Scream Executive Producer Reveals Why New Movie Isn't Called "Scream 5"

The long-awaited fifth Scream is hitting theaters in January, making it the first movie of the franchise to be released since 2011. Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette are all returning to their iconic roles, and directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) have teased a lot of misdirects. The movie is simply called Scream, making it the first to opt-out of using numbers in the title. In a recent interview with US Weekly, Kevin Williamson, executive producer on the new film and writer of the original, explained the choice to cut the "5." 

"Well, it was always Scream 5 because it's the fifth one," Williamson explained. "So I think we just threw that name out, but I don't think they ever seriously were going to call it a Scream 5. I don't think anybody wanted to see the number five after something. You'd have to ask them - Paramount or whoever, but I think taking the 5 off and calling it Scream [works] because it's brand new. There's the legacy cast, and how they infuse this new world and there's this whole new generation and a new cast of characters that are extremely fun. I think it was a great cast. It's an amazing group of kids and young talent and they're very, very good. They pop off the screen, and now our Sidneys and our mature characters who enter into it, they're the adults. It works really really well."

During a recent virtual reunion event, Williams spoke about doing Scream 1-4 director, Wes Craven, proud. 

"I had been really apprehensive about doing one of these films without Wes," the writer noted. "The directors actually sent me a letter when the offer was sent and said the reason they are directors is because of Wes. So they're even so honored to even be asked to make this film, and that they're such huge fans of him and the films themselves, and of the cast, and that they really wanted to honor his voice, which I really, really believe they did."

In addition to the original three stars, Scream will see the return of Scream 4's Marley Shelton as Deputy Judy Hicks. Jack Quaid leads an extended roster of newcomers that will appear in the film alongside Melissa Barrera, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, Kyle Gallner, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mikey Madison.

The new Scream is set to hit theaters on January 14, 2022.