title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Bob Weinstein approached Craven early in the planning stages, because he felt Craven's previous work in the genre that combined horror and comedy would make him the perfect person to bring Williamson's script to screen. Craven was already busy developing a remake of "The Haunting" and was considering distancing himself from the horror genre. He was growing weary of what he felt was an inherent misogyny and violence in it. Weinstein approached other directors, including Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, Danny Boyle, George A. Romero, and Sam Raimi. Williamson said they "didn't get it"; he was concerned that having read the script, many of the directors believed the film to be purely a comedy. Craven was approached again but continued to pass in spite of repeated requests. When production of "The Haunting" collapsed, Craven was freed from that commitment and found himself in need of a project. Meanwhile, Drew Barrymore had signed on to the film at her own request. When he heard an established actress wanted to be involved, Craven reasoned that "Scary Movie" might be different from other films of the genre he had previously undertaken, and he contacted Weinstein to accept the job. Craven was committed to keeping the film's title "Scary Movie".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: As the film neared completion, the Weinstein brothers changed the film's title from "Scary Movie" to "Scream". They were inspired by the Michael Jackson song of the same name. Bob Weinstein considered "Scary Movie" to be an unsuitable title as, in addition to the horror and violence, the film contained elements of satire and comedy; Weinstein wished for that to be better conveyed by the title. The change was effected so late into production that congratulatory gifts bore the original name. Williamson and Craven immediately disliked the new title, and considered it "stupid". Both later remarked that the change turned out to be positive, and that Weinstein had been wise to pick the new title. Following a screening of the film in front of a test audience and Miramax executives, Craven was offered a two-picture contract for sequels to "Scream".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Sony Pictures filed a lawsuit against Dimension Films and Miramax, claiming that the title ""Scream"" infringed on the copyright of Sony's own "Screamers" (1995), released the previous year. After the case was settled out of court—the details remain confidential—"Scream 2" producer Marianne Maddalena considered that the case was a result of other issues between the two companies and did not truly pertain to the film's moniker. Maddalena confirmed that the studio was free to use the "Scream" brand for future films.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: "Scream" was a turning point in terms of casting for the horror genre, which normally involved relatively unknown actors. The genre was considered unsuitable for bigger names as the films had lower budgets and often attained negative critical response. Drew Barrymore read the script and was interested in being involved. She approached the production team herself to request a role. Barrymore, a member of the Barrymore family of actors and granddaughter of actor John Barrymore, had become a star in her own right following her appearance in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982). The producers were quick to take advantage of her unexpected interest, and signed her to play the lead role of Sidney Prescott. Her involvement was believed to be instrumental in attracting other popular actors to the film in spite of its smaller budget, and in causing Craven to reconsider his decision to direct the film. Before filming began, Barrymore was faced with unexpected commitments that meant she would no longer be available to play the lead role. She instead played the smaller role of Casey Becker, which allowed her to remain involved and still gave the production the advantage of her stature. Killing off one of their biggest stars early in the film was considered a calculated risk, but it was believed that it would be so shocking and unexpected that audiences would then believe that any character could die. Craven had seen Neve Campbell in the television series "Party of Five" and asked her to audition for the part of Sidney. He believed she could play a character who was "innocent", but who could also realistically handle herself while dealing with the physical conflict and emotions required by the role. Campbell was initially reluctant to star in another horror film so soon after her supporting role in "The Craft" (1996). After a successful audition, Campbell accepted an offer to play Sidney. She accepted because "Scream" would be her first leading role, and because she adored the character, saying "She's a fantastic character for any kind of movie."


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: For the role of news reporter Gale Weathers, the studio wanted a recognizable actress. They auditioned Brooke Shields and Janeane Garofalo. Courteney Cox, who was starring in the sitcom "Friends" at the time, approached the production to pursue the role. She was interested in playing a "bitch" character to offset her "nice" "Friends" image. This image was the main reason why the producers initially refused to consider Cox for the part. Cox continued to lobby the studio as she felt she could believably play the character; her efforts ultimately succeeded. Rose McGowan was cast as Tatum Riley: the casting director believed she best embodied the "spunky", "cynical" yet "innocent" nature of the character. The studio felt the strong female cast of Campbell, Barrymore, Cox, and McGowan would help draw a significant female audience to the film.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Skeet Ulrich was cast in the role of Sidney's boyfriend Billy Loomis. The producers viewed him as "perfect" for the part and noted his resemblance to a young Johnny Depp who appeared in "A Nightmare on Elm Street", one of the many films referenced in "Scream". Ulrich and Campbell had worked together on "The Craft" shortly before "Scream", and believed their experience on the former film helped them be more comfortable with each other, which allowed a more natural portrayal of the relationship between their characters. David Arquette was also approached for the role of Billy Loomis but he asked to read for the part of Dewey Riley after reading the script. The role, described as "hunky", was considered ill-fitting for Arquette's lean, slender appearance and approach but Arquette was still allowed to audition for the part. Craven appreciated his softer, funnier approach to the character, and gave him the role. Matthew Lillard was cast as Billy's equally sadistic friend Stu Macher by chance after accompanying his then-girlfriend to an unrelated audition taking place elsewhere in the same building. Casting director Lisa Beach saw Lillard in the hallway and asked him to audition for the part. He got into the role with "incredible ferocity". Lillard would later confirm that he initially was supposed to audition for the role of Billy, but he was eventually persuaded to come back and audition for Stu instead. The role of Randy Meeks was contested between Jamie Kennedy and Breckin Meyer. The producers favored Kennedy, believing him to best embody the role. As he had no major roles prior to "Scream", the studio wanted a more prominent actor than Kennedy to play the character. The producers were adamant that he was the best choice and successfully fought to keep him. According to Kennedy, Jason Lee and Seth Green were in the running for the role as well. Roger L. Jackson, voice of the character Ghostface, was picked at the end of several weeks of local casting in Santa Rosa, where parts of "Scream" were filmed. The producers had originally intended to use his voice only as a placeholder, dubbing over it during post-production. They decided that Jackson's contribution was perfect and kept it. Craven described it as an "intelligent" and "evil" voice that would become irreplaceable to the series. To aid their performances, Jackson was never allowed to meet the other actors, preventing them from associating a face with the menacing voice. Jackson was present on the set and spoke to actors by phone to help aid their performances.