Scream director hints that Sidney and Gale could return in sequel

However, the film also introduced a brand new generation of characters, which has left some fans wondering whether the so-called "legacy" protagonists might be bowing out for good.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Scream co-director Tyler Gillett was predictably secretive about what is planned for the upcoming sixth instalment, but teased that Sidney and Gale could well be involved in some capacity.

"We can't tell you about Scream 6, come on," he began. "Here's what I can say: one of the things that Guy [Busick] and Jamie [Vanderbilt, screenwriters] did so well in the script for [Scream] 5 – and I think it's something that we hope to just carry on regardless of where this franchise goes – is those characters are such an integral part of the world of Scream."

Gillett continued: "So whether they are there or not, they're there, right? You can't have a Scream movie without their influence, without this sense of what that legacy is. I will stop there before it gets too dangerous."

The Scream franchise is known for providing meta commentary and humour based around the tropes of the horror genre, which often means playing havoc with the viewers' expectations.

This time around, that process started early with the inclusion of a flamethrower-wielding chrome-faced Ghostface in the trailer, which we now know to have been a misdirect.

Co-director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin added: "One of our favourite things that Paramount did was put that in the trailer, not the way we use it in the movie, but just as ‘this is in the movie’.

"Full disclosure... that was basically an in-joke with us and the writers. We were like, how crazy can we make this? Let's do, like, a Chuck Norris bananas version: sleeveless Ghostface.

"To be honest, I'm still shocked that we actually got to shoot that. We shot it in, like, 10 minutes, it was a very run-and-gun, ‘let's go grab it right now’."

Scream is available to download and keep and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD now. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

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