The 2000s were defined by a specific style of humor, which began with the mega-hit Scary Movie series. The first film premiered in 2000, with Keenan Ivory Wayans directing and his brothers, Marlon and Shawn Wayans, writing. Together, their absurdist parody of popular horror films took America by storm, making household names of actresses Anna Faris and Regina Hall.
The Wayans Brothers recently announced that they are rebooting Scary Movie series, alongside Miramax and Paramount. The brothers spoke with Deadline about their creative reunion, saying:
“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 these laughs to theaters, where they belong.”
The upcoming installment will be the sixth in the series, with Michael Tiddes set to direct. Tiddes has worked with the Wayans on other projects, most notably the cult classic White Chicks (2004). For their part, the Wayans Brothers will be writing the new script with co-writer Rick Alvarez, and Keenan Wayans is set as a producer.
Each of the previous five Scary Movie entries tackles a different set of horror movies, making them specific to the year they are released. For instance, Scary Movie primarily parodied Scream (1996) and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), while Scary Movie 3 (2003) lampooned The Ring (2002) and Signs (2002). Each film utilized a zany, fast-paced style of comedy that relied heavily on slapstick and offensive gross-out humor. While the films may be offensive at times, they have kept a loyal fan base of audiences and are considered the best of the parody franchises of the 2000s.
Anna Faris and Regina Hall will reprise their roles for the Scary Movie reboot
Deadline also reported that Anna Faris and Regina Hall will return to Scary Movie as Cindy and Brenda. The official announcement came after Marlon Wayans teased their return on his Instagram with a sweet throw-back photo. Faris and Hall’s joint statement to Deadline says:
We can’t wait to bring Brenda and Cindy back to life and be reunited with our great friends Keenen, Shawn and Marlon — three men we’d literally die for (in Brenda’s case, again).”
In the original series, Faris gave a breakthrough performance as the sweet but ditzy Cindy, tormented in each new installment by a host of killers, ghosts, and aliens. However, the scene-stealer of each film is Hall, who serves as Cindy’s loyal friend who notably dies in each film, only to be resurrected for the next one. It’s a relief to know that Faris and Hall are returning because their characters in the original series were integral to their charm. Their notable absence in Scary Movie 5 proved they are essential to the series’ success.
Both actresses went on to become powerhouses in the film industry. Hall went on to star in several comedies, such as Think Like a Man (2012) and Girls Trip (2017), and gave an award-winning performance in Andrew Bujalski’s Support the Girls (2018). Faris is also best known for her comedy, particularly in fan favorite The House Bunny (2008) and her starring role in the long-running sitcom Moms (2013-2021).
Hopefully, the return of Cindy and Brenda is a sign that we will see more returning faces to Scary Movie. Marlon and Shawn Wayans starred in several of the original films, and there were also notable appearances from many famous actors, including Carmen Electra, Simon Rex, Pamela Anderson, Denise Richards, David Cross, and many more. Seeing some of these actors back for more ridiculous antics in the reboot would be a treat for Scary Movie fans.
Scary Movie 6 is set to start filming in October 2025, with a planned theatrical release date of June 26, 2026.