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21 Iconic Tales About The Making Of The 'Scream' Movies

It's hard to imagine the franchise without Deputy Dewdrop.

21 Iconic Tales About The Making Of The 'Scream' Movies

January 13, 2022

What's your favorite scary movie? That's not only the creepiest question you can ask on a first date, it's also one of the most memorable quotes from ‘Scream’--an innovative slasher flick and genre homage from Wes Craven that more than holds up today.

From musings about what was really going on between Billy and Stu to Liev Schreiber doing the most American thing by taking the part just to pay off his student debt — here’s some rad stories about the making of the first four Scream movies (and some bonus info on the fifth).

The fact is, sometimes the behind the scenes can be even wilder than what ends up on the big screen. If you want to learn about more skeletons in the closet of this legendary horror flick--well, don't be scared, crack open that cellar door and creep down the rickety staircase to learn more iconic tales about the making of this epic franchise.

21

Classic love triangle

74 Mike MANY A CREW MEMBER IN SCREAM THINKS THAT STU HELPED BILLY BECAUSE НЕ WAS IN LOVE WITH HIM. Neve Campbell has said that she thinks there was definitely some anger in Stu that stemmed from repressed love for his friend, as did Patrick Lussier, the editor. Creator Kevin WIlliamson himself has said that Scream is coded in gay survival. CRACKED.COM — Source, and another source, and would you look at that.

20

Scream

SKEET ULRICH DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMEDY IN SCREAM. Ulrich couldn't understand why his co-stars were playing some of their scenes for laughs. Не said he thinks he was so focused on his character Billy's twisted motivations that he missed the comedy part entirely. Which, fair. CRACKED.COM — Source

19

True Story

SCREAM WAS BASED ON A REAL STORY If you google the Gainesville Ripper you'll read all about Danny Rolling, the guy who went on a killing spree in such a fashion that it inspired writer Kevin Williamson to pen the iconic slasher movie. CRACKED.COM — Source

18

Liev Schreiber being a true American

LIEV SCHREIBER TOOK THE PART OF COTTON WEARY IN SCREAM TO PAY OFF HIS SCHOOL DEBT. Schreiber said he'd just gotten out of school and had tons of debt to pay off, so when Bob Weinstein asked him if he wanted a small part in the movie where he basically has to walk down some stairs and then get into a cop car, he took it. CRACKED.COM — Source

17

Matthew Lillard

MATTHEW LILLARD DID A LOT OF AD-LIBBING AS STU IN SCREAM. Kevin Williamson said Lillard was one of the best ad-libbers he's ever worked with. When he picked up the phone and said, 'Hello, Mom?' That wasn't me. When he said, 'Houston, we have a problem,' that wasn't me. When he said, 'Mom and dad are gonna be really mad at me,' or whatever that was, that was all him. CRACKED.COM — Source

16

Baby Dewdrop

DEWEY AND GALE ALMOST HAD A KID IN SCREAM 4. The first couple of drafts had them juggling not only the return of Ghostface, but also the arrival of a new baby. The idea was ultimately cut because the filmmakers realized that it would make the shoot ten times more difficult. CRACKED.COM — Source

15

Robert Rodriguez

ONE OF THE ORIGINAL TOP CHOICES TO DIRECT THE FIRST SCREAM WAS ROBERT RODRIGUEZ. According to Quentin Tarantino, the Weinsteins were gunning for Rodriquez to direct before Wes Craven was optioned. Craven initially rejected the movie because he didn't want to do another horror movie at the time. CRACKED.COM — Source, and another source

14

They almost fired Wes Craven

CRACKED.COM WES CRAVEN ALMOST GOT CANNED BECAUSE THE STUDIO DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO WATCH THE SCREAM DAILIES. After seeing the dailies for the opening sequence, Bob Weinstein hated it and wanted a myriad of changes made. When Craven and his crew resisted, there were worries that Craven might be fired, but when the crew took the dailies and cut them together to show the studio what it would look like once the actually editing was done, Weinstein backed down and the studio admitted that they had no idea how to interpret the dailies. — Source