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The cast was rounded out by W. Earl Brown, who played Gale Weather's cameraman Kenny; Joseph Whipp, who portrayed Sheriff Burke; Lawrence Hecht as Neil Prescott (Sidney's father); and C.W. Morgan as Hank Loomis (Billy's father). Liev Schreiber appeared in a minor role as Cotton Weary, the framed killer of Sidney's mother, and Linda Blair made a brief cameo as a TV reporter outside the school. Henry Winkler appeared as Principal Himbry, an aggressive school principal. He remained uncredited so as to not draw attention away from the young main cast.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Principal photography for "Scream" took place over eight weeks between April 15 and June 8, 1996, on a budget of $15million. The Weinsteins wanted to film in Vancouver as it was estimated that they could save $1million in costs compared to shooting in the United States. Craven was adamant about filming in the United States, and making a film that looked "truly American". The argument over where to film almost led to Craven being removed from the project, but the Weinsteins eventually agreed to keep the production in America. Location scouts looked at North Carolina as a possibility, but found that sites that seemed appropriate for the film's requirements would have required extensive building, repairs, or modification, which would have inflated costs.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Attention was next turned towards California; scouts discovered Sonoma County and the cities of Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, and the nearby Tomales Bay. The house of Barrymore's character is situated southeast of Santa Rosa on Sonoma Mountain Road, directly facing the house used in the horror film "Cujo" (1983). The home of Sidney Prescott is located near Calistoga, north of Santa Rosa. Tatum's home is situated on McDonald Avenue in Santa Rosa, next to the houses used in "Pollyanna" (1960) and "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943). The home of Lillard's character, which is the location for the entire third act, is a house on Tomales Road east of Tomales Bay that had only recently become available after the death of its owners. The Woodsboro town square, including the fountain where many of the cast sit in an early scene, is represented by the Healdsburg town square.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: For the Woodsboro high school, Craven desired a building that looked "American", and the producers approached Santa Rosa High School. The school board insisted on seeing the script and immediately objected to the violence against teenage children and the cynical, dark dialogue, including that of the fictional school principal. Local newspapers criticized the project, and irate parents objected to such a film taking place at their children's school. Comparisons were made between film violence and the kidnap and murder of Polly Klaas three years prior, which had left the area sensitized toward violence. The producers received support from the school's students and some local residents, who recognized that economic benefits would be generated by the film's presence. Others argued for the film's First Amendment rights. The dispute resulted in a three-hour debate scheduled for April 16, one day after filming was to begin. Unwilling to be delayed, Craven began filming as scheduled on the 15th. He started with the opening scene of the film, which features Barrymore; the scene took five days to complete. The result of the Santa Rosa debate was that permission would be denied. The production was forced to find another location for the school, and ended up filming at the Sonoma Community Center, southeast of Santa Rosa.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The progress of filming was criticized early on. Bob Weinstein disliked the Ghostface mask, believing it was not "scary". Upon reviewing the dailies footage of the opening scene, the studio was concerned that the film was progressing in an unwanted direction. They considered replacing Craven. To assuage their concerns, Craven and editor Patrick Lussier developed a rough workprint version of the opening 13 minutes of the film to demonstrate how the completed film might turn out. After viewing the new footage, the studio was content to let Craven continue as director. Weinstein, having seen the mask in action, was satisfied that it could be scary. The third and final act of the film, over forty minutes long, is set at a house party where Ghostface strikes. It was shot at a vacant property in Tomales over 21 nights. The scene, labeled "Scene 118", was considered the most difficult to shoot as it took place entirely in one location yet featured the individual stories and deaths of multiple characters. Actors spent weeks undertaking intense emotional and physical scenes while coated in fake blood and wounds. As the scene was set during the evening, production had no choice but to halt at dawn.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Director of photography Mark Irwin was fired during filming of "Scream"s finale, a week before principal photography was to be completed. Upon review of the dailies, Craven found the footage was out of focus and unusable. Irwin was initially ordered to fire his camera crew. He retorted that if his crew were to be fired, they would also have to fire him. The producers fired him and replaced him with Peter Deming, who finished the film.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: To produce the many grisly effects for the film, the producers recruited KNB Effects team Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman, and Gregory Nicotero. One of their first tasks was the production of a mask for the film's killer. In his script, Williamson had only described the antagonist as a "masked killer", which gave Craven no specific information on what type of mask to use or how to conceal the body. While location scouting, Maddalena discovered the Ghostface mask hanging from a post inside the house previously used for the film "Shadow of a Doubt". Craven wanted to use it, but the mask design was owned by Fun World, a costume company. He was told to create one that the production could own. KNB developed multiple design sketches varying from deformed faces to monstrous visages riddled with fangs. Craven found nothing like the Ghostface design, so he had KNB develop a mask that was based on it, with enough differences to avoid any claim of copyright. The team developed several molds based on the Ghostface design, but Craven found none were as suitable as the mask he wanted to use. Desperate to use the design, Craven finally convinced the studio to approach Fun World and gained permission to use the mask. While negotiations were in progress, he had KNB make a mask that was very similar to the original mask, but was appropriate for use in filming. The mask they produced, made of a thin foam, was used in two scenes of the film: the opening scene with Barrymore's character and the murder of Principal Himbry. Craven disliked the mask due to its slight differences from the original, and thus used the Fun World design for the rest of filming.