The Wayans Brothers are back for a new ‘Scary Movie’ 24 years after their first film

30 October 2024 - 13:06
By Modiegi Mashamaite
Marlon Wayans with the familiar ghost face-style villain.
Image: Marlon Wayans/Instagram Marlon Wayans with the familiar ghost face-style villain.

Marlon Wayans confirmed he and his brothers are returning to the iconic Scary Movie franchise, much to the delight of fans.

Taking to Instagram, Wayans shared a photo of himself with the familiar ghost face-style villain, signalling the revival of the series that parodied horror classics such as Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

“We’re back. After nearly 20 years, the Wayans brothers are finally going to give fans what they’ve been asking for, a return to the Scary Movie franchise. We’re looking forward to having fun on the big screen again,” said Wayans, expressing his excitement about the project.

The reboot of Scary Movie is in the works at Miramax and Paramount with an anticipated release in 2025. The new installment marks a significant moment in the franchise's history, which began with the release of the first film in 2000.

Over the years, the Scary Movie comedies grossed more than $896m (R15.7bn) worldwide through five movies, making it one of the highest-grossing R-rated horror-comedy franchises of all time.

Jonathan Glickman, CEO of Miramax, commented on the revival: “We are thrilled to reunite Scary Movie with the Wayans brothers, the brilliant creators behind the beloved franchise. The timing is perfect to bring back the series to the big screen, and we’re lucky to have Keenen, Marlon and Shawn’s unique comedic vision bringing it to audiences around the world.”

The Wayans brothers are no strangers to the franchise, having developed the first two films, with Keenen serving as writer and director.

Marlon and Shawn also starred in the initial entries, setting a high bar for comedy in the genre. The original Scary Movie opened to $42.5m (R746m), becoming the biggest opening for an R-rated horror movie and a black director at the time.

The brothers expressed their enthusiasm for the new project: “We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the new Scary Movie and work with each other again. This is a franchise we created more than 20 years ago. We remember people laughing in the aisles and hope to see that happen again. We look forward to working with Jonathan Glickman and his team at the new Miramax to bring laughs to theatres, where they belong. It’s a double reunion.”

As fans eagerly await the new chapter in the Scary Movie saga, the return of the Wayans brothers promises to bring back the laughter and creativity that made the franchise a cultural phenomenon.