13

Mason Gooding

MASON GOODING WROTE AN ESSAY IN COLLEGE ABOUT HOW MUCH HE LOVED THE FIRST SCREAM MOVIE. Gooding plays Chad in 2022's Scream. CRACKED.COM — Source

12

Randy

THE STUDIO INITIALLY WANTED JASON LEE TO PLAY RANDY IN SCREAM. Apparently they liked him because he was in Mallrats. Other considerations were Seth Green and Breckin Meyer. CRACKED.COM — Source

11

Ghostface and his phone calls

ALL OF GHOSTFACE'S PHONE CALLS WERE DONE LIVE. The voice behind the mask belongs to Roger Jackson, and he was on set doing the voice live, albeit hidden from the actors at all times so they would never see him and he would remain totally incognito. CRACKED.COM — Source

10

Don't spoil the twist

74 Mike Koo A SCENE IN THE ORIGINAL SCREAM SCRIPT ALMOST GAVE AWAY THE TWIST. Writer and creator Kevin Williamson said he originally wrote a scene that Wes Craven filmed where Billy and Stu talk about all the fun they were going to have on that final and bloody night. It got cut because it was just too obvious. CRACKED.COM — Source

9

Michael Jackson

THE ORIGINAL SCREAM TITLE WAS INSPIRED BY MICHAEL JACKSON. At first it was going to be called Scary Movie, but the Weinstein brothers wanted to change it. After listening to Scream, the new song by Michael Jackson that came out at the time, the decision was ultimately made, even though not everyone was too keen on it at first. CRACKED.COM — Source

8

Dawson's Creek

MOST OF THE CREW MEMBERS WHO WORKED ON THE 2022 SCREAM MOVIE ALSO WORKED ON DAWSON'S CREEK. Kevin Williamson (who wrote the original Scream) is the executive producer on the new one and was the creator of Dawson's Creek. Не said that having all those crew members on set again felt like coming home. CRACKED.COM — Source

7

Interesting cameo, no?

MATTHEW LILLARD HAS A CAMEO IN SCREAM 2. Не can be seen as a supposed extra in the background at the frat party in the sequel. Kevin Williamson said Lillard just showed up that night. CRACKED.COM — Source

6

David Arquette

DAVID ARQUETTE LED AN ART CLASS FOR HIS FELLOW CAST MEMBERS IN THE NEW SCREAM. Arquette is a certified Bob Ross instructor, and said it was a cool bonding experience and also a way for him to thank his co-workers. CRACKED.COM — Source

5

The other Scream

THE ORIGINAL SCREAM'S COLOR PALETTE WAS BASED ON THAT ARTWORK WITH THE SAME NAME. Costume designer Cynthia Bergstrom said the greens, reds, oranges and yellows were all based on Edvard Munch's painting The Scream. CRACKED.COM — Source

4

Influenced by

THE COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL MASSACRE INFLUENCED SCREAM 3. Following the traumatizing event, director Wes Craven decided that the franchise's third installment should have more comedy than horror because sometimes you just have to read the room, man. CRACKED.COM — Source

3

Almost another killer

IN AN EARLY VERSION OF THE SCRIPT, ADAM BRODY'S DEPUTY HOSS WAS GOING TO BE A THIRD KILLER IN SCREAM 4. It would've been the first time a cop was part of the killings in the Scream franchise. CRACKED.COM — Source

2

Doing it for the kids

THE FIRST SCREAM WAS RELEASED DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO TARGET BORED TEENAGERS. The gamble worked. It took home $103 million from the domestic box office. It only cost around $15 million to make. CRACKED.COM — Source

1

Scream

DEWEY ORIGINALLY DIED IN THE FIRST SCREAM. The death was filmed and everything, but they soon realized that the character was just too good an addition and had to be in the sequel. CRACKED.COM — Source

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