Los Angeles, CA   |   August 17, 2020

'Scream': 'Vida' & 'In The Heights' Star Melissa Barrera Set For Key Role In Spyglass & Paramount Slasher Movie Relaunch


In The Heights and Vida star Melissa Barrera has booked a key role in Scream 5, we can reveal, becoming the first new cast member to be announced for the anticipated Spyglass Media and Paramount relaunch.

 

As we revealed last week, Friends alum and legacy cast member Courteney Cox will be reprising her role in the franchise as dogged reporter Gale Weathers alongside David Arquette who is coming back as Dewey Riley. Neve Campbell, who portrayed Sidney Prescott in the slasher pic, told press in May that she was in talks to join the movie.

Cameras are due to roll in Wilmington, North Carolina, this fall and the project is due to wrap by year's end. Additional casting is underway on the ensemble horror.
 

Rising Mexican actress Barrera recently co-starred in Warner Brothers' movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical hit In The Heights, directed by Crazy Rich Asians filmmaker Jon M. Chu. That film is due for release next year. The actress and singer plays Lyn in STARZ's well received drama series Vida, which just wrapped its third and final season, and this fall she will star as the title character in movie Carmen, the modern-day reimagining of the classic opera. The movie will mark the feature debut of Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied and will feature music from composer Nicholas Britell (Moonlight) and Grammy winner Julieta Venegas.

Scream 5 is being directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of the filmmaking group Radio Silence (Ready or Not, V/H/S) from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt (Murder Mystery, Amazing Spider-Man) and Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Castle Rock).

Creator Kevin Williamson and the third member of the Radio Silence trio, Chad Villella, are executive producing with Project X Entertainment's Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein and William Sherak serving as producers.

The Scream franchise, through four movies that began in 1996, has grossed more than $600M at the global box office. The late Wes Craven directed all four movies. Williamson wrote the original film as well as Scream 2 and Scream 4.

Spyglass launched last year as a partnership between Gary Barber and Lantern Entertainment, which acquired the TWC assets and library. The company has strategic investment backing from Warner Bros, Italy's Eagle Pictures, and major cinema chain Cineworld Group.
 

Barrera is repped by WME, Bridge Works Entertainment and Wolf Kasteler PR.

June 14, 2023

Giancarlo Esposito Joins Radio Silence's Secret Monster Movie At Universal

Giancarlo Esposito has joined the cast of in Radio Silence's untitled monster thriller at Universal. He joins Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, Kevin Durand, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud and Will Catlett.

May 12, 2023

Radio Silence Universal Monster Thriller Adds Angus Cloud, Kathryn Newton & Will Catlett; Sets Spring 2024 Release

Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud, and Will Catlett have been set for Universal Pictures' untitled monster thriller from Radio Silence. The pic has been set for an April 19, 2024 release.

March 14, 2023

What 'Scream VI' Producers Project X Believe Helped The Sequel Slay At The Box Office

If anyone still needed proof that the revival of the iconic Scream franchise was a great idea that audiences wanted, they should look at the sixth film's opening weekend box office.

 Scream VI grossed $44.5 million between Thursday's previews and Sunday night, a new high for the franchise and almost $15 million more than the previous film's January 2022 debut. An opening weekend box office result like that is more important now than ever.

February 17, 2023

Project X and Titmouse prep a book-based adaptation

EXCLUSIVE: The partners are developing an animated TV concept based on The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete.

February 8, 2023

'The Night Agent' Gets Netflix Premiere Date & First-Look Images

Netflix has set a March 23 premiere date for action thriller The Night Agent and released a slew of first-look images. See them below and watch a teaser above.