. “He was so supportive, he was incredibly smart, soft-spoken, he was a bird-watcher, which is so funny to learn, he loved music and was really supportive … I miss him a lot. It will be hard and we’ll think about him a lot. But it will also feel good just to be back in his world that he created.”

Campbell might not have signed on yet, though it seems like only a matter of time, so for these core performers to be convinced to return to the series, fans can likely take comfort in that fact, even with Craven’s absence. The new Scream is set to land in theaters next year.

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