The Scream franchise has spawned five hit films, with a sixth released March 10, as well as a Netflix series and countless sleepless nights.
Residents in the small town of Woodsboro were terrified by the mysterious masked ghostface who terrorises his victims on the phone before picking them off one by one.
Various different characters have put on the Ghostface mask over the course of the movie series, and their identities are eventually revealed.
The original, which poked fun at the horror genre, became an instant hint upon its release in 1996 with the franchise going on to gross over £700Million worldwide.
Ahead of the latest instalment terrifying a whole new generation, MailOnline takes a look at where the original cast is now ….
Horror! The Scream franchise has spawned five hit films, with a sixth released March 10 , a Netflix series and countless sleepless nights (Drew Barrymore pictured in the 1996 original)
Danger! Residents in the small town of Woodsboro are terrified by the mysterious masked ghostface who picks off his victims one by one (Courtney Cox pictured)
Don’t answer! Ahead of the latest instalment terrifying a whole new generation, MailOnline takes a a look at where the original cast is now …. (Neve Campbell pictured)
Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott)
Neve, now 49, was 23 when she landed the role of high-school student and protagonist Sidney in the slasher hit.
She was reportedly asked to audition after director Wes Craven saw her work in drama Party Of Five and sci-fi drama The Craft – believing she could be ‘innocent’ in the pivotal role.
Her perfomance as the stalked school girl who’s late mother’s death is the key to the current killing spree received critical acclaim. The movie earned £170M worldwide, making it the highest grossing slasher film until Halloween’s remake in 2018.
Neve went on to star in the sequel however only showed up briefly in the third movie due to other commitments and she was only available for 20 days. As a result the script was changed reducing her screen time and focussing the story on other characters.
Then after 11-years Neve returned to the role in 2011 for the movie’s fourth instalment and again in 2022 for it’s reboot.
However later that year she shocked fans by announcing she was leaving the franchise after 26 years, explaining that the salary she was offered to return for a sixth film did not equate to the ‘value’ that she has brought to the hugely successful horror series.
Elsewhere the actress has starred in Mad Men, House Of Cards and will next be seen in upcoming sci-fi comedy Twisted Metal alongside Marvel’s Anthony Mackie.
Lead role: Neve, now 49, was 23 when she landed the role of high-school student and protagonist Sidney in the slasher hit (left pictured in 2022)
Killer! Neve’s (left) perfomance as the stalked school girl who’s late mother’s death is the key to the current killing streak received critical acclaim. The movie earned £170M worldwide, making it the highest grossing slasher film until the Halloween’s remake in 2018 (pictured in the 1996 original with Rose McGowan, right)
Sequel:Neve went on to star in the sequel however only showed up briefly in the third movie due to other commitments and she was only available for 20 days. As a result the script was changed reducing her screen time and focussing the story on other characters (pictured in 1997’s Scream 2)
Back again: Then after 11-years Neve returned to the role in 2011 for the movie’s fourth instalment and again in 2022 for it’s reboot (pictured in 2011’s Scream 4)
Shock! She later shocked fans by announcing she was leaving the franchise after 26 years, explaining that the salary she was offered to return for a sixth film did not equate to the ‘value’ that she has brought to the hugely successful horror series (pictured with actor husband JJ Field)
In 2011 she wed British actor JJ Field, 45, with whom she shares sons Caspian, 11, and 8-year old Raynor.
Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers)
Courteney Cox, 58, was already a sitcom star on Friends when she was cast as ambitious and ruthless journalist Gale Weathers.
Originally sent to report on the killings she soon finds herself swept up in the drama as she is forced to fight for her life.
Courteney is the only star of the first Scream movie to remain with the franchise all the way up to the new film.
Her ex-husband David Arquette, whom she first became an item with while making the original, was in the first five pictures before he was killed off and co-star Neve declined to return.
Star billing: Courteney Cox, 58, was already a sitcom star on Friends when she was cast as ambitious and ruthless journalist Gale Weathers
Last woman standing: Courteney is the only star of the first Scream movie to remain with the franchise all the way up to the new film after ex-husband David Arquette’s character was killed off (pictured in 1997 sequel)
Split: The couple met on the first film, were in a relationship by the second and married with a child by the third (pictured in 2010)
Family: The pair now share 18-year-old daughter Coco
Cast: Following her nine-year record breaking stint as Monica Geller on smash hit sitcom friends she has gone on to star in shows Dirt, Cougar Town, and Modern Family (pictured with Friends cast in 2002)
The couple met on the first film, were in a relationship by the second and married with a child by the third.
