Scream 2 (1997)

Scream 2 is a 1997 American slasher film created and written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy and Liev Schreiber, released on December 12, 1997 as the second installment in the Scream film series. Scream 2 takes place two years after Scream and again follows the character of Sidney Prescott (Campbell), now a student at the fictional Windsor College, who becomes the target of a copycat killer using the guise of Ghostface. Sidney is accompanied by film-geek Randy Meeks (Kennedy), retired deputy sheriff Dewey Riley (Arquette) and news reporter Gale Weathers (Cox). Like its predecessor, Scream 2 combines the violence of the slasher genre with elements of comedy and "whodunit" mystery while satirizing the cliché of film sequels. The film was followed by two sequels, Scream 3 (2000) and Scream 4 (2011). Williamson provided a five-page outline for a sequel to Scream when auctioning his original script, hoping to entice bidders with the potential of buying a franchise. Following a successful test screening of Scream and the film's financial and critical success, Dimension Films moved forward with the sequel while Scream was still in theaters, with the principal cast all returning to star, Craven to direct and Beltrami to provide music. The film suffered significant issues with plot information leaking onto the Internet, revealing the identity of the killers. Combined with the film's rushed schedule, the script was rewritten often with pages sometimes being completed on the day of filming. Despite these issues, Scream 2 was released to significant financial and critical acclaim, earning $172 million, several awards and nominations with some critics claiming that the film had surpassed the original. Beltrami received positive critical reception to his Scream 2 score for evolving the musical themes of the characters created in Scream although some critics claimed that the most memorable pieces from the film were created by composers Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, whose pieces were controversially used in the film, replacing Beltrami's own work. The soundtrack received negative feedback from reviewers but achieved moderate sales success, reaching #50 on the Billboard 200.

While attending a preview of the film "Stab", a film within a film based on the Woodsboro murders depicted in Scream, college student Phil Stevens (Omar Epps) is stabbed and killed by Ghostface. Amongst the throngs of audience members garbed as in Ghostface's costume, Ghostface then murders Phil's girlfriend, Maureen Evans (Jada Pinkett), onlookers believing it to be a publicity stunt until she dies before them. The following day, the news media, which includes local journalist Debbie Salt (Laurie Metcalf), descends on Windsor College where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) now studies, alongside fellow Woodsboro survivor Randy (Jamie Kennedy), her boyfriend Derek (Jerry O'Connell), classmate Mickey (Timothy Olyphant), and best friend Hallie (Elise Neal). Other two Woodsboro survivors arrive: officer Dewey Riley (David Arquette) to help Sidney, and reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) to cover the case and make Sidney talk to Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) - who is attempting to gain fame from his exoneration for the murder of Sidney's mother. Ghostface murders fellow student Cici (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and again targets Sidney and her friends, murdering Randy, two police officers, and Hallie and seemingly Dewey. Sidney finds Derek bound to a stage prop and is confronted by Ghostface who reveals himself as Mickey and shoots Derek dead. Mickey details his plan to be caught and become famous in the ensuing trial before announcing his accomplice as Salt, who is actually the mother of Billy Loomis, and seeking revenge for her son's death. Mrs. Loomis betrays Mickey and shoots him, having indulged his plan but really planning to disappear without trace after the murders. Sidney and Mrs. Loomis fight until Cotton intervenes and shoots Mrs. Loomis. As they wait to see if Mrs. Loomis is still alive, Mickey leaps to his feet and is shot to death by Sidney and Weathers. While police arrive, Gale finds Dewey to be injured but alive and accompanies him to the hospital while Sidney instructs the press to direct questions to Cotton, rewarding him with the fame he has been chasing while removing the attention from herself.