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: KNB Effects created over 50 gallons of fake blood, normally composed of corn syrup and food dye, to create the special effect of severe wounds. For the penetrating effect of knives, the production used collapsible blades to prevent injury. An umbrella with a retractable tip is used as a stabbing weapon in the finale. Ulrich wore a protective vest beneath his shirt to help prevent harm while a stuntwoman attacked him with it. The second thrust missed the vest and stabbed Ulrich on his chest, impacting a wound from an open heart surgery operation. Ulrich's genuine pain was captured on film and used in the release version of "Scream".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Two of the most complex special effects in the film were the corpses of Barrymore's and Walls' characters, Casey Becker and Steve Orth. Their deaths involved the character being gutted from ribcage to pelvis, essentially hollowing out the torso of internal organs, with the guts "rolling" from the wound. To allow Walls to continue to move and feign death while displaying the wound, KNB designed a chair with no back. The actor would kneel behind it while his upper body, head, and arms were positioned within the chair's seating area. An anatomical model representing the character's torso and legs was positioned in the chair and disguised so that the actor's upper body and the model appeared to be one piece. The fake abdomen was filled with rubber, latex, and gelatin pieces smeared in fake blood—the "internal organs" – which could then fall free. The other effect involved Barrymore's character being gutted and hanged by the neck from a tree. The team utilized a similar approach, but replicated Barrymore's entire body, as it would be impossible to conceal her real body and display the special effect of her character having been gutted.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: After filming was completed in June 1996, Craven spent two months editing the final product. He encountered repeated conflicts with the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system (MPAA) concerning the content of scenes. He was forced to tone down or obscure the more intense scenes and overall violence to avoid an NC-17 rating, which is considered "box office suicide"—cinemas and retail chains often refused to stock NC-17 titles. Though Dimension had previously released NC-17-rated films, the rating made those films difficult to market and attract an audience. Dimension was desperate for a less-restrictive R rating, but the producers felt the demanded cuts would remove key elements from the film and reduce its quality. The opening scene featuring Barrymore was one of the most difficult parts to process through the MPAA, who required cuts based on its "intensity". Craven lied to the MPAA, claiming he had only one take of the scene and could not replace it with something less intense; the MPAA allowed the scene.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Craven sent eight different cuts of the film to deal with complaints. Problematic scenes included the gutting death of Steve Orth (Walls), where he was required to remove any movement of the character's internal organs; the throat-cutting of Kenny, where he had to trim the end of the scene, as the MPAA felt the actor's pained expression was too "disturbing"; and they had to shorten the length of time spent viewing the crushed head of Tatum Riley. The MPAA still held issue with a scene from the finale, where the killers (Ulrich and Lillard) stab each other, creating large amounts of visible blood. The MPAA required that the blood not be seen in motion—falling to the floor from the body. It seemed unlikely that the film would be able to achieve an R rating without further significant cuts. With the film's release date drawing closer, Bob Weinstein intervened and personally contacted the MPAA. He believed they misunderstood the film and to which genre "Scream" really belonged, and were focusing too much on the horror elements. Weinstein explained that although he agreed with their assessment that the film was "intense", the film also had comedic elements and satire; it was not just a horror film glorifying violence. The MPAA reviewed their decision; shortly thereafter the film was granted an R rating.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The "Scream" score was provided by fledgling composer Marco Beltrami, his first time scoring a feature film. Craven's assistant Julie Plec had requested input on composers who were "new", "fresh", and "wonderful", and was given Beltrami's name by several people. Beltrami was contacted for samples of his work. Craven, impressed by what he heard, requested Beltrami come to the set to view the opening thirteen minutes of the film containing the introduction and the death of Barrymore's character. Beltrami was tasked with scoring a piece of music for this scene, which would be reviewed by the producers and the Weinstein brothers. Beltrami was hired to score the entire film on the basis of this sample. Beltrami had no prior experience scoring a work of horror. Craven and editor Patrick Lussier advised him on how to deliver music that would raise the tension and how to use stings to punctuate the more intense moments. Craven wanted the music to intentionally raise tension during scenes where audience expectations were already raised by their experience of previous horror films. The volume would be raised to indicate that the killer is hiding behind a door, but nothing would be present upon its opening.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Beltrami decided to intentionally disregard conventional horror score styles. He approached the film as a western, taking influence from Ennio Morricone, a prolific composer for many westerns. When scoring a theme for the character of Dewey (Arquette), Beltrami approached him as a "quirky" wild west sheriff, using a Morricone-style guitar accompaniment. Sidney Prescott's theme, titled "Sidney's Lament", features a female choral arrangement expressing "sorrow" concerning the character's situation. Beltrami states that the voice "spoke" for the character, "lamenting" the loss of her mother. Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks called the "haunting" vocals of the track the "voice of the franchise". The song was used throughout the film's sequels.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: "Scream" held its premiere on December 18, 1996, at the AMC Avco theater in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. Bob Weinstein ordered that the film be released on December 20, 1996, a date others were critical of as it was the Christmas period where seasonal and family films were more prevalent. Weinstein argued this fact was in the film's favor as it meant that horror fans and teenagers had nothing interesting to watch during the December period. When "Scream"s first weekend takings amounted to only $6million, it was considered that this release date gamble had failed, but the following week, takings did not drop but increased and continued to increase in the following weeks leading to a total U.S. gross of over $100million and high critical praise.