Scream: Who are the newbies?
Ghostface is back, and a group of new faces are on the Scream chopping block
Twenty-five years after a series of brutal, bloody murders painted the peaceful town of Woodsboro red, Ghostface is back… and so are the legacy cast members. Returning to their iconic roles in Scream, the fifth film in the horrifying franchise, Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott), Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers) and David Arquette (Dewey Riley) are ready to face another killer to protect a group of terrorised teenagers.
The new, young cast aren’t detached from the town’s shocking past. As newcomer Melissa Barrera explains in a Scream featurette, “Each new character is tied to a legacy character.”
Before you race into cinemas on January 13 to discover the identity of the murderous Ghostface (everyone’s a suspect!), you need to know how each of the fresh faces are connected to the beloved OGs. Remember, it’s always someone you know.
Meet the new blood of Scream, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, below.
Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter
Samantha Carpenter (Melissa Barrera)
After Sam is targeted by Ghostface, she seeks out Dewey for help. But Sam might not be as innocent as she seems – she is harbouring a deep, dark secret that took her away from Woodsboro, and Ghostface knows what it is!
Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter
Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega)
Tara’s older sister Sam left town, and her, five years ago. But as screenwriter Guy Busick notes, “When Tara is attacked by Ghostface, it becomes the catalyst to bring Samantha back to town.” If Tara is the woman behind the mask (talk about a twist!), Sam should watch her back. There is nothing more dangerous than a sister’s wrath.
Dylan Minnette as Wes Hicks
Wes Hicks (Dylan Minnette)
As the cautious son of Officer Judy Hicks (Marley Shelton) – who appeared as a deputy sheriff in Scream 4 – is Wes trying to protect Woodsboro like his mother, or has he chosen the path of evil? Morality isn’t genetic, after all.
Jasmin Savoy Brown is Mindy Meeks-Martin
Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown)
Mindy is queer, which is important to note after Kevin Williamson, screenwriter of the 1996 Scream, revealed “gay survival” is what inspired the franchise in the first place. She is the daughter of Martha Meeks (Heather Matarazzo) and niece of Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy). Sidney suffered greatly over the loss of her beloved friend and horror trope expert Randy, so what a stab in the heart it would be to discover that his niece took on the mask of their enemy.
Mason Gooding is Chad Meeks-Martin
Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding)
Instead of Mindy flipping the script on the Meeks’ lineage, perhaps it’s her twin brother Chad? Although it does seem unlikely after watching him being violently pursued by Ghostface in the trailer. We know one thing for sure: blood is thicker than water. Whichever side the twins take, it’s a fair bet they’ll be sticking together.
Sonia Ammar is Liv McKenzie
Liv McKenzie (Sonia Ammar)
Does McKenzie ring a bell? It should. The family were the neighbours of Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) in the original Scream. As Chad’s girlfriend, the two could combine their family’s knowledge of Ghostface to create a plan to stop the killer… if they aren’t already the killers!
Mikey Madison is Amber Freeman
Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison)
Amber and Tara are the best of friends. Naturally, whomever Tara hates, Amber hates, too. Could a murderous alliance sprout from this friendship? One that leads the two of them to seek revenge for Sam’s previous abandonment? That would make for a reasonable motive, if a little petty.
Jack Quaid is Richie Kirsh
Richie Kirsh (Jack Quaid)
Richie is Sam’s boyfriend, with the two working together at a bowling alley. Whether he is a brother, son or acquaintance of a legacy character, one thing’s for sure, everyone has a secret. Although he says he’d do anything for Sam, does Richie have a streak – strike! – of evil?
Kyle Gallner is Vince Schneider
Vince Schneider (Kyle Gallner)
It’s unclear how Vince links to the original cast, but he is Liv’s ex-hook-up. If Chad, Liv’s current boyfriend, is one of the first to be killed or determinedly targeted, jealousy could be Ghostface’s driving force. Which would make Vince a liable suspect.
Now that you’re all caught up, who do you think has donned the mask? Head over to our Instagram and Facebook page to comment with your best guess.
