Wes Craven‘s Scream turns 30 years old this year, and including that debut installment, we’ve gotten seven entries into the big-screen series. Not only that, but we’ve also gotten three seasons of MTV’s Scream: The TV Series, so suffice it to say, everyone has their own favorite installment in the franchise.
The nature of the Ghostface franchise, though, is that while everyone has their own favorite entry, everyone also has their least favorite entry. This isn’t limited just to fans, as those involved in making the movies also have installments that they are less enthusiastic about, including composer Marco Beltrami.
Beltrami crafted the scores for the first four films in the series, along with this year’s Scream 7. His work has defined the music of the franchise, but while reflecting on the movies, he admits that he thinks Scream 4 is the most underwhelming entry.
Speaking with Deadline about his time in the franchise, when asked about the 2011 sequel, Beltrami explained, “I have to be honest. It was not a project I wanted to do. In fact, I’m not even sure Wes really wanted to do it. Like it was something that Dimension was really forcing, and I wasn’t really writing music for Wes then. It was like I was writing these cues, and they would be approved by some clown in an office in New York.”
He continued, “And even though the franchise had done really well, they had no budget for orchestral instruments. We had to do some little quick session in Eastern Europe. The whole thing was, I have to say, uninspired. I think the movie, of all the first four, is the weakest, and musically too, it’s the most uninspired. It’s a shame, but it’s the reality.”
To Beltrami’s point, Dimension announced that a Scream 4 was in development in 2008, just eight years after the trilogy seemingly concluded with Scream 3. When it was announced, no writer or director was confirmed, though Craven confirmed he would be open to a return for the right script. Scream 4 was written by original Scream writer Kevin Williamson.
While Scream 4 is the lowest-grossing film in the franchise to date, critical reactions were more positive than they were for Scream 3. Earlier this year, Scream 7 marked new highs and new lows for the series; it became the highest-grossing entry and also scored the worst reviews.
A Scream 8 is on the way, with Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman attached as writers.
What do you think of Beltrami’s opinion on Scream 4? Let us know down in the comments!