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: In cooperation with rights holder Paramount Pictures, Fathom Events said it would re-release "Scream" in theaters for one night on October 10, 2021.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: "Scream" was released in the United States on Dolby Digital (AC-3) LaserDisc (uncut) on July 2, 1997, VHS on June 24, 1997, and a special release with the "Scream 2" trailer on December 2, 1997, and on DVD on December 3, 1997. A DTS LaserDisc uncut version was released on August 26, 1998, followed by a collector's edition DVD of the film on December 8, 1998, containing the film, the theatrical trailer, cast interviews, a director's commentary, and behind the scenes information. These releases were all undertaken by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Following the release of "Scream 3", "Scream" and its first two sequels were collected in "The Ultimate Scream Collection" by Buena Vista Home Entertainment on September 26, 2000, a boxset containing the three films and a bonus disc containing "Behind the Scream", a 30-minute documentary about the production of the three films, and additional material, including screentests and outtakes. "Scream" was also released on LaserDisc in France, Hong Kong, Japan, and the United Kingdom in 1997; and in Germany and as a special edition in Japan in 1998.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: "Scream" remained unreleased on DVD in some foreign territories, including Europe, until 2001. The Japanese DVD was released on December 23, 1998 contained both the R-rated version of the film, plus the original "Director's Cut", which restored the gore/violence removed by the MPAA. "Scream" was released in Europe with "Scream 2" and "Scream 3" on February 26 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Each package contained additional content found in the Collector's Edition version of the US release, including deleted scenes, outtakes, theatrical trailers, music videos, and crew commentary. The three films were also sold as a collection called the "Scream Trilogy", released on February 26, 2001.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: On March 29, 2011, two weeks prior to the release of "Scream 4", "Scream" was released in US territories on Blu-ray by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The Blu-ray presents the films in 1080p high definition. The releases contain all the additional materials found on the Collector's Edition DVD, but not the material from the boxset bonus disc.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: On October 19, 2021, for its 25th anniversary, Paramount released a newly remastered 4K version of the film on Ultra HD Blu-ray. Blu-ray.com praised the new transfer as a significant improvement over the 2011 Blu-ray.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The film opened in 1,413 theaters, taking $6.4million in its opening weekend, opening in second against "Beavis and Butt-head Do America", and almost $87million in its initial release. It was re-released to theatres on April 11, 1997, and accrued a further $16.2million, for a total domestic gross of $103million, and a worldwide lifetime gross of $173million. "Scream" remains the most successful of the "Scream" film series, receiving a largely positive critical reception. "Scream 2" generated a worldwide gross of $172million, less than $1million below that of the first film, $11million more than "Scream 3", and $75million more than "Scream 4". As of 2013, "Scream" is currently the 577th highest-grossing movie worldwide. In the United States, without adjusting for inflation, the film is the twentieth highest-grossing horror film, and remained the highest-grossing slasher film until it was surpassed by "Halloween" (2018), directly followed by "Scream 2" and "Scream 3". Adjusted for inflation, the film would have doubled its gross to $346million.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Despite competition from other box office fare such as Tom Cruise's "Jerry Maguire" and Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks!", its release during the Christmas season, and "Variety" labeling it "D.O.A." before it was even released, "Scream" became the fifteenth highest-grossing film of 1996, well placed amongst big-budget blockbusters released that year such as "Independence Day" and "". It was shown in cinemas for nearly eight months after its release.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 80% based on 84 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Horror icon Wes Craven's subversive deconstruction of the genre is sly, witty, and surprisingly effective as a slasher film itself, even if it's a little too cheeky for some." On Metacritic, the film received a score of 65 based on 25 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Peter Stack of the "San Francisco Chronicle" appreciated the shift from the teen slasher films of the 1980s and their "endless series of laborious, half-baked sequels". Kevin Thomas of "The Los Angeles Times" called "Scream" "a bravura, provocative sendup of horror pictures" and complimented the film for being "scary and gruesome" while avoiding a sense of "morbidity". "Empire" Adam Smith called it "Clever, quick and bloody funny". Williamson's script was praised as containing a "fiendishly clever, complicated plot" which "deftly mixes irony, self-reference and wry social commentary with chills and blood spills". "Time Out London" lauded the film's intelligence and scares, while praising the casting, saying "at last, a horror movie to shout about!" Film4 cited Craven's own "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" (1994) and its cast of self-aware characters as inspiration for "Scream", but declared that while "New Nightmare" was a "noble failure – pretty smart, but crucially not very scary" that "Scream" was "not merely clever ... it is, from its breathtaking opening sequence (with Barrymore as the woman in peril) onwards, simply terrifying".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film a positive review of 3 out of 4 stars, appreciating "the in-jokes and the self-aware characters", but was confused over whether the level of violence was "defused by the ironic way the film uses it and comments on it". "The New York Times" Janet Maslin was not as appreciative, saying "not much of "Scream" is that gruesome". She wrote that Craven "wants things both ways, capitalizing on lurid material while undermining it with mocking humor. Not even horror fans who can answer all this film's knowing trivia questions may be fully comfortable with such an exploitative mix." Despite being critical of the film itself, calling it "one experiment that needed more lab time", "Variety" complimented the "strong" ensemble cast, singling out the performances of Campbell and Ulrich as "charismatic". The BBC claimed that the film had promise, saying "It appeared to be clever, dangerous, witty, and fresh" but went on to label it as derivative of the films it satirized: ""Scream" runs out of humour, and in turn robs itself of the chance to get the audience to take the thrills and gut-spills it offers seriously."


