Gemma La Mana
By now, many of you have probably already seen Scream 4 and gasped through many of the surprises and scares. But now EW can reveal some other proposed twists that didn’t end up making the final cut. The script for Scream 4 went through various versions throughout the production last summer. As Wes Craven put it, “It evolved a lot.” In the finished film, Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox) are married but Craven says that they were even more domestic in an early form of the script. “They had a kid in the first couple of drafts,” says Craven. “Then we just decided that was gonna make things impossible shooting and there really wasn’t a thing for the kid to be doing. Courteney was always showing up at crime scenes with a baby. This is not gonna work!”
Even scarier than an infant in a slasher movie was one of the initial concepts for the opening sequence: Sidney (Neve Campbell) would be attacked by Ghostface and believed to be dead. “Then there was a two-year gap while she recovered,” explains Craven. “Bob [Weinstein] felt that would kind of slow the pace of the story and thought it would maybe be better to go with young characters.”
Read more:
‘Scream 4′ star Neve Campbell on the film’s difficult production: ‘It wasn’t an easy shoot’
The Making of ‘Scream’: Jamie Kennedy looks back on filming the horror classic
Courteney Cox talks filming ‘Scream 4′ with estranged husband David Arquette
‘Scream 4′ writer Kevin Williamson discusses his ‘massive fight’ with Bob Weinstein
Gallery: ‘Scream 4′ premiere
Really, Tim. Gasped through the many twists and scares? The film did not have any twists or scared (well maybe a few scares) that I gasped at.
As a Scream fan, I am very, VERY disappointed in this. I could that Wes Craven’s heart was not at all into this. It was terrible and does not deserve to be part of the Scream franchise.
Just to be clear, you thought Screams 2 and 3 were superior?
Hey, Scream 2 was good ! But I agree with you about Scream 3, if there’s one movie that shouldn’t be part of the franchise, it’s definitely this one.
I thought the fourth was awesome.
Scream 2 was AWESOME! Scream 3 sucked donkey. I’d put Scream 4 way above Scream 3, but still not a GREAT movie. Maybe when I get it on dvd it’ll grow more on me.
Scream 2 was my favourite of the series. Scream 3 is just an abomination. Scream 4 is WAY above 3 but it’s not as good as the original or Scream 2. If anything it’s a good place to leave the series at instead of ending it with that terrible film.
I loved it. They shouldh ave “killed” Sydney and then make her kill ghostface at the very end . She could have been in the hospital or something.
totally wrong. As always
Are you dumb? Only an idiot would want to see the heroine of the first three films killed or turned into a killer.
Why watch Neve, Courtney, and David survive another Scream movie?!?! Totally not realistic! This makes you the idiot by wanting to have a predictable Hollywood ending!
Because they are the heroes, the characters we like and root for! I’d rather have a satisfying ending than a dark, dreary, upsetting one. Notice I didn’t say predictable because if you saw Scream 4 you don’t know til the final few moments who exactly will live or die.
Ummmm, once it was revealed that Hayden’s character (Kirby) wasn’t one of the killers, then the rest of the movie was fairly predictable. Charlie was the only other cinema buff left. And Jill seemed like the perfect twist for a partner considering she had her own issues with a cheating boyfriend and a famous cousin. And Jill didn’t stab Sidney like she did Charlie, so it was predictable that Sidney would live. The whole “Sidney is in ICU” and it’s “touch and go” was totally unrealistic when she can get-up and fight. But, I agree with another poster that said Emma Roberts is just too small to be believable as one of the killers. Not realistic, but yet a predictable Hollywood ending.
Superman, it’s a MOVIE. You don’t watch a movie to see if it’s realistic.
Clever way of giving away the ending of scream 4
Er thats what they did do. =/
Scream 4 was just another generic and derivative horror movie. This film series was already repetitious and monotonous. Nothing but a cash grab. And suckers gladly ponied up to watch it. Why do they insist on continuing this tired old franchise?? It’s the same old story over and over. Write something new Hollywood! Wonder when they’ll announce Scream 5 and that it will feature the entire casts of Glee, Gossip Girl, Jersey Shore, One Tree Hill and The Only Way Is Essex. Should be a cinch! More cash!
For a lot of people, Scream 4 was highly entertaining. The franchise has always been silly, fun, and a bit spooky (this one less so than others). What’s the matter with making more movies like that, with characters that fans really want to keep following?
