Warning: SPOILERS for Scream 2022.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s Scream, and the first four movies were all directed by the late Wes Craven. Reviving the franchise more than a decade after the last installment, Scream 2022 reverently pays homage to the first movie, perfectly mimicking one memorable scene.
Scream 2022 sees Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) return to her hometown of Woodsboro after her younger sister, Tara (Jenna Ortega), is attacked by Ghostface. The killer threatens to reveal a dark family secret, prompting Sam to confront her past with the help of beloved legacy characters. Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) return to end another reign of terror, which once again implicates Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich).
There are so many horror references in Scream 2022 that it’s impossible to notice everything in just one viewing. Talking to The Wrap, co-director Tyler Gillet revealed one of his favorite Easter Eggs is “unspottable”, but perfectly mirrors the scene from the original that it recreates. Jack Quaid plays Sam’s murderous boyfriend, Richie, and the one scene in which the actor actually wore the Ghostface costume is a subtle reference to the only time Ulrich was ever behind the mask.
The scene in question takes place at Amber’s (Mikey Madison) party, fittingly hosted in Stu Macher’s (Matthew Lillard) house. Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) is watching Stab and laughing at the actor playing her uncle, Randy. It’s an effective way to echo the original Scream, which sees Halloween as Ghostface sneaks up on him. This is recreated in incredibly meta fashion in Scream 2022. After Richie ushers everyone out of the house, Mindy continues watching Stab by herself. Just as Randy's first encounter with Ghostface plays on the TV, the killer appears behind her. Quaid actually played Ghostface in this scene, confirming that Richie stabs Mindy. According to Gillet, it’s the only time Quaid was ever in the costume, which created “symmetry” with the original, Randy's close call being the only scene where Ulrich was Ghostface.
Although not discernible in the movie, this is a particularly fun Easter egg that demonstrates the sheer amount of respect and thought that goes into making Scream 2022 Easter egg is a clever way to make an already inventive homage even better, with Quaid mimicking his predecessor effectively complementing Richie's obsession with Billy Loomis.
Whereas Randy evades Ghostface, Mindy is not so lucky and is wounded by Richie. Despite different outcomes, the scene plays as a brilliant reference to the first Stab movie that the killers adore. Quaid imitating Ulrich also adds to Scream 2022’s commentary on toxic fandom, further connecting Richie to the slasher-obsessed Billy. The movie already serves as a loving tribute to Craven, but these hidden details truly honor the director’s legacy.
