25 Years and 5 Movies Later, Here’s How the ‘Scream’ Franchise Came to Be

“Scream” Was Inspired By a True Story

Screenwriter Kevin Williamson based the script—originally titled “Scary Movie”—on the real-life Gainesville Ripper murders in 1990, per Nerdist. The Florida-based serial killer Danny Harold Rolling targeted local students, and Williamson first became aware of the story while watching the local news, hence the inclusion of Courteney Cox’s anchor character.

“I was watching this Barbara Walters special on the Gainesville murders,” Williamson explained to CNN back in 1998. “And I was getting so spooked. I was being scared out of my mind. During the commercial break, I heard a noise. And I had to go search the house. And I went into the living room and a window was open. And I’d been in this house for two days. I’d never noticed the window open. So I got really scared. So I went to the kitchen, got a butcher knife, got the mobile phone. I called a buddy of mine.”

That friend started asking Williamson about his favorite scary movies, and Williamson wrote out the opening scene for what would eventually become “Scream.” Only three days later, Williamson had the full script. 

Williamson also credited his love of horror films like “Halloween” for inspiring the referential tone of the unprecedented slasher. 

While Williamson’s agent feared the film would be a “tough sell” to producers, “Scary Movie” incited a bidding war between Oliver Stone and Bob and Harvey Weinstein. Williamson agreed to a deal with Miramax and Dimension Films, and the Weinsteins offered an additional contract for two sequels. Rumor has it that the Weinsteins also changed the name of the film to “Scream” after listening to the Michael Jackson song of the same name.

Of course, “Scary Movie” went on to become its own parody franchise under the Wayans Brothers, famously mocking the opening “Scream” sequence. Marlon Wayans also worked with Dimension Films, and later reflected on the “evil regime” behind-the-scenes with the Weinsteins. “Scary Movie” producer Bob Zenga alleged to Variety in 2020 that Dimension Films purchased “Scary Movie” solely due to the “Scream” parallel. “The Weinsteins wanted to buy it because it spoofed their franchise of ‘Scream,'” Zegna noted. “I think they didn’t want somebody else cannibalizing their movie.” 

We Have Drew Barrymore to Thank For Wes Craven Directing

“Scream” could have been a totally different movie if not for Drew Barrymore. Craven originally passed on the script since he was developing a remake of “The Haunting.” The Weinsteins then approached Robert Rodriguez, Danny Boyle, George A. Romero, and Sam Raimi to direct, but screenwriter Williamson feared that none of the candidates understood the tone of the film. Barrymore then signed on to play lead character Sidney Prescott, and Craven reconsidered his involvement.

However, five weeks before production began, Barrymore was faced with unexpected commitments, and opted instead to kick off the first kill of the slasher in the minor role of Casey Becker, who is terrorized by Ghostface in the opening sequence. Her decision set the tone for the franchise’s subversion of expectations, and each sequel has used the same decision to kill off its most famous star before the title card. 

Yet, that left “Scream” without a Sid. Molly Ringwald, Alicia Witt, Brittany Murphy, and Reese Witherspoon turned down the role before Craven suggested “Party of Five” breakout Neve Campbell to anchor the film. Campbell’s “Craft” co-star Skeet Ulrich was also cast as her boyfriend in “Scream,” with producers pointing out his similar brooding nature to Johnny Depp in Craven’s successful “Nightmare on Elm Street” series. Plus, Courteney Cox jumped at the chance to get beyond her Monica persona from “Friends” and reportedly had to convince the studio that she could play a “bitch” broadcast journalist. 

The Ghostface Killer Wasn’t “Scary Enough,” But the Film Still Landed a NC-17 Rating

Apparently there was plenty of “Scream”–ing over Ghostface’s mask, but not because it was too gruesome. Rather, Bob Weinstein believed the costume wasn’t scary enough. Producer Cathy Konrad recalled that the crew found the mask during a location scout “in a woman’s attic” and immediately were attracted to the resemblance of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” painting, according to Vanity Fair. Weinstein insisted that director Craven shoot each scene with four different masks until Dimension signed off on a particular look. 

Bob Weinstein later admitted, “I thought the mask was goofy. I thought people would laugh at it. I thought Wes was crazy.” 

Craven himself even donned the mask to work opposite Drew Barrymore in the opening sequence. As her character Casey, Barrymore actually hit the masked Craven with the large landline phone during one take. Craven also has an onscreen cameo as a Freddy Krueger-esque janitor.

