By Andrew Sanford | News | January 31, 2025 |
I would say that Scream 3 is the worst in the franchise (until last year). It’s trashy fun but lacks the sophistication of the first two films. The fourth and fifth entries are also a cut above the third installment. However, it’s important to note that the third was marred with production issues. Bob and Harvey Weinstein tried to get writer Kevin Williamson to return, but he was busy and offered a loose outline instead. Then, Columbine happened, and the outline was tossed aside.
What followed was a fairly forgettable film that goes bug nuts in the last ten minutes. The killer is revealed to be series lead Sidney Prescott’s long-lost brother. Also, he has inexplicably orchestrated all the events of the prior films. It makes no sense, but it’s fun thanks to a zany performance by Scott Foley. But the events of the film were supposed to play out differently. One of the original killers, Stu Macher, was supposed to return for the third film, filling a similar role to Foley’s killer, albeit with more of an actual history.
The plans for Stu’s return were abandoned, but fans have held onto hope all these years later that he would return. Matthew Lillard, who played Stu, has stayed within the franchise in one way or another. He has appeared and lent his voice to several of the films, but Stu hadn’t made a triumphant villainous return. The character had barely been mentioned. Then, in Scream 6, a line of off-screen dialogue planted the seeds for his return, which made a lot of sense for the series’ new lead.
Melissa Barrera starred in the two most recent Scream films as the illegitimate daughter of Billy Loomis. He was one of the other original killers from the first film and was played by Skeet Ulrich. Ulrich returned to the franchise as a figment of Barrera’s imagination, as he was killed in the original movie. Still, it set up a conflict within Barrera’s character. Would she embrace the killer instincts of a father she never knew? Scream (2022) ends by giving us the answer: yes! However, that gets reset at the beginning of the sixth movie, leaving Barrera with the same journey as in her first film.
While Scream 6 took two steps back with the characters, it did add an interesting tease for the future. A character makes an off-handed reference to Stu Macher still being alive. It was the first time that idea had been put forth onscreen. The twist made sense for Barrera’s character. Why not have her go toe-to-toe with her father’s partner in crime? However, that idea was cut short when Barrera was fired for speaking out against the genocide in Gaza. Instead, a new sequel is moving forward with Neve Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott.
Prescott had appeared in every Scream film before six, which Campbell sat out because she thought they were trying to lowball her money-wise. That has now changed. Not only is Campbell returning, but original writer Kevin Williamson will direct the new installment. It will be a reunion of sorts as series star Courtney Cox is returning. To keep that train going, Scott Foley will be back, despite facing a fairly definitive end in Scream 3. Presumably, he’ll be a figment of Campbell’s imagination. But that’s not all!
I assumed that if Stu Macher were to ever return, it would be kept secret. That is not the case! It was announced yesterday that Matthew Lillard would be making a long-awaited return to the franchise! Details about his return have been kept under wraps, but I don’t think he’s going to be a ghost or imaginary. While Macher was presumably killed in the first film, it wasn’t definite! Yes, a tube TV fell on his head. I know how heavy those things are, but we never see the aftermath!
Violence is a language in the Scream franchise. When characters are killed, we often see their deaths in all of their brutality. Stu may have been stabbed and had a TV drop on his face, but we don’t see the result. Ulrich and Foley’s characters are both shot in the face. We see it clear as day. there’s no coming back from that! My guess is, we see Macher return with a face full of scars and a heart full of hate. Time will tell!