In this Scream special, we get to the guts of the iconic horror franchise’s latest instalment – from its feminist chops to its send-up of toxic fan culture. With plenty of the wry riffs on horror tropes we’ve come to expect from the series, Scream sees much-loved mainstay characters join forces with new blood to take down the Ghostface killer. This meta-slasher may be playful, but it takes representation refreshingly seriously.
Our host Anna Smith chats to Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays Scream newcomer Mindy Meeks-Martin. The Californian star gives us her take on the film’s understated but powerful push for diversity onscreen – and reveals the representational moment that made queer fans cheer.
Plus, we hear details of Scream’s South-Carolina shoot during the political turmoil of the 2020 US Election, and how collaboration and female friendship helped the rising star to deliver her best onscreen and off.
Next, one of our own ‘heritage characters’, podcast regular and horror expert Clarisse Loughrey, teams up with first time guest Ada Enechi – Scream fan and senior producer at Buzzfeed. Our two guest critics join Anna to dive deep into the film’s genre-savvy thrills and bloody spills – and tell us why it could be the perfect gateway movie for the horror-hesitant.