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: "Scream" received several awards and award nominations following its release, including the Saturn Award for Best Actress for Campbell, Best Writing for Kevin Williamson, and Best Horror Film; it received Saturn nominations for Best Director for Wes Craven and Best Supporting Actor for Ulrich and Barrymore. Craven was awarded the Grand Prize at the Gérardmer Film Festival. The film was awarded the 1997 Best Movie by the MTV Movie Awards, while Campbell received a nomination for Best Female Performance.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The "Scream" original soundtrack was released on December 17, 1996, by TVT Records. The soundtrack features 11 songs—most of which appeared in various scenes in the film—plus a piece from the film's score, "Trouble in Woodsboro" / "Sidney's Lament", by Beltrami. The Alice Cooper version of "School's Out" appeared in the film following the closure of Woodsboro high school, but it was replaced with a cover version of the song by The Last Hard Men on the album. An acoustic cover of Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper", performed by Gus Black, plays softly in the background while Sidney and Billy discuss their relationship. The song was also one of the few songs featured in John Carpenter's "Halloween", a film to which "Scream" makes repeated homage. Analyst Jeff Smith describes the musical choice as:


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The song "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, heard in the first film, is also used in "Scream 2", "Scream 3" and "Scream" (2022). Nick Cave performs a version of the track written specifically for "Scream 3" in that film. An alternate version of the music video "Drop Dead Gorgeous" by Republica, featuring clips from the film, was shown on music networks such as MTV. Although the song can be heard in the film, it is only included on the European edition of the soundtrack album. The song was also used in one of the film's television commercials. The soundtrack album was not considered a success, failing to chart on the US "Billboard" 200. AllMusic awarded the album 3 stars out of 5.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The "Scream" score by Marco Beltrami was released by Varèse Sarabande on July 14, 1998, on a CD titled "Scream/Scream 2", which also contained tracks from the score of "Scream 2". The release consisted of only six tracks—"Sidney's Lament", "Altered Ego", "A Cruel World", "Trouble in Woodsboro", "Chasing Sidney", and "NC-17"—with a runtime of only 12 minutes, compared to over an hour of music made for the film and the more common 30–45 minutes of music found in other original scores. Some reviewers felt the restricted runtime was a result of the high cost of releasing a composer's music commercially, combined with Varèse Sarabande's unwillingness to pay.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: The score to "Scream" received generally positive reviews, with Mikael Carlsson labeling it as "some of the most intriguing horror scores composed in years". Filmtracks.com claimed the scores had "cult status", awarding it 3 stars out of 5. AllMusic said that the score "perfectly captured the post-modern, hip scare-ride of the Scream movies", also giving it 3 stars out of 5.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Williamson had attached five-page proposals for potential sequels to "Scream" when he originally sold the script, hoping to entice prospective buyers into buying a film and a franchise. When Dimension Films bought the script, they secured Williamson for two future "Scream" films, should the original prove successful. After a highly positive test screening of "Scream" at which executives from Dimension Films and Miramax were present, Craven was signed to direct the two future sequels. After the film's box office and critical success, the first sequel was greenlit and sent into production while "Scream" was still in theaters. The second picture was given an increased budget. The surviving cast—Campbell, Cox, Arquette, Kennedy, and Schreiber—all returned, as well as much of the original crew, including editor Patrick Lussier and composer Marco Beltrami. A third film followed shortly after, again with the crew and surviving cast returning to create what was, at the time, the concluding film in the "Scream" trilogy. The three original films, released in a five-year period, followed the story of Sidney Prescott's encounters with a succession of killers adopting the Ghostface disguise. The films also analyze her relationship with her deceased mother, who inadvertently initiates the events depicted in the films. "Scream 2" fared as well financially and critically as its predecessor, while "Scream 3" fared significantly worse on both counts, with critics deriding the film as having become what the original had so deftly satirized.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Fifteen years after the release of "Scream" and eleven years after the release of the last film in the series, The Weinstein Company released a new sequel, "Scream 4", in April 2011. Campbell, Cox and Arquette all returned to their roles, and Craven, Williamson, and Beltrami returned to the production side. The Weinstein Company stated that the success of "Scream 4" could have led to potential sequels and a new "Scream" trilogy, with Campbell, Arquette, Craven, and Williamson all having been contracted or expressed interest in appearing in future installments.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: A fifth "Scream" film was released in January 2022, with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directing and Kevin Williamson producing. Neve Campbell reprised her role as Sidney Prescott in the film, along with Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Skeet Ulrich.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: In the years following the release of "Scream", the film has been accused of inspiring copycat crimes and inducing violent acts.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: In January 1998, 16-year-old Mario Padilla and his 14-year-old cousin, Samuel Ramirez, stabbed Mario's mother, Gina Castillo, 45 times, killing her. The case became known as the "Scream murder" and fell under intense media scrutiny after the boys claimed they were inspired by "Scream" and "Scream 2". The pair confessed to needing the money acquired from Gina's murder to fund a killing spree, which would include purchasing two Ghostface costumes, as well as a voice-changer used by the characters in the films. During their trial, Madeline Levine, a psychologist who studied the effect of violence on children, stated, "There were a whole bunch of reasons why they acted out that way. But did the movie provide a blueprint? Absolutely." The case was expected to highlight the effect of violent films on teenagers. However, presiding judge John Cheroske ordered that evidence pertaining to "Scream" be barred and that the case not be referred to as the "Scream murder", refusing media access to the courtroom, intending that the case be tried as murder and nothing else.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: On January 17, 1999, 13-year-old Ashley Murray was stabbed multiple times in the head and back before being left for dead by his friends Daniel Gill, 14, and Robert Fuller, 15. He was later found and saved by an elderly man walking his dog. The pair were dubbed the "Scream attackers" after it emerged that they had watched "Scream" shortly before the attack and drawings of the Ghostface mask were found among their possessions. Their actions were additionally blamed on physical abuse, drugs and exposure to black magic in their home life. Murray, who later testified against the pair, stated that he believed the film may have influenced the pair to attack him.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: On May 4, 1999, following the Columbine High School massacre and increasing news media reports on the effects of violent films, games, and other media on society, the United States Senate Commerce committee held a hearing about Hollywood's marketing of films to youths. The committee focused specifically on horror films. The opening scene of "Scream", featuring the murder of Casey Becker, was shown to the committee as an example of negative media which may be viewed by children.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: On June 3, 2002, a 17-year-old boy lured his friend, 15-year-old Alice Beaupère, out of her parents' house in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, France, and stabbed her 42 times while wearing a Ghostface mask. He ran away when he saw a neighbor approaching, and the girl told the neighbor the name of her attacker before she died from her injuries. After being arrested, the boy told police that he had wanted to kill someone to emulate the Ghostface character from "Scream".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Prior to "Scream"s release, the popularity of the horror genre had been considered to be in decline, with many films released straight-to-video while those released in cinemas were sequels to popular and established franchises, such as "Psycho", "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Halloween", "Friday the 13th", and "A Nightmare on Elm Street", capable of drawing audiences despite decreasing budgets and diminishing critical reception. The glut of sequels contributed to audience familiarity with the icons of the late 1970s and early 1980s, such as Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, and that familiarity was considered to have dampened their ability to instill fear or interest in their audiences. "Scream", utilizing a popular and attractive cast and an innovative script that both mocked and embraced the conventions of horror which had become considered clichéd, was credited with changing the status of the genre, becoming both a financial and critical success, and launching the careers of many of its actors. Such was the film's impact that some commentators considered its legacy as the creation of a distinct era of "post-Scream" horror films. Following its release, many studios, including "Scream"s own Dimension Films, rushed to capitalize on its unexpected success with the release of films such as "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (1997), "Urban Legend" (1998) and "Cherry Falls" (2000), as well as sequels to popular, but diminishing, franchises such as "" and "Bride of Chucky".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: Much of the humor of the 2000 film "Scary Movie" relies upon specific references to other contemporary films. Roger Ebert remarked in his review that "to get your money's worth, you need to be familiar with the various teenage horror franchises." The two films on which the script is most heavily based are "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (1997), utilizing the general narrative arcs of both films, and featuring comedic recreations of key scenes. The backstory in which the teenagers are responsible for accidentally killing a man following a beauty pageant recalls the same plot point in "I Know What You Did Last Summer". Major references to "Scream" include the identity of Ghostface and the murder of Drew Decker in the opening scene, a reference to the opening scene of "Scream" in which the same thing occurs to the character played by Drew Barrymore. Additionally, the characters of "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" are heavily mirrored in the film, and the title "Scary Movie" was originally the working title for the project that would eventually become "Scream".