Totally agree – K!
Irena, apparently, if you watched it then you were one of the “suckers” who put up the dough to watch “another generic and derivative horror movie.” Honestly, why hate on an audience for liking a movie. Everyone has his/her own opinion on what genres they like.
Why are you trolling against Scream 4 Irena? I respect the fact that you don’t like to movie, but posting the exact same comment on every story about Scream (under a different name by the way) is not cool.
You posted the exact same comment under the name “Mairead Holden” at the Box Office report story.
Now back to your comment, I get the feeling that you didn’t even watch the movie, otherwise you wouldn’t be saying “It’s the same old story over and over”. Scream 4 was much better than expected, awesome twists, good story with both old and new characters.
Your comments, are just vague, which make it seem that you haven’t even watched the previous movies, you just want to troll.
i think that the movie was ok but it was just predictable…you could say what was going to happen before it happened.
I really enjoyed Scream 4, and I will pay good money to see *any* surviving character of Scream 4 go Ghostface on the entire cast of Jersey Shore in Scream 5.
I enjoyed Scream 4 quite a bit. I hope Ghostface slashes the haters to death—starting with you!! ^^
Loved SCRE4M. The haters can go suck onions.
Scream 4 is the best in the series.. Its inventive and clever which must have a challenge as its a sequel.. But the film has a tight plot with great scares…
I agree; to me it’s the best with the second one. The first one was good but a little too flawed. The third one doesn’t exist.
Really EW?! This movie is bombing at the box office big time, yet you still think it is relevant enough to get another lame article? Face it, the success of the scream series was due mostly because of hype, but they were never that good to beging with.. And the poor idiots that defend this new movie (all 3 of you) don’t know any better… Poor losers
The success of Scream was based on hype? I think you’re confusing it with Saw.
Jeez, what is your problem? I’ll admit they give this series too much voerage, but it wasn’t exactly a “bomb” at the box office. So what if it didn’t get the number one spot? JENNIFER”S BODY opened fifth in its fall opening weekend. At least Scream 4 got second. ANd I liked the movie, it was flawed, of course, but not without entertainment. It made me laugh and jump, and if you don’t like it,keep your opinions on other people who enjoyed it to yourself, you spiteful person.
Scream 4 was an incredible improvement upon Scream 3 and even Scream 2 in a number of ways. It was exactly what the series has set out to do from the beginning, provide some scares and a lot of laughs into one fun and exciting film. I loved it.
Scream 4 was awsome, best entry in the franchise since the original one. If you thought there were no twists or scares then you were watching the wrong damn movie.
I noticed in the earlier trailers some of the scenes weren’t even in the final cut of the movie. It’s the opening sequence involving the last pair of girls where the blonde chick gets killed first. But in the trailer the blonde chick sees her friend get killed. I really hate when that happens. And one of the photos they have online to promote the film had her body hanging from a chandelier with the line “what’s your favorite scary movie” etched on the wall in her blood! Now that wouldve been cool to see in the movie. Oh well! Maybe they’ll have it in the blu-ray
I remember that pic! It appears they cut a lot of stuff—I hope there’s a director’s cut.
There was also a scene where the teens were hanging out at school and Kirby was lounging on a bench with three friends. That scene never made it. Neither did the one where GhostFace is about to stab Gale Weathers and she says “Go ahead if youve got the guts.” Didn’t happen – which sucked cause it was a great movie moment.
I was 25 when I saw the original scream in the theater. Unlike most, I didn’t care for Scream 2, but I found Scream 3 pretty entertaining; a movie within a movie. Kind of like Wes Cravens “New Nightmare”, ahead of its time (IMO). Anyway, I really enjoyed Scream 4. It was a prety good slap in the face concerning Hollywood horror remakes and I loved the ending. It was old school vs. new school and old school won. It goes to show that facebook/twitter/internet is not the beginning and end all. I waited a ten years for this and I am not displeased in the least. Maybe this is a film for the older set who actaully experienced these films in there original release, but I still think a younger crowd could appreciate what Wes/Williamson tried to create. Go SID!
I was somewhat disappointed. I was hoping for a reboot. They should have killed off Neve, Courtney, and David. Their characters have run their course. They screwed-up the first phone conversation between Sidney and Ghostface. Ghostface should have said, “HELLO, SIDNEY.” Bummer! And I would have much preferred a dark ending like in ‘Seven’.
