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‘Scream’ Filmmakers Break Down the Easter Egg Deep Cuts You Likely Missed [Spoilers]

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‘Scream’ Filmmakers Break Down the Easter Egg Deep Cuts You Likely Missed [Spoiler Interview]

Spoiler warning: This article contains Scream spoilers.

The new Scream packs extensive franchise history into a film dedicated to Wes Craven‘s memory. That history doesn’t just shape the story; it offers fans a slew of references, Scream Easter eggs, and even fun surprise cameos to track, from Skeet Ulrich to a slew of franchise alumni lending their voices in a toast.

Some of the Scream Easter eggs and references are obvious, but even the most devout and eagle-eyed viewer will have a Herculean task spotting them all. 

Bloody Disgusting chatted with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett and executive producer Chad Villella about the Scream Easter eggs, deep cut nods and other references that you likely missed, helping you prepare for your next re-watch.


A Nightmare on Elm Street Easter Eggs

Let’s start with an easy one; the ways the filmmakers pay tribute to A Nightmare on Elm Street. The opening scene at Tara Carpenter’s house bears a strong resemblance to the iconic house at 1428 Elm Street. Is this intentional?

Bettinelli-Olpin reveals, “That was just serendipitous that we saw that house, which had Elm Street written all over it. But the actual Elm Street Easter egg is that Tara says that Sidney lived on Elm in the real world of Woodsboro. Because that was in the original [1996] script; Sidney lived at 34 Elm Street, which was one of Kevin Williamson’s nods that got cut for time. So, we’ve now brought it back to life in this one. Then you see the Elm Street sign when they drive into town. That’s Sidney’s block.”

Also, keep an eye on Kyle Gallner’s character Vince. His tattoos hold specific significance. Gillett shares, “The tattoo on Vince’s knuckles is the Elm Street house. It’s 1428.”

Freddy Krueger even inspires a direct Easter egg.

Gillet explains, “At the end, when Amber (Mikey Madison) runs out all burned to a crisp, our amazing special effects makeup team designed the side of her head to look exactly like Freddy Krueger’s ear. Talk about deep, deep love and fandom; the makeup effects team was also responsible for all the tattoos on Vince. I mean, everyone did a very painstaking job with all of that.”

Special makeup effects department head and FX artist Rick Pour recently gave a closer look at the burn makeup on Instagram.


Wes Craven Horror Movie and Character Easter Eggs

One of the more obvious Easter eggs is on the theater marquee on the mantle behind Mindy Meeks at the Meeks household, including The People Under the StairsThe Last House on the Leftand The Hills Have Eyes. All three, of course, are Wes Craven movies.

scream easter eggs

Brandon Adams in ‘The People Under the Stairs’

Not so easy to spot are the character names hidden in plain sight on Sheriff Judy Hicks’ phone. Bettinelli-Olpin breaks it down, “The character names in Judy’s phones are Leroy, from The People Under the Stairs. Nancy T., who is Heather Langenkamp’s character in Elm Street. Tina G., who is Amanda Wyss’s character in Elm Street. Then B. Adams, which is Brandon Adams, who played Fool in The People Under the Stairs. We didn’t want to write Fool, so we put the actor’s name.”

The People Under the Stairs Easter eggs don’t end there either. The People Under the Stairs VHS appears in that pivotal exposition scene at the Meeks house, “behind Mindy, and it’s behind Randy. It’s also behind Mindy when she’s getting stabbed because we weren’t sure where it would get in the movie. So, it’s in two places,” Bettinelli-Olpin explains.


The Wes Craven Easter Eggs

The “For Wes” party, toast, and balloons that herald in Scream‘s third act are one overt nod to the horror master, but the filmmakers even paid tribute to Craven’s avid love of birdwatching.

Look for bird art in the foyer and behind the TV in the Macher house. But also listen for the sound of a whippoorwill bird at the end of “For Wes.” 

scream wes craven easter eggs

Wes Craven. Photo: Chris Buck/AUGUST

Bettinelli-Olpin credits this to their sound supervisor finding an older interview with Wes Craven. He explained, “He had an interview where he talked about how whippoorwills remind him of being a kid in Ohio. So, we put it over the for Wes at the end there.”