However the duo, who share 18-year-old daughter Coco, split in 2011 after 11-years together.
Following the split David claimed that the decision wasn’t his, after Courtney grew tired of his ‘kooky’ ways, he told Us Weekly at the time.
After working together on the fifth film following their divorce, Courtney described it as ‘really fun’.
During a 2022 appearance on Channel 10’s The Project she said: ‘When we’ve done it before. I mean obviously with Scream, now that’s our fifth time, but we’ve also acted before. It’s really fun.’
But it was David’s response that resulted in quite the awkward on-air moment, as he replied: ‘Yeah, it’s great…’
Host Hamish McDonald was visibly uncomfortable with the response, which resulted in a second of silence.
Following her nine-year record breaking stint as Monica Geller on smash hit sitcom Friends she has gone on to star in shows Dirt, Cougar Town, and Modern Family.
Since 2013 she has been in a relationship with Snow Patrol front man Johnny McDaid, 46.
David Arquette (Deputy Dewey Riley)
David, 51, melted hearts as the hapless detective who tries his best to uncover the identity of the crazed killer.
Before starring in the original movie he had popped up in 1992’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer as well as numerous sitcom appearances.
Sadly his character was killed off in 2022’s reboot after years of avoiding the killer’s wrath.
Hapless: David, 51, melted hearts as the hapless detective who tries his best to uncover the identity of the crazed killer
Hapless: Before starring in the original movie he had popped up in 1992’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie as well as numerous sitcom appearances (pictured with co-star Neve Campbell)
Heartbreak: Sadly his character was killed off in 2022’s reboot after years of avoiding the killer’s wrath (Pictured with Courteney Cox)
What?! Since Scream David has wed Christine McLarty, with whom he shares two sons, and turned his attention to wrestling, admitting that he was happy to ‘put his life on the line’ every time he enters the ring
He recently admitted his sadness at being unable to take on his famous role once more.
He told Comic Book Movie: ‘I know, it was really sweet to see the reaction of the fans. It was hard. It was a project I really loved being part of. They went off to do number six and I was like, ‘Oh, okay… It’s hard. It’s something that’s really close to my heart, but I love how they handled it’.
Since Scream David has wed Christine McLarty, with whom he shares two sons, and turned his attention to wrestling, admitting that he was happy to ‘put his life on the line’ every time he enters the ring.
And in an exclusive 2019 interview with DailyMailTV, Arquette said he will not give up wrestling despite coming close to death after sustaining a neck cut during a fight the previous year.
He also revealed he has been in the hospital more as a Bar Wrestling fighter than in his entire life.
Drew Barrymore (Casey Becker)
First victim: Drew Barrymore, 49, became the first victim in the 1996 original’s iconic opening scene
Surprise! She revealed she actually fought to play a smaller role in the film in order to defy audience expectations, despite being offered the lead
Beginnings: Having found fame at the age-of-eight in E.T. she went on to suffer from addiction before hitting it big again in Hollywood
Angels! The stunner went on to form her own production company and star in a whole host of hits including Charlie’s Angels and The Wedding Singer (pictured in Charlie’s Angels with Lucy Liu (left) and Cameron Diaz (centre)
TV royalty: Since 2020 she has hosted her own highly successful chat show on American television
Drew Barrymore, 49, became the first victim in the 1996 original’s iconic opening scene.
She revealed she actually fought to play a smaller role in the film in order to defy audience expectations, despite being offered the lead.
In an interview with First We Feast’s Hot Ones she said: ‘In the horror film genre, my biggest pet peeve was that I always knew the main character was always going to be slugging through at the end, but was going to creak by and make it,’.
‘What I wanted to do is to take that comfort zone away. I asked if I could be Casey Becker so that we would establish that rule does not apply in this film,’
Having found fame at the age-of-six in E.T. she went on to suffer from addiction before hitting it big again in Hollywood.
The stunner formed her own production company Flower Films and starred in a whole host of hits including Charlie’s Angels and The Wedding Singer.
Since 2020 she has hosted her own highly successful chat show on American television.
