Scream reboot to premiere on Channel 4

Scream to premiere on Channel 4 on 10 February at 9.20pm

The franchise that made meta-comedy horror its own returns for another stab at your nerves. It’s got Neve Campbell. It’s got Courteney Cox. It’s got Courteney Cox’s ex-husband, David Arquette. It’s got Ghostface, of course. But it hasn’t got legendary horror director Wes Craven because he died in 2015. Hence, the fifth Scream film can be considered a reboot… or a ‘re-quel’ as one of the characters labels Stab, Scream’s film-in-a-film alter ego. The game’s the same, but there’s lots more new blood. Ring, ring. Ring, ring. Hello?

In 1996, Drew Barrymore answered the phone back when landlines were still a thing. Now it’s Jenna Ortega’s turn to enjoy an up-front cameo as Tara Carpenter – who is utterly exasperated to have to put her smartphone aside to find the plastic thing ringing in the corner – except, unlike Barrymore, she survives. This leads her estranged sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) to return to Woodsboro – scene of the original murders – with boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid) in tow. Put them together with Tara’s tight group of friends and there’s enouh to keep Ghostface occupied for a couple of hours.

But of course, the new kids will need help from legacy characters. So Sam seeks out Deputy Dewey (Arquette) who in turn gets the band back together by contacting Sid (Campbell) and Gale off the telly (Cox). But who’s wielding the knife this time? And why on earth does he… or she… wear such capacious clothing? Leave a message after the tone, GF.

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