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[Interview] We Chat With the Killer of “Scream” Season 2!

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Scream Season 2 Review

If you caught tonight’s season (or possibly series) finale of MTV’s Scream, then you now know that the person who has been tormenting our attractive cast of teenagers all season was none other than Kieran Wilcox (Amadeus Serafini), who has been dating lead character Emma Duval for the past two seasons. Bloody Disgusting had a chance to chat with Serafini* about Kieran’s major revelation, potential plot threads for season three and the rumored Halloween special.

One thing viewers may not realize about television production is that the actors are usually only given a few episodes to learn about major plot twists in the shows they star in. For example, Amelia Rose Blair (Piper) didn’t find out she was the killer until the last day of shooting episode 6 of the 10-episode first season. Serafini was given significantly less time. “I didn’t find out I was the killer until about a week or two before shooting the finale,” he said.  “It was before our table read for the episode that I was told I was the killer and then everyone else in the cast found out at the table read.” This of course means that it was never Serafini in the Brandon James mask. “It was the stunt guy.” he said. “It wasn’t me!”

This is an interesting conundrum that the people behind the show put themselves in. On one hand, do they tell the actor ahead of time and risk said actor integrating some killer traits into their performance? Or do they hide the fact from the actor until the 11th hour to maintain an air of mystery. There are pros and cons to both options. As many viewers know, Kieran’s identity as the killer wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret (check out these photos that were released in the days leading up to the finale), so leaving the actor out of the loop may have been all for naught.

Serafini and the rest of the cast didn’t seem to know what to think. “Honestly I didn’t know who Piper’s accomplice might be,” Serafini said. “We all went over it so many times. There were so many different iterations and script changes. As actors we had a lot of different versions bumping around in our brains, but nothing that truly implicated anyone specifically. Eli and Stavo seemed suspect, but they were being made creepy in an exaggerated way.” He is right in that regard. Scream tried so hard to make you think Stavo was the killer that it would have been incredibly underwhelming had he been revealed to be the killer. Some may say the same thing about Kieran’s reveal, but I maintain that Scream did such a good job at making everyone look like a suspect that the phrase “It was so obvious” would have been tossed around no matter which character turned out to be the killer. Hell, people even thought that the series was going to pull a High Tension and make Emma the killer!

Scream Season 2 Finale Killer

Spoilers much?

You may recall that Kieran was one of the prime suspects in the first season of the show, at least until Piper was unmasked. Many fans (myself included) did think that Kieran was the killer. “I thought I might have been too,” Serafini said. “And then it was Piper and I just assumed that I was doomed after that.” When asked if he thinks it was he or Piper who killed his dad, Serafini quipped, “I think Kieran did it.” Unless we get a third season with some flashbacks, it’s doubtful we’ll ever know for sure.

What sets the finale apart from the first season finale (and even the Scream films) is that the killer lives to see another day. Emma spares Kieran’s life and he gets sent to jail, where a phone call from the real (and very much alive) Brandon James is waiting for him. While a third season is not confirmed, I asked Serafini what he thought might be in store for Kieran in the potential third season. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to him. I imagine he will be locked up all season. I think Season 3 would be nice in that we may be able to see some flashbacks showing how Kieran was involved in some of the earlier murders.”

As I mentioned in my review of the episode, the finale had many homages to the Scream films. One particular line Serafini delivered is an homage to one of my personal favorites from the red-headed stepchild in the series: Scream 3. In the finale, Kieran says the following to Emma about Eli: “He was obsessed with that girl and now he’s obsessed with you!” This is, of course, a direct reference to Parker Posey’s infamous line from the second sequel. It’s a subtle nod to the film, but it gets the job done. “I’m so  glad you picked up on that,” Serafini said. “The writers have worked really hard to incorporate little homages throughout the whole season.”

I concluded the interview by bringing up the rumor that has spread like wildfire over the past week or so on public forums (seriously, I’ve gotten several Tweets and Instagram messages from fans asking about it because it’s all over Reddit). This is the rumor that there will be a two-part Halloween special airing in October.* Unfortunately, Serafini confirms that it is just a rumor. “I don’t know anything about it,” he said. “Nobody knows anything. There might be information later on, but I’m telling you that nobody knows anything.” Of course, he could be sworn to secrecy. My theory is that it is happening and will serve as a series finale for Scream, but that’s just my prediction.

*UPDATE: The Halloween special was confirmed after the finale aired last night. This interview took place on Monday. So don’t I feel silly for buying into Serafini’s lies?

What were your thoughts on the second season finale of MTV’s Scream? Did you think the season was better than the first? Or do you think the series should die a painful death? Let us know in the comments below!

A journalist for Bloody Disgusting since 2015, Trace writes film reviews and editorials, as well as co-hosts Bloody Disgusting's Horror Queers podcast, which looks at horror films through a queer lens. He has since become dedicated to amplifying queer voices in the horror community, while also injecting his own personal flair into film discourse. Trace lives in Austin, TX with his husband and their two dogs. Find him on Twitter @TracedThurman

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‘Late Night With the Devil’ – Exclusive Clip Begins the Supernatural Horror on Halloween 1977

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The upcoming Late Night With the Devil is one of the most buzzed about horror movies of the year, currently 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and earning rave reviews from both Stephen King and Kevin Smith. King raves that the film is “absolutely brilliant,” adding that he couldn’t take his eyes off it. Smith comments, “I love it. It’s Rosemary’s Baby meets Network.”

David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad) stars as the host of a late-night talk show that descends into a nightmare in the Ghostwatch and WNUF Halloween Special-inspired film.

IFC Films & Shudder will release the hotly anticipated Late Night with the Devil theatrically on March 22 before it heads to Shudder exclusively on April 19, 2024.

Begin the horror with a brand new EXCLUSIVE clip below…

David Dastmalchian stars as Jack Delroy, the charismatic host of “Night Owls,” and the film traces the ill-fated taping of a live Halloween special in 1977 plagued by a demonic presence.

The energetic and innovative feature hails from Australian writing-directing team Colin and Cameron Cairnes (100 Bloody Acres, Scare Campaign). 

The film premiered last year at SXSW. Meagan wrote in her review out of the fest, “Late Night with the Devil captures the chaotic energy of a late night show, embracing the irreverent comedy and stress of live television with a pastiche style. It’s a clever trojan horse for a surprising horror movie that goes full throttle on unhinged demonic mayhem.

“The ingenuity, the painstaking period recreation, a riveting performance by Dastmalchian, and a showstopper of a finale make for one Halloween event you won’t want to miss.”

Spooky Pictures founders Roy Lee (It, The Grudge, The Ring) and Steven Schneider (Pet Sematary, Paranormal Activity, Insidious), Derek Dauchy (“Al Kameen”) and Future Pictures’ Mat Govoni (“Lone Wolf”) and Adam White (“Lone Wolf”) and John Molloy are all producing.

Joel Anderson (Lake Mungo), Rami Yasin, and David Dastmalchian executive produce.

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