#Scream 5 Gets In the Heights Star Melissa Barrera in Key Role

The cast for Scream 5 continues to grow. Melissa Barrera, star of Vida and the upcoming In the Heights, has signed on for the latest installment in the long-running slasher franchise. Barrera joins an ensemble that already includes returning members David Arquette, who will be back as Officer Dewey, and Courtney Cox, who is reprising her role as Gale Weathers. Barrera is the first new cast member to be confirmed for the sequel.

According to a new report, Melissa Barrera is set to play a key role in Scream 5. There is no word yet regarding her character but plot details are largely being kept under wraps for the time being. Barrera is currently known for her role as Lyn on Vida, which recently wrapped its final season. She is also set to appear in Carmen, with the movie set to arrive later this year. Barrera is part of the ensemble for In the Heights, the adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical. Originally, it was supposed to arrive this summer but was bumped to 2021 following the theater closure in the U.S.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) are set to direct the sequel, with Chad Villella executive producing. Together, they make up the filmmaking group known as Radio Silence. The previous four movies were all directed by the late Wes Craven, who co-created the franchise alongside Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original slasher flick that introduced Ghostface to the world. Williamson is also on board as an executive producer. James Vanderbilt (Murder Mystery, The Amazing Spider-Man) and Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Castle Rock) penned the screenplay. Paul Neinstein and William Sherak are also set as producers.

Spyglass Media is producing the sequel after landing the rights to the franchise last year. The big question right now is whether or not Neve Campbell, who plays Sidney Prescott in the series, will sign on the dotted line. The actress, who has appeared in all of the entries in the series to date, previously revealed that she was in talks to return. However, her deal has not been made official as of this writing. That said, with the script already in place and with plans to begin filming in the fall, it would seem hard to imagine a world in which Campbell doesn’t return.

Production is set to take place in Wilmington, North Carolina. The plan is to wrap filming before the year’s end. casting is currently underway to fill out the rest of the roles ahead of filming. Paramount Pictures has partnered for the release. They intend to release Scream 5 in theaters sometime in 2021. No specific release date has been set at this time.

Scram is one of the most successful horror franchises in history. Starting with the first entry in 1996, the movies have earned $603 million at the box office to date. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. This news was previously reported by Deadline.

Topics: Scream 5, Scream