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: In June 2001, as part of the American Film Institute's AFI 100 Years ... series, "Scream" became one of the 400 nominees in the "100 Years ... 100 Thrills" category. In 2003, the character Ghostface was nominated in the "Villains" category "100 Heroes and Villains". In 2005, "Do you like scary movies?", as spoken by Roger Jackson, was nominated for "AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movie Quotes", a list of the greatest cinematic quotes.


title: Scream (1996 film)

text: "Scream" ranks #32 on "Entertainment Weekly" list of the "50 Best High School Movies", and the opening scene featuring the death of Barrymore's character ranked No. 13 on Bravo's "100 Scariest Movie Moments". In 2008, "Entertainment Weekly" dubbed the film a "New Classic" by ranking it #60 in their list of the "100 Best Films of the Last 13 years". In 2008 "Empire" ranked the film #482 on their list of "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time". In 2016, "Empire" ranked the film #3 on their list of the greatest horror films of all time.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the fifth main entry in the "Grand Theft Auto" series, following 2002's "", and the seventh installment overall. It was released in October 2004 for the PlayStation 2, in June 2005 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox, and in November 2010 for Mac OS X. The game is set within an open world environment that players can explore and interact with at their leisure. The story follows former gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson, who returns home following his mother's murder and is drawn back into his former gang and a life of crime while clashing with corrupt authorities and powerful criminals. Carl's journey takes him across the fictional U.S. state of San Andreas, which is heavily based on California and Nevada and encompasses three major cities: Los Santos (inspired by Los Angeles), San Fierro (San Francisco) and Las Venturas (Las Vegas).


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The game features references to many real-life elements of the world, such as its cities, regions, and landmarks, with its plot heavily based on several real-life events in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, including the rivalry between real-life street gangs, the crack epidemic of the 1980s and early 1990s, the LAPD Rampart scandal, and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Unlike its predecessor, "San Andreas" introduced gameplay elements that were incorporated in later games, including RPG-style mechanics, customisation options with both clothing and vehicle appearances, a vast array of activities and mini-games, and the inclusion of gambling games.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Considered by many reviewers to be one of the greatest video games ever made, "San Andreas" received critical acclaim upon release, with praise directed at its music, story and gameplay, and criticism for its graphics and some aspects of its controls. It was the best-selling video game of 2004, and with over 27.5 million copies sold worldwide , it is the best-selling PlayStation 2 game and one of the best-selling video games of all time. Like its predecessors, "San Andreas" is cited as a landmark in video games for its far-reaching influence within the industry. The game's violence and sexual content was the source of much public concern and controversy. In particular, a player-made software patch, dubbed the "Hot Coffee mod", unlocked a previously hidden sexual scene, resulting in the game being re-rated AO by the North American Entertainment Software Rating Board (although its previous M rating was reinstated after the game was edited to remove the content). A remastered version of the game was released for Android and iOS in 2013, for Windows Phone, Fire OS and Xbox 360 in 2014, and for PlayStation 3 in 2015. In June 2018, the game was made available for the Xbox One via backward compatibility. An enhanced version with the subtitle "" was released in 2021, and a virtual reality version for Oculus Quest 2 is in development. The next main entry in the series, "Grand Theft Auto IV", was released in April 2008.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" is an action-adventure game with role-playing and stealth elements. Structured similarly to the previous two games in the series, the core gameplay consists of elements of third-person shooter and driving games, affording the player a large, open-world environment in which to move around. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, running, sprinting, swimming, climbing, and jumping as well as using weapons and various forms of hand-to-hand combat. The player can operate a variety of vehicles, including automobiles, buses, semis, boats, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, trains, tanks, motorcycles, and bicycles. The player may also import vehicles in addition to stealing them.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The open, non-linear environment allows the player to explore and choose how they wish to play the game. Although storyline missions are necessary to progress through the game and unlock certain cities and content, the player can complete them at their leisure. When not taking on a storyline mission, the player can freely roam the cities and rural areas of San Andreas, eat in restaurants, or cause havoc by attacking people and causing destruction. Creating havoc can attract unwanted and potentially fatal attention from the authorities. The more chaos caused, the stronger the response: police will handle "minor" infractions (attacking pedestrians, pointing guns at people, stealing vehicles, manslaughter, etc.), whereas SWAT teams, the FBI, and the military respond to higher wanted levels.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The player can partake in a variety of optional side missions that can boost their character's attributes or provide other sources of income. The traditional side missions of past "Grand Theft Auto" games are included, such as dropping off taxi cab passengers, putting out fires, driving injured people to the hospital, and fighting crime as a vigilante. New additions include burglary missions, pimping missions, truck and train driving missions requiring the player to make deliveries on time, and driving/flying/boating/biking schools, which help the player learn skills and techniques to use in their corresponding vehicles.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Not all locations are open to the player at the start of the game. Some locales, such as mod garages, restaurants, gyms, and shops, become available only after completing specific missions. Likewise, for the first portion of the game, only Los Santos and its immediate suburbs are available for exploration; unlocking the other cities and rural areas again requires the completion of specific missions. If the player travels to locked locations early in the game, they will attract the attention of SWAT teams, police, and police-controlled Hydras if in an aircraft.