Scream 6 directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett revealed why Ghostface wields a gun in the newest installment of the horror franchise.
Ghostface has been a prominent face in modern horror since Scream was released in December 1996. The white mask, creepy modulated voice, and black robes have been staples of the villain's look, no matter who's behind the mask. Just as iconic as the mask is the Ghostface's weapon of choice - an eight-inch hunting knife. While most of the killers who used the Ghostface disguise used or handled a gun in their respective films, Ghostface had never been seen wielding a gun until the Scream 6 trailer was released. This footage garnered immediate responses from audiences - both positive and negative.
In their interview with SFX Magazine, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett shed some light on the decision to have Ghostface use a gun. "We don't want it to be safe," they said, defending the controversial move. "We don't want it to be boring. We want it to be fun and to raise eyebrows.” While guns aren't unheard of in the Scream series - one of the more violent franchises in its genre - the timing of the first four films' releases meant they had to be careful with how they portrayed gun use. For example, Scream 3 was released on February 4th, 2000, just months after the Columbine school shooting. The filmmakers had to consider the tragedy when releasing the movie, which came on top of the battle with the MPAA over the violence and gore that filled the films.
The Scream 6 directors also clarified how this decision changes how Ghostface interacts with the protagonists. In previous installments, Ghostface has walked the line between threatening and farcical. Ghostface was often outwitted by the protagonists and sometimes even thwarted by the very costume that instills fear into the victims. This time around, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett wanted to change that up. "...for this to be scary and to achieve a level of visceral tension, we wanted to put the character more in the real world. If Ghostface is trying to get through a door, it's going to happen! There's no giving up. When he's in pursuit, the pursuit doesn't end until he's achieved his goal."
By all accounts, it sounds like whoever is behind the Ghostface mask this time is not taking prisoners and is not keen on leaving any victims alive. This means the protagonists must work harder to escape - and some might not make it to the end credits. While the main cast features characters introduced in the 2022 Scream - like Jenna Ortega's Tara Carpenter and Melissa Barrera's Sam Carpenter - Hayden Panettiere will reprise the role of Kirby Reed from Scream 4. Furthermore, Courtney Cox will return as Gale Weathers, the journalist who has survived Ghostface's attacks since the first installment in the franchise.
Now that Ghostface is armed with a gun, it's possible that Tara or Sam could fall victim to the killer. There is also the likelihood that Kirby Reed or even Gale Weathers could finally join the ranks of Ghostface's victims. Exactly what fate these characters will meet is still uncertain, but Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are suggesting anyone is fair game.
Scream 6 will be released in theaters on March 10th, 2023.
Source: SFX Magazine (via Collider)