‘Scream 4’ could have had a totally different Ghostface.
by JAKE SAPSFORD
Aubrey Plaza has revealed how an audition for Scream 4 made her appear “insane” to Wes Craven, as she went “fully method” in her acting approach. She told Hits Radio the story of how badly she misunderstood the assignment. No stranger to the horror genre, Plaza would go on to play Karen Barclay in the 2019 Child’s Play remake, but it was a potential role in the highly awaited 2011 Scream sequel that she was reflecting on.
Ahead of a potential role, Plaza spoke of her need to go “fully method.” She was told, “‘you’re going in to audition to play a character that you eventually find out is the killer.’ So, I took that really literally, and I was thinking, ‘Alright, I’m gonna dress like the killer.'” Which she later concluded “was a bad, really bad idea.”
She continued saying:
“I went in and I looked terrible, I was like really frumpy and my hair was [a mess]. I thought, I’m a murderer and then everybody else was glamorous and they all looked great, and I just looked insane, and they were like, ‘The whole point is that we’re not supposed to know that you were the killer. You pretty much just look like a murderer right away.’ Anyway, I blew that one. Didn’t make it very far.”Though Plaza’s enthusiasm to portray an interesting villain failed to pay off on that occasion, we can assume she was auditioning for the role of Jill Roberts, which was ultimately offered to Emma Roberts. Scream 4 was released in the United States on April 15, 2011, and it once more followed Sidney Prescott, who was forced to revisit her past and leave behind a new life after a new Ghostface killer began a deadly spree. It served as the first film in the franchise in over a decade, with the third installment being released back in 2000. Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox all returned to their roles as Sidney Prescott, Dewey Riley, and Gale Weathers respectively.
Scream 4 served as director Wes Craven’s last involvement in the franchise, prior to his death in 2015. The success of the fourth installment ultimately led to a fifth film, with Scream hitting theaters in January 2022. It was met with a very positive critical reception, with a 76% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Upon its successful debut, a sequel, currently titled Scream 6, was ordered and is currently filming in Toronto, with plans to be released on March 31, 2023.
Collider’s Perri Nemiroff recently spoke to Kevin Williamson, the writer of the original movie. He touched upon how the franchise could preserve its longevity. Stay tuned to Collider for information as the Scream franchise continues in 2023. You can watch the trailer for Scream 4 and our interview with Plaza on Emily the Criminal down below.