See, I thought the whole point of the ending was taking a trope of modern horror movies (the villain wins; think about all of the horror movies nowadays where the villain isn’t punished and all of the protagonists end up dead), setting it up, then inverting it. When the screen faded to white as the killer was being loaded into the ambulance, I thought that was the end of the movie. However, they pulled a great twist and kept it going, which in my opinion, was the better option.
I totally agree with you. I’m glad the three main characters survived.
I can’t really think of any horror films where the villain isn’t punished in some way. Can somebody clue me in?
(SPOILER ALERT!)
I just came back from seeing Scream 4. I liked it because it was fun to watch, but it was too hokey to be believable. I mean, the killer being Emma Roberts… it’s not possible she would be able to do everything that she did. She’s like 90 lbs soaking wet. (Albeit, I’d like to see that!) Yet, somehow she was able to tie up her physically more dominant ex-boyfriend? I don’t buy it.
My favorite part was Kristen Bell killing her dumb-blonde counterpart. That was awesome!
Oh, and I agree that one of the three ‘originals’ should have died. Maybe not Sydney, but definitely either Gail or Dewey.
I didn’t quite believe Emma Roberts when she was screaming at Sydney towards the end there, but you know, some people are just crazy, whether they are 90 lbs or 200 lbs.
I bought her being crazy (just look at who her real-life dad is…). I didn’t buy her being able to overpower the men and some of the women in the movie. She’s so skinny and dainty. For instance, when she was beating Dewey with the bedpan in the hospital, I felt like he could have just held his arm out and she’d just be flailing her arms like in the cartoons…
My only negative point towards Scream 4 was Emma Roberts. I didn’t find her believable as a psycho. When she was screaming it was just silly
I love Emma Roberts but she definitely didn’t have the acting chops to pull of insane. I didn’t believe her a bit. Loved her throughout the rest of the film – the sorrow over her friends’ death was quite believable as was her fear when she watched the girl die. Thats why it was so hard to believe it when shes suddenly revealed as insane and fame seeking. Her character development should have shown excitement over attention, maybe a desire to be an actress – ANYTHING to indicate she actually wanted the attention that fame brings.
I’ve watched the movie a couple times now and it’s clear that Jill doesn’t do almost any of the actual killing. She plays more the antagonizer part. Shes the one that stabs Gale and she shoots her boyfriend, That’s it.
Julia Roberts’ neice and McCulkin are the killers!
Proud of yourself?
Wow I’ would have never figured that they were the killers untill you said that.
well if you know your horror movies you know that a heroine has never made it out alive after doing 4 films. Even Jamie lee got knifed in halloween 8 which was the 4th one she was in. Also no other franchise has had 3 characters live through out 4 movies. It would have been more predictable to kill them off and introduce an all new cast which would have been lame. Hopefully if there is a 5th one Sidney won”t be in it and they’ll finally let her have some peace. However I could see Gale in it wanting to cover the story.
The writing in this movie was all over the place and all of the new characters were annoying and unlikable. Who could witness their best friend get murdered and party the next day as if nothing happened. I felt no sympathy for these kids. btw Sidney was totally kickass in this one so you go GIRL.
OVERALL CRAPPY MOVIE
“Sidney was totally kickass in this one so you go GIRL.”
I totally agree. I felt the most poignant instance of this movie was when the next door neighbor was being killed and Sidney rushed over to the house to try and save her without hesitation. It showed that she was not going to be a victim anymore, which is what she said in her interview at the bookstore.
Yeah, I thought that was great. Showed a great quality in her character that you don’t see in a lot of people nowadays. Most people just sit and watch and don’t do anything (like that girl’s friends did). I mean really, you just sit and watch while your bff is getting mutilated? Kids these days *sigh* and then yes, they go to a “stab-a-thon” and act silly the next day.
There was nobody to show sympathy though… If they showed Kirby getting emotional one way or another, they were going to give away the suspense of whether she could be the killer. (Which her not really reacting in this scene made me think that she could be.) It’s obvious now why Jill wasn’t affected. They didn’t make her out to be really close with anybody else. And kids these days ARE desensitized and would do some of the same things the kids were doing after someone in their school was murdered.
Thats definetly my favorite scene where Sid runs across the street.
I agree with you on everything except about it being a crappy movie. Those apathetic and cruel teenagers had it coming so i’m glad the “old” characters survived in the end.