Despite the debate over the Ghostface aesthetic, “Scream” originally was given a NC-17 rating by the MPAA for its gore. Production was rumored to have used over 50 gallons of fake blood for the film, which may help explain the decision. “Scream” was finally given an R rating after being submitted eight additional times with edits.  

The “Scream” Cast Crashed Real-Life Prom Parties While Filming

Blondes really do have more fun. After being cast as Sidney’s best friend Tatum, Rose McGowan dyed her naturally dark locks blonde to contrast Neve Campbell’s look. “I hated that color,” McGowan reflected to Entertainment Weekly on her “Middle American blond” hairstyle. “It was perfect for the role.” 

Despite all the onscreen kills, McGowan recalled that the set was “very, very calm.” To date, it was “probably the best set I’ve ever been on,” she summed up. 

And, the cast’s bond off-set even made for more hilarious memories. “One night I remember David Arquette and I were bored, and we weren’t working. We found out it was prom night in the town so we started chasing all these limos, following all these prom cars, trying to figure out where to go,” McGowan recalled of filming in Santa Rosa, Calif. “Crashing people’s prom parties because we were so bored. I’m sure it was my idea, ‘Hey, this is what we can do. I can’t find a gay club, let me try this.'” 

“Scream”‘s Bloody Ending Is the “Longest Night in Horror History”

Legend has it that the 42-minute final act of “Scream” took 21 consecutive nights to shoot. The ultimate house party-gone-wrong thanks to Ghostface included Tatum’s brutal death by doggie door and the unmasking of the killer(s). Yes, that was a 25-year-old spoiler alert: There are two Ghostfaces. That final push to finish “Scream” led to the cast and crew dubbing the ending the “longest night in horror history,” according to Mental Floss. 

McGowan confirmed that it was “an all-nighter” just for her own death scene as Tatum. “It was really, really cold [in a real garage],” the star revealed to Entertainment Weekly. “I was really going up and down in a dog door, and I’ve since learned that I can fit into almost any dog door. And because I’m thin enough, I kept falling out of it. They had to nail my shirt in onto the wood otherwise I’d like, flop out. That’s how I get in my houses when I get locked out, for real.” 

Thanks to Arquette, fans can also now shimmy through the O.G. doggy door from the real-life garage where Tatum met her tragic end. Arquette is virtually hosting one-night sleepovers in the house belonging to Lillard’s character, Stu Macher, according to ET Canada. The official AirBnB listing is available from October 27 through 31, and will include greetings from Arquette’s cop character Dewey, calls from Ghostface, and all four “Scream” films on VHS for a throwback murder marathon viewing party. 

“Scream” Had a Holiday Release to Target Bored Teenagers

Home for the holidays? Strap in for a bloody good time. The Weinsteins opted for a December release in hopes the slasher would appeal to teens looking to escape family commitments during the holiday season. “Scream” officially premiered on December 20, 1996, and at first it seemed like quite the gamble with the release date only hurt the bottom line. On opening weekend, the film only grossed $6 million, but its multiple proved to only stab away at competing films over the continuous weeks. Ultimately, “Scream” took home $103 million from the domestic box office against its $15 million budget. 

Wes Craven Allegedly Felt “Pressure” to Continue the Franchise

Following the smashing success of “Scream,” Craven apparently felt boxed in by the franchise. 

“There was no pressure on that movie to be something special,” Lillard told Bloody Disgusting. “It ended up being something iconic, but at the moment, there wasn’t the pressure. I think the other three movies, certainly four now, must’ve felt [pressure] during the production, which is interesting. Right?”

Lillard added, “I mean, he went from sort of this carefree moment to, by the end, I think he was miserable. I don’t think it was a secret. He was really miserable by the time he did four, in terms of the pressure to produce an iconic film.” 

Craven’s awareness of the franchise is partially what made the “Scream” series so iconic. What other slasher has a soon-to-be victim mocking the premise? “No, please don’t kill me, Mr. Ghostface, I wanna be in the sequel!” rings so true. 

However, as Craven seemed to predict, the original “Scream” remained the highest grossing film in the series with $173 million worldwide. Profits descended chronologically, with “Scream 2” coming in at $172 million, “Scream 3” with $161 million, and “Scre4m” with $97 million.

The fifth installment in the legacy, simply titled “Scream,” will be released in theaters on January 14, 2022.