If you’ve seen a masked, knife-wielding murderer prowling your town, fear not…it’s all part of the marketing campaign to promote the upcoming “Shout VI,” sources familiar with the film confirmed to Variety.
In the weeks leading up to its March 10 release, the franchise’s acclaimed slasher ghost face has been spotted in various US cities, including Sonoma (the replacement for Woodsboro, the franchise’s fictional town), New Orleans and St. Louis. Given the state of the worldand those sightings of demonic clowns in 2016it is hardly surprising that the seemingly random presence of a costumed killer has reportedly prompted calls to 911 disturbed passers-by.
Paramount Pictures declined to comment.
However, Ghostface’s official Twitter account joined in the fun, replying “I was just minding my business” and “I’m looking at you” to the chilling webcam photos that captured his travels across the country.
Paramount pulled off a similar stunt with “Smile,” creating an immersive viral marketing campaign to promote the psychological horror flick. Prior to its theatrical release, the studio hired actors to sit behind home plate while flashing unsettling smiles during televised MLB games. “Smile” became a surprise box office hit, earning over $200 million worldwide.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directed “Scream VI” from a script by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. It’s the first chapter in the long-running slasher series without its protagonist Sidney Prescott because actor Neve Campbell left the film. on a salary dispute.
Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere and Courteney Cox star in “Scream VI,” which follows the perpetually targeted residents of New York’s Woodsboro, where they are hunted by a new Ghostface killer.
Wes Craven created the genre-blending franchise nearly 30 years ago and directed its first four episodes, “Scream” in 1996, “Scream 2” in 1997, “Scream 3” in 2000 and “Scream 4” in 2011. Paramount and Spyglass rebooted the property with 2022’s “Scream” (which inexplicably dropped the Roman numeral). The R-rated thriller was a box office smash with nearly $140 million worldwide.