Needless to say, the making of the Scream trilogy was a turning point for me. Its combination of critical and box office success was huge fun. It also yielded a multi-picture deal with Miramax/Dimension that led to world travel, many open doors, and even working with the likes of Meryl Streep on a very different kind of film for me, Music of the Heart. Most importantly, it challenged me and Marianne Maddalena, my longtime producer, to stretch our wings artistically and technically in ways we'd never done before. It's hard to believe now that when I was first offered the job, I said no.
But I did.
After reading the first 20 pages of Kevin Williamson's original script (then called Scary Movie), I put it down and shook my head. No. It was too raw, too terrifying. I was hoping to direct a romantic comedy or something less intense next, and I was tired of being harassed by censors. I passed.
A few weeks later I was at a film festival and a young fan happened to be talking, and he spoke earnestly of how much he enjoyed my early films Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes. As he said goodbye he turned and said one last thing: "Never stop kicking butt, sir." Those words haunted me for the next week, and suddenly something changed inside. I realized that the fact that Kevin's script had affected me so deeply was that it was before all else, one thing. It was powerful. And I knew I could really kick butt if I was to bring it to life on the screen.
I called Bob Weinstein, head of Dimension Films, who had originally offered me the film, and said I'd changed my mind. To my surprise, he laughed and said he'd not only been expecting my call but had held the picture for me. It was a green light.
I guess the rest is a little bit of genre film history.
It's been a great ride, and there were many talented and wonderful people involved in making that so. Thanks to our co-producer Cathy Konrad, writers Kevin Williamson and Ehren Kruger, editor Patrick Lussier (who recently directed his first Dimension feature film), Director of Photography Peter Deming, Production Designer Bruce Miller, composer Marco Beltrami, and to everyone else who helped make these three movies the remarkable trilogy they form. And last, thanks to you our remarkable fans, who got it, and put out the good word.
-Wes Craven, Director