David Arquette Confirmed for New ‘Scream’, Filming in Wilmington, NC This Fall

We have some exciting news, as Spyglass Media Group announced today that David Arquette will star in the upcoming fifth Scream movie, reprising his role from the first four films in the franchise as Dewey Riley, and we have also learned that filming will begin this fall in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The fifth film in the Scream movie franchise will shoot n Wilmington, North Carolina (where Halloween Kills was shot) this fall when safety protocols are in place, according to a release from Spyglass Media Group, which is producing the film.

Ready or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, known collectively as Radio Silence, will direct the new Scream movie from a script by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. Kevin Willamson, the NC native who wrote three of the first four films, is an executive producer.

 “I am thrilled to be playing Dewey again and to reunite with my Scream family, old and new,” Arquette said in statement. “Scream has been such a big part of my life, and for both the fans and myself, I look forward to honoring Wes Craven’s legacy.”

Spyglass says that talks are underway to bring back more legacy cast members to new Scream installment.

Are you ready for the return of Ghostface?

Read on for the full official press release, including quotes from Williamson and the directors.

David Arquette will reprise his role as Dewey Riley in pursuit of Ghostface in the relaunch of “Scream,” it was announced today by Peter Oillataguerre, President of Production for Spyglass Media Group, LLC (“Spyglass”).

Plot details are under wraps but the film will be an original story co-written by James Vanderbilt (“Murder Mystery,” “Zodiac,” “The Amazing Spider-Man”) and Guy Busick (“Ready or Not,” “Castle Rock,”) with Project X Entertainment’s Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein and William Sherak producing for Spyglass. Creator Kevin Williamson will serve as executive producer.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of the filmmaking group Radio Silence (“Ready or Not,” “V/H/S”) will direct and the third member of the Radio Silence trio, Chad Villella, will executive produce alongside Williamson.

Principal photography will begin later this year in Wilmington, North Carolina when safety protocols are in place.

Arquette said, “I am thrilled to be playing Dewey again and to reunite with my ‘Scream’ family, old and
new. ‘Scream’ has been such a big part of my life, and for both the fans and myself, I look forward to honoring Wes Craven’s legacy.”

Though Arquette is the first member of the film’s ensemble to be officially announced, conversations are underway with other legacy cast.

Radio Silence said, “It’s impossible to fully express how much Wes Craven’s work and the ‘Scream’ movies in particular mean to us as fans and have influenced us as storytellers. Kevin Williamson’s incredible stories have entertained and inspired us for decades and we’re insanely honored to have the opportunity to be a part of the cinematic world Wes and Kevin so brilliantly created together. Jamie and Guy’s amazing script does that legacy justice and we’re so excited to bring the next chapter of ‘Scream’ to life.”

Williamson said, “I’m excited to reteam with David and work with Jamie, Guy and Radio Silence on the next ‘Scream.’  Their take on the movie is both original, inventive and honors Wes’; legacy in a wonderful way.  'Ready or Not'  was my favorite horror film of last year and I can’t wait to see what their amazing
talents bring to the ‘Scream’ universe. I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

“Just the fact that we get to sit in a room with Kevin Williamson and talk about a new ‘Scream’ movie is a dream come true for me.  For years I’ve wanted to see a new ‘Scream’ movie, and now we get to help make one.  We want this to be a love letter to the movies Wes and Kevin created together and to the fans,” said Vanderbilt.

This collaboration re-teams Radio Silence with Sherak and Vanderbilt who served as producers on the critically-successful horror comedy “Ready or Not,” written by Busick and Ryan Christopher Murphy for Fox Searchlight. Radio Silence also contributed to the anthology films “Southbound,” and “V/H/S” as well as the horror mystery feature film, “Devil’s Due.”

“Scream” is a long-running genre-busting horror franchise which generated four feature films including “Scream” (1996), “Scream 2” (1997), “Scream 3” (2000) and “Scream 4” (2011). Directed by famed “maestro of horror,” the late Wes Craven, the films went on to gross more than $600 million in worldwide box office receipts. Williamson wrote the original film as well as “Scream 2” and “Scream 4.”

Starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, the films follow Sidney Prescott and her war against a succession of murderers, who adopt the guise of Ghostface to stalk and torment their victims. After its successful run in theaters, an anthology television series based on the “Scream” franchise (with different characters in new settings), aired on MTV and VH1, between 2015-2019.

Arquette played Dewey Riley in all four films of the “Scream” franchise. Arquette recently co-founded XTR, a new production studio, and can next be seen in Brea Grant’s upcoming ensemble feature comedy, “12 Hour Shift.” In addition, Arquette is in pre-production on the indie film, “Ghosts of The Ozarks,” starring Tim Blake Nelson and directed by Matt Glass and Jordan Wayne Long, both of which fall under his production company. His professional wrestling documentary, “You Cannot Kill David Arquette” was recently acquired by Super LTD for North American distribution.

Vanderbilt most recently wrote and produced the global hit Netflix feature “Murder Mystery,” which was watched by more than 30.8 million accounts over its first three days and is one of the biggest opening weekends for a Netflix film ever. He also produced Fox Searchlight’s “Ready or Not” with Sherak. He will continue to focus on writing, producing and directing across genres through Project X. Next up, he is adapting Stephen King’s classic novel “The Long Walk,” for New Line and director Andre Overdal, which he will produce with Sherak, as well as “Murder Mystery 2” for Netflix.

Vanderbilt’s numerous writing credits include “Zodiac,” “The Amazing Spider-Man” films, “White House Down,” and
“Truth,” starring Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett, which he also produced and directed. Paramount recently announced that Vanderbilt is set to write a spin-off for the mega-successful “Transformers” franchise.

Spyglass launched as a partnership between Gary Barber and Lantern Entertainment Co-Presidents Andy Mitchell and Milos Brajovic. The company has strategic investment backing from Warner Bros. Pictures, leaders in the motion picture industry; Eagle Pictures, the largest independent distributor in Italy; and Cineworld Group, the second largest theater chain in the world.

Spyglass is home to more than 250 film library titles, scripted and unscripted television series, including Academy Award winners “The King’s Speech” and “The Artist;” box office hits “The Upside,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained,” “Lee Daniel’s The Butler,” “Spy Kids” and “Paddington;” genre franchises “Hellraiser” and “Scream,” and the television series,  “Project Runway.”
Project X Entertainment, a film, television and new media production and financing company, was formed by writer, producer and director James Vanderbilt and industry veterans William Sherak and Paul Neinstein.

Project X creates content for distribution across media platforms including feature length motion pictures as well as episodic programming, documentaries and docu-series for streaming, broadcast, cable television and other distribution outlets. Creative always comes first at Project X with the founders working closely with talented creators to elevate content for the worldwide viewing audience.

For more Halloween news, follow @HalloweenDaily.