Scream 2 (Exclusive) (Peacock)

Initial release date: December 12, 1997

Studios: Dimension Films/Miramax

Tagline: Someone has taken their love of sequels one step too far.

Plot: When two college students are murdered at a sneak preview of ‘Stab,’ a movie based on the events from Woodsboro, it’s clear a copycat is on the loose. Sidney and Gail, as well as fellow survivors Dewey and Randy, have to find out who is behind this new murder spree, before they all end up dead.

Cast

Neve Campbell - Sidney Prescott

Courteney Cox - Gale Weathers

Jamie Kennedy - Randy Meeks

David Arquette - Dewey Riley

Jada Pinkett Smith - Maureen

Omar Epps - Phil

Elise Neal - Hallie

Liev Schreiber - Cotton Weary

Sarah Michelle Gellar - Cici

Timothy Olyphant - Mickey

Jerry O’Connell - Derek

Duane Martin - Joel

Laurie Metcalf - Debbie Salt

Lewis Arquette - Chief Hartley

Writer: Kevin Williamson

Director: Wes Craven

Rated R for language and strong bloody violence (120 minutes)

With the new ‘Scream’ now playing at the Dietrich, I’m taking another look at the previous entries of the franchise. A few days ago, I gave another look at the first movie and it still holds up. Still scary. Still funny with all the meta humor that it offered. And, now, it was time to give the series’ first sequel, ‘Scream 2,’ another look.

‘Scream 2’ does a great job with keeping the viewing audience entertained and the thrills going. One thing that this sequel did that helped the movie was taking the action out of the Woodsboro setting. And it shows that no matter where the Woodsboro survivors go, they may never be safe.

Just like the first movie, there is a good amount of meta humor and there are slightly more thrills than the 1996 movie. This movie, which was rushed into production and released almost a year after the first movie, still holds up and does not seem like a movie that was quickly rushed to get completed.

The 1997 sequel’s killer reveal was really cool and was even changed during production due to numerous script leaks.

So, make sure to check out ‘Scream 2’ that is currently on Peacock (as long as you have the Premium package - which is just five bucks).

Here are a few interesting tidbits about ‘Scream 2’:

• One scene in Williamson’s screenplay was described simply as “Wes Craven will make it scary.”

• The cast weren’t informed of the killer’s identity until the last day of principal photography. Also, the cast didn’t receive the last ten pages of the shooting script until it was time to film the scenes contained therein. Furthermore, the last ten pages of the shooting script were printed on gray paper in order to deter illicit duplication of them. All cast members were required to sign confidentiality clauses as part of their respective contracts that precluded them from discussing the outcome of the story and the killer’s identity.

• Earned one-third of its total gross of $101.3 million in its opening weekend.

• Various titles were considered for the sequel at different points in the movie’s production, including Scream Again, Scream Louder and Scream: The Sequel.

• ‘Scream 2’ opened on December 12, 1997, a little less than a year later after the release of the first ‘Scream.