Saturday, January 21, 2023

Hello Gale....Goodbye Courtney?

 

https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/scream-6-trailer-gale-weathers-death.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5   

Hello Gale....Goodbye Courtney? 

A full trailer has been revealed for the upcoming SCREAVI movie .But what does it mean for the fate of our favorite reporter?

In it, we see scenes of Gale as she receives the traditional taunting phone call from the killer and then gets attacked by a Ghostface in what is presumably her apartment.And for all impressions ,she looks like she is in serious danger.

For viewers of the SCREAM series this is a significant moment as it is the first time that Gale has received a distracting call from a killer.(She came close in Part 2 ,but Randy took the phone away from her along with her meet cute with Mother Death and suffered the consequences)

It may just be the editing of the trailer,but this feels like a two Ghostface attack. One on the phone, the other in the apartment waiting to strike. As we see GF attack the other unknown person in the apartment while Gale is listening to THE VOICE on the phone.

Killing Gale Weathers? 

While it would be sad to lose another classic character.And one of the last direct connection to the original movie/storyline, since Neve Campbell is respectfully out until they offer to pay her the well earned paycheck. It could effectively kill off any reason to bring Sidney back. Since she wouldn't have anyone from the original with for her to have a connection. Gale would be someone who could call Sidney.Draw her into the story.Sidney doesn't have time for that crap from a stranger.

The scenes inclusion in the trailer could be playing off the expectation of events thanks to Scream V.Dewey's death is still fresh in viewers minds.Could Gale really be the next to go? Trailers too often give away a lot. But Scream movies are about the mystery.Who is the killer?Even,who might get killed?The dramatic moment seen in this trailer is sure to build anticipation for the release of the movie while generating online buzz and conversations among the fanbase.

But is it a ruse?
Edited to make us think the worst will happen?
I seem to recall David Arquette doing a lot of press for Scream V.And now knowing his fate it explains why. His last hurrah in the world of Scream. If we see Courtney Cox doing a lot of interviews before the movie and the week of its release. I will fear the worst.

If the the idea is to remove the legacy characters to make room for the next wave then hopefully they at least take advantage of the anticipation of the death of Gale by introducing someone who is also into investigating.Someone nosy but useful to propel the story. Perhaps Kirby?

Where does this Gale scene take place? 

One of my first possible impressions are that it is the opening kill scene.
But no,Gale somehow survives. The opening kill....is Gale killing Ghostface.But she understandably realizes that this one is not working alone and that more killings are going to happen.Perhaps she gets a call back from GF after she has killed the one invading her apartment."Catch you later..."

Though, if it occurs in the opening scene, the tension and fear would be limited as we already know that Gale survives. Clearly, Gale is involved in the movie proper as we see her in key scenes.Meeting Kirby with Sam and Tara.And particularly the standing in the "Shrine". Placing her there means she and the rest of the scoobys have been investigating who is trying to get their Ghost. 

Maybe,specifically,whose collecting all the items from the past. What if they tried to trick the "person" buying Woodsboro murder related items online and it leads them to this place? Like say they use something of their own as bait?(Gale's original interview tapes of Cotton Weary) Or Sam kept something from her original experience in part 5 and sold it online to help pay for school or other bills.And the receipt is a lead.

The Ghostface graffiti seen on what appears to be an alley wall kind of gives the impression that it might be painted on the outside of the building that holds the Shrine.Maybe someone is planning to open it in an old movie theater as a museum of true crime.And Gale became aware of its existence.The group just stumbling upon its existence in a big city would be questionable.

Gale could already be investigating the possible theft of the Ghostface killing items from the Woodsboro police storage before the movie starts.Maybe something that was taken this time belonged to Dewey.And Gale gets a call letting her know.Spurring her own investigation.

What if something from her apartment is discovered stolen during the opening attack that belonged to Dewey?And it shows up in the Shrine.Letting her know this place isn't a red herring.There is connection to this movies killer(s)

But she more likely was following a lead after hearing about the theft of the historic evidence.Worried that another attack was in the making.Trying to figure out who is responsible.That it's not just sick "STAB" fans trying to collect the ultimate "movie" prop

The mood in the attack scene feels relaxed until GF appears.Fire is in the fireplace.Gale has a guest who himself doesn't seem readily involved in some action other than coming into the room as if returning from the restroom.She is not in the middle of some obvious moment when the call comes.(Sorting through notes.Mid killer conjecture conversation.) She's just in this home.Screen time is valuable. So if this scene were to take place somewhere in the middle of the movie, it could be a pace killer.They would have to introduce who the man is,why he is there.Then give him reason to leave the room.Watching a scene of Gale just hanging out at home would feel off for her character in the middle of a potential new story for her to cover.Unless she really has changed,decided to stop reporting on these types of murders and would rather be focused on her book about Dewey.(Hope we get a moment where she turns to a memory of Dewey when looking for courage to face the killer) 

Once the killings start in these movies,there has to be a move forward from victim to clue to killer....not a... "Announcer voice : And now we join Gale relaxing in her apartment after a busy day of hunting a psycho...".

This movie takes place in New York,not a small town,or college campus, so the suspects are numerous.Will once again the killer(s) be someone our circle of characters already know? Or will that be one of the new rules:"I'm something different" 

Regardless,there will need to be a some serious time spent investigating what clues exist to pinpoint who the killer may be before the big reveal.Downtime is not an option

So my first impression is ,it's the opener. Setting a serious tone with an important character to the series being put in danger with an attempted kill. This killer is starting with a iconic bang.Someone whose death would grab media attention. No random person murdered in New York.

Yet also in this new rules environment, the killer is the one who is killed in the opening.Setting up a possible pattern of multiple Ghostface deaths throughout the movie.But,just when you think it's safe to answer the phone....

The existence of a Woodsboro Murder shrine just makes me think there are more than two killers this turn.I have a feeling we are dealing with a Cult of Ghostface this time.And to be welcomed into the fold they have to each make a kill in the tradition of the series.Bonus points if it's a survivor from a previous occurrence. 

Since this movie gives the impression that it takes place around Halloween, as we see a subway full of people in familiar horror movie costumes, it would be a perfect set up time to learn that there were multiple Ghostface killings occurring off screen by other cult members who killed under the guise of dressing up for Halloween.A Ghostface Halloween panic.

I wonder if they will comment on the fact that a series of random people are dressing up for fun as a "real" killer in front of actual survivors of that mask?

I'm also wondering if this subway moment may be a dream of the horror movie loving character Mindy.She would be someone who would dream in iconic horror characters and also have night terrors from her traumatic experience in the last movie.

I could also see Gale's attack scene taking place as a post opening credit moment. The movie starts with the opening dramatic kill known for the series, signaling GF is back. Next scene gets us up to date with where Sam and Tara are personally in this story.Sam therapy session?Then GF calls Gale.Cue the knife.

Or...what if it happens at the very end of the movie?

Gales comment about this person being the tenth guy to try this could be a trailer mislead. For example,She gets the series count wrong.Or it's a trailer fake out ,and in the movie she says a different number.

Really crazy thought, what if the number is indicating the killers who were taken out in this movie already.What if were presented with 9 killers in this movie.Some of them just random crazies,influenced by the idea of Ghostface (Movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!).But even more sinister,some are connected to a killing Cult of Ghostface.And the previous 9 were taken out at various stages during this movie.The movie ends with the death of Gale Weathers as the blade strikes down hard for the kill

SCREAM 

Cut to black