Summary
While theScreamfranchise has been fun and engaging since the beginning, the path to makeScream 7has been rocky, to say the least. After the announcement that Christopher Landon wouldn’t direct the next film after all,Scream 7got two big updates:Kevin Williamson will directand Neve Campbell is reprising her final girl role of Sidney Prescott. Given both of their important histories with the slasher franchise, this was exciting news.
However, even though Kevin Williamson is the talented writer of many horror movies and the showrunner/producer on horror TV shows likeThe Vampire Diaries, he might not be the right director to move the franchise forward. There are a few reasons why another director might have been a better choice forScream 7.
It’s possible to argue thatScream 7’s director Kevin Williamson might not be the best pick to move the slasher franchise into the fresh direction that it needs. While hewrote three of theScreammoviesand has been involved since the beginning,Scream (2022)andScream 6proved that the franchise needs new ideas and new creative talent to continue to engage fans.
Fans wonder what characters should return forScream 7because they enjoyed seeing the Core Four of Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Brown) fight new Ghostfaces.
Much of Kevin Williamson’s work has involved telling stories about teenagers, fromDawson’s Creekwhich he created toThe Vampire Diaries, the firstScreammovie, andI Know What You Did Last Summer. While he has a great writing style that lends itself well to that kind of storytelling,Screamhas moved on from its origins.Scream 7could break the franchise’s rulesby not including meta discussions of horror movies, and that might mean thata new director who hasn’t been involved with the franchise is necessary.
Back in 2021, Kevin Williamson talked toUs Weeklyabout deciding to come back forScream (2022). He said:
“I didn’t have any pressure because I didn’t have to do it. 25 years later, it’s exciting to sort of turn the franchise over someone else. I didn’t know how I felt about being a part of it with Wes gone. I think all of us had — you could ask Neve and Courteney — but we all had this question of ‘Why should we do this? With Wes gone, isScreamover?’ And, ‘Maybe if they’re going to doScreamagain, then she’d just start over with a brand new story line and a true reboot?’”
Kevin Williamson Is A Writer, Not A Director
It’s fair to say that since Kevin Williamson is a writer whohas only directed one movie, he might not be the best choice to directScream 7.Williamson’s 1999 movieTeaching Mrs. Tinglewas released to little fanfare and starred Katie Holmes and Barry Watson as high school students who kidnap their mean teacher, played by Helen Mirren. While the film is funny and clever, it’s a fairly corny story. While Williamson is of course familiar with theScreamfranchise, he doesn’t have the directing experience that many others do.
Which Movies Has Kevin Williamson Written?
It was a shame to seeChristopher Landon exit Scream 7because he has directed several popular horror movies, includingHappy Death Day,Happy Death Day 2 U, andFreaky. These movies have the same hilarious and sometimes silly tone as theScreamfranchise, which is why Landon was a great fit.
Was Kevin Williamson Hired For Scream 7 To Appease Fans?
Kevin Williamson could have beenhired to directScream 7to make fans happysince there has been so much upheaval since the sequel was first announced. There’s no question that he is familiar with the rules of horror movies, Sidney Prescott’s traumatic story, and how to craft a compelling opening sequence.Kevin Williamson had plans forScream 5and6, he didn’t write those movies, although he was an executive producer on both.
When fans finally get the chance to seeScream 7, there’s no doubt that it will feature elements that audiences have loved since the 1996 film. It will likely have great characters, clever jokes, and a fun and fast-paced opening sequence. But it would have been interesting to see where a new director could takeScream 7.