Wes Hicks (Dylan Minnette) is also a walking reference to Wes Craven. His name is the obvious spot, but pay attention to his phone number. His phone number includes 1939, Craven’s birth year.

Even everything on the YouTube page that appears in the film is an Easter Egg, right down to the subscriber number. Bettinelli-Olpin revealed its significance, “On the YouTube channel it’s 821,939, which is Craven’s birthday.” August 2, 1939.


Sidney Prescott’s Husband is a Legacy Character

Scream 3

Villella confirmed the last name of Sidney Prescott’s husband, “Mark Kincaid,” the character played by Patrick Dempsey in Scream 3!

Gillett added that we very nearly heard more about Scream 2‘s Joel (Duane Martin), “There were honestly a handful of conversations about the peripheral characters. Joel was a part of the script in a line that we ended up lifting at some point when it felt it might be too populated. We wondered if the world of this movie is now too cross-pollinated with everything else. We picked and chose a bunch, but you know, we love the offscreen story of all of these characters’ lives continuing to weave together after the fact.”


Even the Easter Eggs Have Easter Eggs!

The Dawson’s Creek footage appearing in Scream won’t surprise diehard fans who are aware of producer Kevin Williamson’s work on the series. But it is surprising how meta the featured episode gets… and how it was all pure coincidence.

“Dawson’s Creek” season 1 episode, “The Scare”

Bettlinelli-Olpin states, “In the script that was I Know What You Did Last Summer. For maybe half the edit, we had I Know What You Did Last Summer in it. There was something about it that just wasn’t quite clicking. It felt like we’ve all seen horror movies where there’s a horror movie within the movie, and it’s fun but nothing new. It became a joke that maybe we should put in Dawson’s Creek.

Then we found that episode, and we thought it was great. That’s the meta on meta. What gets really crazy is when you look at that episode, that episode has a Scream poster in it. The characters are watching I Know What You Did Last Summer, which we were literally temping in our movie. Kevin Williamson wrote it. We have the same casting director; our local casting director on our film was the casting director on that episode. It was shot at the same stages we shot at. This is all serendipity.

Gillett adds, “And that whole episode starts with a phone call, and it’s Michelle Williams walking around her house, thinking somebody is breaking in.”

Then there’s the Scream franchise alum included. Bettinelli-Olpin stays, “Scott Foley is in it. And Joshua Jackson. I think it’s what Tyler was saying about when the ideas work. They work because it’s Scream; you just embrace it. It’s so fun, and I think that’s an example of where there are Easter eggs in the Easter eggs.”


The Director Cameos

That blink and you miss it Halloween freeze-frame on the TV screen? That’s a recreation.

Gillett shares, “The rights to the frame of Halloween that the TV is paused on were unattainable; it’s just so expensive to use a still frame. So, we recreated it. That’s actually Matt.” 

Bettinelli-Olpin cracks, “I’m officially Michael Myers canon now, guys. I’m just saying.”

Look for the directors in one of the thumbnails, too, on the YouTube page, getting chased by Ghostface.

Gillett teases some extended footage of this, “We shot some fun Stab stuff that we didn’t use that I hope we’ll release on Blu-ray or Digital at some point. There’s some really hilarious Stab 8 footage outside of flamethrower Ghostface, which is just the most ridiculous joke that actually made it to production.”


Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the Scream Easter eggs, nods, and references to be mined from the new film. How many have you found?

Horror journalist, RT Top Critic, and Critics Choice Association member. Co-Host of the Bloody Disgusting Podcast. Has appeared on PBS series' Monstrum, served on the SXSW Midnighter shorts jury, and moderated horror panels for WonderCon and SeriesFest.

Exclusives

Brazil’s Fantaspoa Film Festival Announces Second Wave of Titles for Epic 20th Edition This April

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Azrael SXSW 2024
Pictured: Samara Weaving in 'Azrael'

Brazil’s Fantaspoa film festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the festival is breaking numerous records, presenting an impressive total of 114 feature films, 22 of these as World Premieres, marking the largest number of feature films in Fantaspoa’s long history.

The final selection of feature films for Fantaspoa’s highly-anticipated 20th edition has been exclusively presented to Bloody Disgusting, so read on for everything you need to know!