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Unlike "Grand Theft Auto III" and "", which needed loading screens when the player moved between different districts of the city, "San Andreas" has no load times when the player is in transit. The only loading screens in the game are for cut-scenes and interiors. Other differences between "San Andreas" and its predecessors include the switch from single-player to multiplayer Rampage missions (albeit not in the PC and mobile versions), and the replacement of the "hidden packages" with spray paint tags, hidden camera shots, horseshoes, and oysters to discover.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The camera, fighting, and targeting controls were reworked to incorporate concepts from another Rockstar game, "Manhunt", including various stealth elements, as well as improved target crosshairs and a target health indicator which changes from green to red to black as the target's health decreases. The PC version of the game implements mouse chording: the player has to hold the right mouse button to activate the crosshairs and then click or hold the left mouse button to shoot or use an item, such as a camera.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: For the first time in the series, players can swim and climb walls. The ability to swim and dive underwater has a great effect on the player as well since water is no longer an impassable barrier that kills the player outright (although it is possible to drown). For greater firepower, the player can also dual-wield firearms or perform a drive-by shooting with multiple gang members who can be recruited to follow the player. Due to the size of San Andreas, a waypoint reticule on the HUD map can be set, aiding the player in reaching a destination.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Rockstar emphasised the personalisation of the main protagonist by adding role-playing video game elements. Clothing, accessories, haircuts, jewellery, and tattoos are available for purchase by the player, and have more of an effect on non-player characters' reactions than the clothing in "Vice City". CJ's level of respect among his fellow recruits and street friends varies according to his appearance and actions, as do his relationships with his girlfriends. The player must ensure that CJ eats to stay healthy and exercises adequately. The balance of food and physical activity affects his appearance and physical attributes.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "San Andreas" tracks acquired skills in areas such as driving, firearms handling, stamina, and lung capacity, which improve through use in the game. CJ may learn three different styles of hand-to-hand combat (boxing, kickboxing, and kung fu) at the gyms in each of the game's three cities if he is fit enough. CJ can either positively or negatively respond to most pedestrians' comments in the game. According to Rockstar, there are about 4,200 lines of spoken dialogue for CJ when the cutscenes are excluded.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: In total, there are 212 different vehicles in the game compared to approximately 60 in "Grand Theft Auto III". New additions include bicycles, a combine harvester, a street sweeper, a jetpack, and trailers, amongst others. Car physics and features are similar to the "Midnight Club" series of street racing games, allowing for much more mid-air vehicle control as well as nitrous upgrades and aesthetic modifications.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: There are several different classes of vehicles that serve different purposes. Off-road vehicles perform better in rough environments while racing cars perform better on tracks or the street. Jets are fast, but usually need a runway to land. Helicopters can land almost anywhere and are much easier to control in the air, but are slower. While previous "Grand Theft Auto" games had only a few aircraft that were difficult to access and fly, "San Andreas" has eleven different types of fixed-wing aircraft and nine helicopters and makes them more integral in the game's missions. There is also the ability to skydive from aircraft or from the tops of certain skyscrapers using a parachute. Several types of boats were also added to the game, while some were highly modified.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" takes place in 1992 within the fictional US state of San Andreas – based upon sections of California and Nevada as seen in the early 1990s – which consists of three main cities: Los Santos (based on Los Angeles), San Fierro (based on San Francisco), and Las Venturas (based on Las Vegas). Various regions of forest, desert, and small rural towns are scattered in between the major cities. Liberty City, the city featured in "Grand Theft Auto III" which is based on New York City, also makes several minor appearances in the game, most notably during a mission which sees the player travelling there to assassinate a mob boss. The city itself is not explorable and only appears in cutscenes, with the entire mission taking place inside a bistro.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The game's setting forms part of the "Grand Theft Auto" series' "3D Universe" canon, though unlike previous entries set in this continuity, "San Andreas" incorporates fictionalised versions of real-life landmarks and environments from the cities and US states it is based upon. It was the largest setting in the series until it was beaten by "Grand Theft Auto V"s own depiction of San Andreas.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Like the previous two "Grand Theft Auto" games, "San Andreas" features several well-known Hollywood actors, musicians, and other celebrities as voice actors, in both main and minor roles. Many of them are West coast rappers, some of which, at the time of the game's release, were famous only in underground music communities and later turned more successful.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The player assumes the role of Carl "CJ" Johnson (voiced by Young Maylay), a veteran member of the Los Santos-based Grove Street Families street gang, who left for Liberty City five years prior in pursuit of a better life, but returns home following his mother's death. The gang is led by CJ's estranged older brother Sean/"Sweet" (Faizon Love), and includes his childhood friends Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris (Clifton Powell), Lance "Ryder" Wilson (MC Eiht), and aspiring rapper Jeffrey "OG Loc" Cross (Jas Anderson). Throughout the game, CJ befriends various characters that become important allies, including Cesar Vialpando (Clifton Collins Jr.), the leader of the Hispanic street gang Varrios Los Aztecas and the boyfriend of Carl's sister Kendl (Yo-Yo); hippie weed grower "The Truth" (Peter Fonda); tech genius and RC shop owner Zero (David Cross); blind Triad crime boss Wu Zi Mu/"Woozie" (James Yaegashi); government agent Mike Toreno (James Woods); crooked lawyer Ken Rosenberg (William Fichtner); criminally connected music producer Kent Paul (Danny Dyer); washed-up singer Maccer (Shaun Ryder); and renowned rapper Madd Dogg (Ice-T).


