Certainly one of my most anticipated films on the 2025 schedule has lastly arrived — the new horror movie Collectively, starring real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco. It’s not their first time in spooky cinema; horror followers will keep in mind Brie’s flip as Rebecca Walters within the first franchise revival and probably the greatest entries, Scream 4. The Scream collection has all the time sparked debates about who ought to survive Ghostface’s rampages, and the Mad Males alum simply supplied one of many spicier takes but. And truthfully… she is perhaps onto one thing.
Whereas the pair was selling their new spooky flick on the Shut Up Evan podcast, the dialog turned to Wes Craven’s beloved horror collection. Brie, whose character met a brutal finish within the 2011 installment, didn’t maintain again when requested concerning the franchise’s fashionable period and why so lots of the core characters make it to the tip. Because the Group actress sees it:
Can I inform you my drawback with the present period of the Scream franchise? Too many individuals stay. The core 4 must die…. We ought to be down to 2 of the core 4 by Scream 7.
She’s referring, after all, to the “Core 4,” characters from the 2022 reboot Scream and its sequel Scream VI. It consists of Melissa Barrera’s Sam, Jenna Ortega’s Tara, Mason Gooding’s Chad, and Jasmin Savoy Brown’s Mindy, all of whom survived each films.
Franco joked that possibly his spouse’s character might return, in spite of everything, Scream has introduced again supposedly lifeless characters earlier than, keep in mind the hallucinations of Billy Loomis? To not point out, there are many rumors about a number of lifeless characters returning for the following installment. The GLOW veteran quipped, “Yeah, the place’s my position in Scream 7?”
However when her husband reminded her that Scream (2022) already took out David Arquette’s Dewey Riley, a legacy character, the Hollywood-born A-lister wasn’t having it. She added:
I do know [they killed Dewey], and that was very unhappy. That was a mistake. Yeah, preserve the principle three. [Laughs]
It’s a barely contradictory stance — trim down the brand new blood, however protect the unique trio, although followers of the basic Scream period will undoubtedly perceive precisely the place she’s coming from.
Right here’s the factor: the early Scream films made you are feeling like anybody might die. Randy in Scream 2. Cotton in Scream 3. Even aspect characters with cult followings weren’t secure. However within the present period, the “Core 4” have walked away from two back-to-back Ghostface massacres with out shedding a member.
Brie’s bigger level appears to be that holding the principle survivors too secure dangers shedding one of many franchise’s greatest weapons: unpredictability. And in a collection constructed on meta commentary about horror guidelines, predictability could be deadly, simply not within the enjoyable method.
As for what we find out about Scream 7, we all know Neve Campbell will return as Sidney Prescott after sitting out the final movie, with authentic Scream author Kevin Williamson directing. As a consequence of behind-the-scenes disputes, we additionally know that the Core 4’s Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera is not going to be within the film. Nonetheless, it has been confirmed (by way of ET) that Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding can be again.
So, for a minimum of yet one more installment, Ghostface might spare half of the Core 4 by omission. In the meantime, I will be curious to see what occurs to the opposite two in Scream 7.
The movie, slated for the 2026 film schedule on February 27, can even convey again Matthew Lillard’s Stu Macher and Scott Foley’s Roman Bridger regardless of their on-screen deaths.
Brie and Franco’s horror film Collectively is in theaters now, so remember to test your native listings for present instances.