‘Scream’ Creator Kevin Williamson Says He Won’t Direct ‘Scream 8’

Kevin Williamson, the writer behind the original ‘Scream’, says he has no plans to return as director or writer if the franchise continues with a potential ‘Scream 8’.

Williamson recently stepped back into the long running horror series to co-write and direct ‘Scream 7’, which hit cinemas last month and has already pulled in more than $150 million at the global box office, despite the film’s success though, the franchise creator suggests he’s ready to hand the knife over to someone else.

Speaking in an interview with Hello Sidney, Williamson was asked if working on the latest film had reignited his desire to direct another entry:

“Not Scream, no,” Williamson said with a laugh. “I want to direct another film that I had written that is just waiting for me to find the time to direct. And right now, I’m working on a couple TV shows that I’m really excited about. So maybe I’ll direct one of those — who knows? For the next Scream, I’ll probably step back and just be a part of the family again.”

Passing The Mask

Williamson has been tied to the series since the beginning, he wrote the script for Wes Craven’s 1996 original, which helped reinvent modern slasher films with its mix of horror and self aware humour, since then the franchise has grown into one of the most recognisable horror brands in cinema.

While Williamson won’t be taking charge of the next instalment, he hasn’t ruled out remaining involved behind the scenes (per Hollywood Reporter):

“I have some ideas of where it could go, but I’m anxious to see what another storyteller could do with it,” he said. “It’s nice to be part of the Scream family. That doesn’t mean I always have to be front and center.”

No Official Green Light Yet

At the moment, ‘Scream 8’ hasn’t been officially confirmed by Paramount, Williamson admitted the future of the franchise is still uncertain.

“I’m hopeful there will be an 8. No one’s really talking about it yet. We just assume, with the box office, we hope there will be one. But no one’s talking.”

The latest film sees Neve Campbell return as Sidney Prescott, who faces another Ghostface threat while trying to protect her daughter, even if Williamson steps away from directing duties, it seems the door remains open for the Scream series to continue, possibly under a new creative voice.

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