Rose McGowan (Tatum Riley)
Slasher: Actress Rose, 49, played Sidney’s best friend Tatum who died in a very gruesome fashion and appeared only in the original
Making a name: Following Rose’s (left) career making turn in the flick she went on to star in numerous 90s movies including Jawbreaker before being cast in fantasy drama Charmed in 2001
Speaking out: In 2017 she accused now disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein sparking an avalanche of allegations in the entertainment industry and beyond
Actress Rose, 49, played Sidney’s best friend Tatum who died in a very gruesome fashion and appeared only in the original.
Following her career making turn in the flick she went on to star in numerous 90s movies including Jawbreaker before being cast in fantasy drama Charmed in 2001.
In 2017 she accused now disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault sparking an avalanche of allegations in the entertainment industry and beyond.
As a face of the #MeToo movement she has gone on to write books and fight for sexual abusers to be held responsible for their actions.
Matthew Lillard (Stu Macher)
Killer actor: Mathew, 53, played Stu Macher in the first flick and even made a cameo in Scream 4 (despite his character’s violent death)
Family friendly: He rode on a high following the movie’s success and opted for more family friendly fare, starring as Shaggy in 2002’s Scooby-Doo as well as it’s sequels
Working hard: The talented actor has more recently starred in Netflix’s She’s All That Reboot as well as HBO’s Twin Peaks
Mathew, 53, played Stu Macher in the first flick and even made a cameo in Scream 4 (despite his character’s violent death).
He rode on a high following the movie’s success and opted for more family friendly fare, starring as Shaggy in 2002’s Scooby-Doo as well as it’s sequels.
The talented actor has more recently starred in Netflix’s She’s All That Reboot as well as HBO’s Twin Peaks.
He shares daughters Addison and Macey and son Liam with wife Heather Helm who he married in 2000.
Skeet Ulrich (Billy Loomis)
Stu’s accomplice – and also Sidney’s boyfriend – came in the form of Billy played by Skeet Ulrich, 53.
Baddie: Stu’s accomplice – and also Sidney’s boyfriend – came in the form of Billy played by Skeet Ulrich, 53
Watch out! Making a name for himself in television Skeet led the cast of apocalypse series Jericho from 2006 – 2008
Reunited: (L-R) Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy and Neve Campbell (pictured together in 2022)
Making a name for himself in television Skeet led the cast of apocalypse series Jericho from 2006 – 2008.
Next he starred in Netflix’s smash hit series Riverdale as Jughead’s father FP Jones for four years until 2021.
He turned up in Scream 2022 reboot via flashback and it’s unclear if he will do the upcoming film.
Liev Schreiber (Cotton Weary)
Talented actor Liev, 55, has gone on to win an Emmy and Tony Award after playing Cotton Weary in three Scream films.
Bigger and better things: Talented actor Liev, 55, has gone on to win an Emmy and Tony Award after playing Cotton Weary in three Scream films (left pictured in 2022)
Big guns: As well as starring as Ray Donovan (pictured) in the self titled series, he also appeared in Don’t Look Up, The French Dispatch and Spotlight
Love: He is now in a relationship with former pageant princess Taylor Neisen, 30 (pictured) after a long term relationship with Oscar-nominated actress Naomi Watts, 54 – with whom he shares two sons
The character met his end in the third flick with Liev going on to star in a whole host of critically acclaimed movies.
As well as starring as Ray Donovan in the self titled series, he also appeared in Don’t Look Up, The French Dispatch and Spotlight.
He is now in a relationship with former pageant princess Taylor Neisen, 30, after after Oscar-nominated actress Naomi Watts, 54 – with whom he shares two sons.
Jamie Kennedy (Randy Meeks)
Sketch comedian Jamie, 52, brought a lighter side to the franchise in the form of horror movie enthusiast Randy.
Comedian: Sketch comedian Jamie, 52, brought a lighter side to the franchise in the form of horror movie enthusiast Randy (left, pictured in 2023)
Exit: The character was instrumental in satirising the genre before sadly being killed off in the sequel
Red carpet: He has not much such a splash in his film work in recent years but continues to tour and host his own podcast (pictured in 2019)
The character was instrumental in satirising the genre before sadly being killed off in the sequel.
He went on to star in numerous movie comedies and work as a sand-up before being cast in Ghost Whisperer and dating it’s star Jennifer Love-Hewitt for a year in 2018.
He has not made such a splash in his film work in recent years but continues to tour and host his own podcast.
Scream IV is in cinemas March 10
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