The festival tells us this week, “With a diverse selection, the feature films screening at Fantaspoa XX have been divided into seven distinct competitive categories: International, Ibero-American, National, Documentary, Animation, All-Nighter, and Low Budget, Great Films. These categories promise audiences a variety of cinematic experiences, from the fringes of horror and fantasy to the depths of the human imagination.

“In addition to feature films, Fantaspoa will screen 123 short films, totaling 237 participating works, making this edition of the festival the largest in its history.

“The stunning lineup of competition titles includes the International Premiere of E.L. Katz’s SXSW charmer AZRAEL and the World Premiere of The Butcher Brothers’ new Devon Sawa-starring thriller CONSUMED, and Fantaspoa is also proudly presenting a diverse selection of special screenings, including Demián Rugna’s recent Argentinian hit WHEN EVIL LURKS with the writer/director in attendance. The fest will also feature special screenings of two Argentine films, 2014’s JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS, Fantaspoa’s first original production which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and TRENQUE LAUGUEN, which was selected as the best film of 2023 by Cahiers du Cinéma.

“Fantaspoa XX will also have the honor of presenting a special screening of Robin Hardy’s classic British folk horror film THE WICKER MAN (1973) in the presence of the director’s sons, Justin and Dominic, who will be also attending the festival for the previously-announced World Premiere of their stunning new documentary, CHILDREN OF THE WICKER MAN, which offers a very unique perspective on the lasting legacy of this cinema masterpiece.

“Among the confirmed guests for the festival’s second wave of films are Alejo Rébora and Daniela Jimenez (7 Lives), Paulo Caldas (Atmosphere), Jaco Bouwer (Breathing In), Karim Lakzadeh and Arash Jooyandeh (Dark Matter), Ryan Ward and Mackenzie Leigh (Daughter of the Sun), Nando Martínez (Fantastic Golem Affairs), Mike McCutchen and JJ Weber (A Game in the Woods), Mario Mayo and Jaime Arnaiz (I’ll Crush Y’all), Roger Elarrat (I, Nirvana), Mike Hermosa (The Invisible Raptor)Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana (Jorge & Alberto Vs. The Neoliberal Demons), Benjamin Pfohl (Jupiter), Gabriel Papaléo (Liminal Space), Igor Bastos (Motherboard), Armando Fonseca (Remind), Julio Cesar Napoli (Road to the Mouth of Hell), Gonzalo López-Gallego (The Shadow of the Shark), Máncel Martínez (Shit Happens and Miracles too), Guto Parente (A Strange Path), Juliana Muras (Trenque Lauquen), Kenichi Ugana (Visitors – Complete Edition), and Demián Rugna (When Evil Lurks).

The 20th edition of Fantaspoa takes place between April 10 and 28, 2024, and is presented by the Ministry of Culture, Fantaspoa Productions, and Instituto Ling, with sponsorship from Crown Embalagens, America Embalagens, and Banrisul.”

Below is the full second wave of feature films to screen at Fantaspoa XX:

  • 7 LIVES (dir. Alejo Rébora. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • ALBERT PYUN: KING OF CULT MOVIES (dir. Lisa D’Apolito. 2023, United States, International Premiere)
  • ANNA’S FEELINGS (dir. Anna Melikyan. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ANOTHER CURSED MOVIE (dirs. Alberto Andrés Fasce and Mario Gonzalo Varela. 2023, Argentina, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ATMOSPHERE (dir. Paulo Caldas. 2023, Brazil/Germany, Regional Premiere)
  • AVIVA (dir. Boaz Yakin. 2020, United States, France)
  • AZRAEL (dir. E.L. Katz. 2024, United States/Estonia, International Premiere)
  • BA (dir. Benjamin Wong. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • BABY ASSASSINS 2 BABIES (dir. Yugo Sakamoto. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (dir. Junta Yamaguchi. 2021, Japan)
  • BREATHING IN (dir. Jaco Bouwer. 2023, South Africa, Latin American Premiere)
  • CLARICE’S DREAM (dirs. Fernando Gutierrez and Guto Bicalho. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE COMPLEX FORMS (dir. Fabio D’Orta. 2023, Italy, Latin American Premiere)
  • CONSUMED (dir. Mitchell Altieri. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • DARK MATTER (dir. Karim Lakzadeh. 2023, Iran, Latin American Premiere)
  • DAUGHTER OF THE SUN (dir. Ryan Ward. 2023, Canada, United States, Brazilian Premiere)
  • DEMIGOD: THE LEGEND BEGINS (dir. Chris Huang Wen-Chang. 2022, Taiwan, Latin American Premiere)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: KRIEMHILD’S REVENGE (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: SIEGFRIED’S DEATH (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • EIGHT EYES (dir. Austin Jennings. 2023, United States/Serbia, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ENCOUNTERS (dir. Dmitry Moiseev. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (dir. David Gregory. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FANTASTIC GOLEM AFFAIRS (dirs. Juan González and Nando Martínez. 2023, Spain/Estonia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FUNERAL (dir. Orçun Behram. 2023, Turkey, Latin American Premiere)
  • A GAME IN THE WOODS (dir. Mike McCutchen. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • THE GLASS HOUSE (dir. Taras Dron. 2023, Ukraine/Cyprus/Romania/Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE HANDS OF ORLAC (dir. Robert Wiene. 1924, Germany, Austria)
  • THE HYPERBORIAN (dir. Jesse Thomas Cook. 2023, Canada, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I’LL CRUSH Y’ALL (dir. Kike Narcea. 2023, Spain, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I, NIRVANA (dir. Roger Elarrat. 2024, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE FIGHT (dir. Rainer Sarnet. 2023, Estonia/Greece/Finland/Latvia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE RAPTOR (dir. Mike Hermosa. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS (dirs. Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana. 2014, Argentina/Brazil)
  • JUPITER (dir. Benjamin Pfohl. 2023, Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • KIM’S VIDEO (dirs. Ashley Sabin and David Redmon. 2023, United States, Regional Premiere)
  • THE LAST SPARK OF HOPE (dir. Piotr Biedroń. 2023, Poland, Latin American Premiere)
  • LIMINAL SPACE (dir. Gabriel Papaléo. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • M (dir. Vardan Tozija. 2023, North Macedonia/Croatia/France/Kosovo/Luxembourg, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MONSTER WITH MANY NOSES (dir. Abigail Schaaff. 2023, Spain/France, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MOOR (dir. Chris Cronin. 2023, United Kingdom, Brazilian Premiere)
  • MOTHERBOARD (dir. Igor Bastos. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE MUTATION PROTOCOL (dir. Marcelo Leguiza. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • THE OTHER SHAPE (dir. Diego Felipe Guzmán. 2022, Brazil/Colombia, Regional Premiere)
  • PANDEMONIUM (dir. Quarxx. 2023, France, Brazilian Premiere)
  • REMIND (dir. Armando Fonseca. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • RESTLESS WATERS, SHIVERING LIGHTS (dir. Ángeles Hernández. 2023, Spain, International Premiere)
  • ROAD TO THE MOUTH OF HELL (dir. Julio Cesar Napoli. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • SATRANIC PANIC (dir. Alice Maio Mackay. 2023. Australia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE SHADOW OF THE SHARK (dir. Gonzalo López-Gallego. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • SHIT HAPPENS AND MIRACLES TOO (Dir. Máncel Martínez. 2024, Colombia, World Premiere).
  • THE SLEEPING WOMAN (dir. Laura Alvea. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • A STRANGE PATH (dir. Guto Parente. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE TENANTS (dir. Eun-kyoung Yoon. 2023, South Korea, Latin American Premiere)
  • TRENQUE LAUQUEN (dir. Laura Citarella. 2023, Argentina, Germany)
  • VISITORS – COMPLETE EDITION (dir. Kenichi Ugana. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE WAIT (dir. F. Javier Gutierrez. 2023, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • WAKE (dirs. Thom Arizmendi and Austin Parks Stewart. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • THE WEIRD KIDZ (dir. Zach Passero. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • WHEN EVIL LURKS (dir. Demian Rugna. 2023, Argentina)
  • THE WICKER MAN (dir. Robin Hardy. 1973, United Kingdom)

Head over to the official Fantaspoa website to learn more.

Devon Sawa in ‘Consumed’

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