New ‘Scream’ Films Were Always Intended to be a Trilogy, According to Skeet Ulrich
Chad Collins
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It’s 2011 all over again. The circumstances might have changed, but Scream fans everywhere have once again been let down. Just as a new trilogy seemed to be taking shape, it evaporated. In 2011, it was poor box office (thanks, Rio) that accounted for the Scream 4 casualty. In 2023, it was a series of baffling decisions by Spyglass Media Group, starting with the firing of star Melissa Barrera, which dovetailed into the exits of co-star Jenna Ortega and seventh-entry director Christopher Landon.
A conclusion to the new Scream trilogy, at least at this point, doesn’t seem likely, though at least Scream VI ended on something of a conclusive note. However, according to an exclusive Screen Rant interview with Skeet Ulrich, a trilogy was always the plan.
In the recent duology, Sam’s (Barrera) almost psychic connection with serial killer father, Billy (Ulrich) was explored. It was never entirely clear what those hallucinations were all about, but when Sam needed him most, Billy Loomis was there in her psyche, incredulously aware of the real world. In Scream (2022), Loomis even tells Sam where a knife has fallen. Weird stuff.
Now, according to Ulrich, we know that was a key component of a planned three-movie arc. Of Sam and Billy’s connection, Ulrich remarked to Screen Rant, “I was hoping for exactly that, and that’s sort of the idea that was pitched to me a couple years ago. That it was a three-movie arc, with that in mind. Now, I never saw any of the drafts of seven or anything that… And I don’t know, I mean, it’s possible that it didn’t include any of that as well. But yeah, that was my hope is that if it was going to mean anything, that it directly impacted the plot.”
It’s unlikely Scream 7, if it happens, will directly continue any of what happened in 5 or 6. While some reports suggest Spyglass intends to seduce old legacy players, including Neve Campbell and Patrick Dempsey, into the fray, there have been no announcements as of yet. Additional Scream 6 cast members have yet to drop the project, though their absence, if there is a Scream 7, seems likely.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to a potential Scream 7, or would you rather the franchise rest? What would you have thought about a new entry further exploring the connection between Sam and Billy? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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