Scream 4 (2011)

Kevin Williamson

The Weinstein Company

Dimension Films

## Overview

On the fifteenth anniversary of the original Woodsboro massacre, high school students Jenny Randall and Marnie Cooper are murdered by a new Ghostface. Sidney Prescott returns to Woodsboro the next day to promote her self-help book with her publicist Rebecca Walters. After evidence is found in her rental car, Sidney becomes a suspect in the murders and must stay in town until they are solved. Sidney's cousin, Jill Roberts, who is coping with the infidelity of her ex-boyfriend, Trevor Sheldon, gets a threatening phone call from Ghostface, as does her friend and neighbor Olivia Morris. Jill and Olivia, alongside their friend Kirby Reed, are questioned about their calls by Dewey Riley, now the town's sheriff, while his deputies, Judy Hicks, Anthony Perkins and Ross Hoss assist him in the case. Meanwhile, Dewey's wife, Gale Weathers, is struggling with writer's block and decides to investigate the murders, against her husband's wishes.

Sidney stays over with Jill and her aunt Kate. That night, Olivia is killed by Ghostface as Jill and Kirby watch in horror from across the street. At the hospital, Sidney fires Rebecca after learning of her plan to exploit the murders to increase book sales, and Rebecca is subsequently murdered by Ghostface. Gale enlists the help of two high school movie fanatics, Charlie Walker and Robbie Mercer. Charlie theorizes that the killer is following the rules of horror remakes, and concludes that the killer will likely strike at a screening party for the *Stab* franchise. Gale attends the party to investigate but Ghostface attacks her, stabbing her in the shoulder. Meanwhile, Hoss and Perkins, who were assigned to guard Jill's house, are murdered. Sidney discovers that Jill has left for Kirby's before Ghostface attacks them and kills Kate.

Jill, Kirby, Charlie, Robbie, and Trevor are at Kirby's house when Ghostface kills a drunken Robbie. Sidney arrives to leave with Jill but they are both chased by Ghostface. As Sidney calls Dewey and tries to find Jill, Kirby frees Charlie, who was bound and gagged, but he immediately stabs her, revealing himself as Ghostface, before leaving her to bleed out. Sidney is confronted by Charlie but stabbed by a second Ghostface, who is revealed to be Jill, the true mastermind behind the killings. Jill explains her motive to be out of jealousy from the fame that Sidney received for surviving the original murders, and intends to frame Trevor as Ghostface. Jill kills Trevor and betrays Charlie, stabbing him to death to pin him as Trevor's accomplice and take all the fame for herself. After admitting that she is truly evil (saying "sick is the new sane"), Jill then stabs Sidney and mutilates herself to frame Trevor further. Dewey and the police arrive as Sidney and Jill are taken to the hospital.

After discovering that Sidney has survived, Jill goes to her hospital room and makes a final attempt to kill her. Dewey, Gale, and Judy intervene, having been clued in by the fact that Jill somehow knew exactly where Gale was stabbed. Jill subdues Dewey and Hicks and holds Gale at gunpoint, before Sidney briefly incapacitates her with a defibrillator and ultimately kills Jill by shooting her in the heart. Dewey calls in all police units, as reporters outside erroneously name Jill as the "sole surviving hero".

## Cast

* David Arquette as Dewey Riley, the town's sheriff and Gale's husband.
* Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, a self-help author and main target of Ghostface.
* Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, a former reporter and Dewey's wife.
* Emma Roberts as Jill Roberts, Sidney's cousin.
* Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed, Jill's best friend.
* Anthony Anderson as Anthony Perkins, a deputy.
* Adam Brody as Ross Hoss, a deputy.
* Rory Culkin as Charlie Walker, Robbie's best friend.
* Mary McDonnell as Kate Roberts, Jill's mother and Sidney's maternal aunt.
* Marley Shelton as Judy Hicks, the town's deputy sheriff and Sidney's former classmate.
* Alison Brie as Rebecca Walters, Sidney's publicist.
* Marielle Jaffe as Olivia Morris, Jill and Kirby's friend.
* Nico Tortorella as Trevor Sheldon, Jill's ex-boyfriend.
* Erik Knudsen as Robbie Mercer, Charlie's best friend.
* Anna Paquin as Rachel (character in the in-universe film *Stab 7*).
* Kristen Bell as Chloe (character in the in-universe film *Stab 7*).
* Lucy Hale as Sherrie (character in the in-universe film *Stab 6*).
* Shenae Grimes as Trudie (character in the in-universe film *Stab 6*).
* Britt Robertson as Marnie Cooper, Jenny's friend.
* Aimee Teegarden as Jenny Randall, Marnie's friend.
* Roger L. Jackson as the voice of Ghostface

## Villains

* Jill Roberts
* Charlie Walker