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: At the same time, Carl comes into conflict with a number of enemies, including the Ballas and Vagos street gangs; the highly corrupt C.R.A.S.H. police unit, consisting of Officers Frank Tenpenny (Samuel L. Jackson), Eddie Pulaski (Chris Penn), and Jimmy Hernandez (Armando Riesco); the Loco Syndicate drug cartel, headed by Toreno, pimp Jizzy B. (Charlie Murphy) and San Fierro Rifa street gang leader T-Bone Mendez (Kid Frost); and the Leone, Sindacco, and Forelli Mafia crime families. At various points in the storyline, CJ works with Cesar's criminal cousin Catalina (Cynthia Farrell), and mob boss Salvatore Leone (Frank Vincent), both previously featured in "Grand Theft Auto III". Claude, the silent protagonist of "Grand Theft Auto III", also makes a cameo appearance in the game, while ""s protagonist Tommy Vercetti is mentioned.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: In 1992, following his mother's murder in a drive-by shooting, CJ returns home to Los Santos to attend her funeral. Upon arrival, he is intercepted by C.R.A.S.H., who threaten to frame him for the recent murder of a police officer (actually killed by them for trying to expose their corruption) unless he co-operates with them. After leaving them, CJ reunites with Sweet, Kendl, Big Smoke, and Ryder at the funeral, and learns that the Grove Street Families have lost most of their influence and territories to their main rivals, the Ballas. CJ agrees to stay in Los Santos until the gang's problems are resolved, and works closely with his brother and friends to restore the Families' strength. During this time, he also befriends Cesar Vialpando after realizing he genuinely cares for Kendl, and helps to jumpstart OG Loc's rap career. Shortly after the Families' resurgence, Sweet plans to ambush a large group of Ballas. Before he can join the attack, CJ is contacted by Cesar with information on the drive-by shooting, revealing that C.R.A.S.H. ordered it with the intent of killing Sweet, and have been working with the Ballas, Big Smoke, and Ryder to end the Families and profit off the drug trade.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Realizing Sweet is headed into a trap, CJ attempts to save him, but both are arrested by the police. While Sweet is incarcerated, CJ is released on bail by C.R.A.S.H. and driven out of Los Santos, where he is forced to assist with several jobs to prevent C.R.A.S.H.'s corruption from going public. With the Families disbanded and the Ballas flooding Los Santos with drugs, CJ focuses on earning money to financially support himself, Kendl, and Cesar. He commits several robberies alongside Catalina and engages in illegal street racing. After winning a garage in San Fierro from Claude, CJ travels there with his associates and transforms it into a profitable business. While in San Fierro, CJ works for the local Triads after befriending Woozie, and infiltrates the Loco Syndicate, the Ballas' main cocaine supplier, to destroy them from the inside. After earning their trust, he kills the organization's leaders, as well as Ryder, and destroys their drug laboratory.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Later, CJ is surprised when Mike Toreno, who faked his death, contacts him for assistance, revealing himself to be a government agent. After carrying out several operations for Toreno in return for Sweet's release from prison, CJ travels to Las Venturas to help Woozie open a casino. Facing competition from the Mafia, CJ and the Triads organize a robbery of the rival mob-run casino. To gather intel on the place, CJ befriends Ken Rosenberg, the casino's manager, whom he eventually helps flee the city, and works for Salvatore Leone, who vows revenge after CJ robs his establishment. During this time, CJ continues to work for C.R.A.S.H., until Tenpenny betrays him and orders Pulaski to kill CJ and Hernandez, who secretly turned on his partners. After killing Hernandez, Pulaski is in turn killed by CJ. After saving Madd Dogg (who was driven to depression when CJ inadvertently ruined his career while helping OG Loc) from a suicide attempt, he approaches CJ to ask him to become his manager and help him rebuild his career. CJ returns to Los Santos and does so with his associates' help.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Toreno eventually honours his promise and allows CJ to be reunited with Sweet. Although happy to have him back, Sweet berates CJ for forgetting about their gang again, and talks him into helping to rebuild the Families. Meanwhile, Tenpenny is arrested for corruption, but is acquitted in his trial, provoking violent riots across Los Santos. CJ helps Madd Dogg exact revenge on OG Loc, and assists with retaking the Families' and the Varrios Los Aztecas' territories from the Ballas and Vagos. After tracking down Big Smoke at his fortress, CJ confronts and kills him over his betrayal. Tenpenny then arrives to claim his share of Smoke's money and kill CJ, but the latter survives and pursues Tenpenny with Sweet's help. The brothers' pursuit eventually causes Tenpenny to crash his getaway vehicle in outside CJ's family home, where he dies from his injuries. With the riots eventually over and the Families restored, CJ and his allies celebrate their success in his home. In the midst of the celebrations, CJ leaves to check things out around the neighbourhood.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Rockstar North started the development of "San Andreas" right after the release of "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City", at the end of 2002. Unlike its predecessor, which took only nine months to produce, this game got an extra year, therefore having an estimated development time of one year and nine months. The art director Aaron Garbut declared that the process of creation of "Vice City" was "very intense" and "short" and continued by stating: "We didn’t have the luxury of a lot of time to take stock. It was very much a case of knowing what we had to do and doing it to the best of our abilities. This time around the extra year gave us that opportunity." Executive producer Sam Houser said that the members of the team "put an enormous amount of pressure" on themselves to ensure that they would "do everything possible to exceed people's expectations" with "San Andreas". Some developers were worried about the working conditions imposed by Rockstar during the development of "San Andreas" since they couldn't take an adequate break after the completion of "Vice City". Rockstar's long-time programmer, Gary Foreman, feared that the company had entered an "eternal crunch", as some developers had working hours reaching 17 hours per day. In addition, some developers had disagreements with Sam Houser, which caused them to step away from the game's production.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: According to a report by "The Wall Street Journal", "San Andreas" was Rockstar North's most expensive game at the time of its release, with an estimated budget of 10 million dollars, surpassing "Vice City"s budget of 5 million. Rockstar Games was developing the game "The Warriors"; initially planned to release in 2004, "The Warriors" was delayed for 2005 in order to contribute further to the development of "San Andreas" and use additional resources for the game. During development, Rockstar North's president, Leslie Benzies, hoped that "San Andreas" would redefine the "Grand Theft Auto" series and "revolutionize open-ended gameplay and video game production values."


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The game's events happen at the start of the 1990s in the fictional state San Andreas, inspired by the states of California and Nevada in the United States. Unlike its two predecessors, which were inspired by just one city, this game has three metropolises: Los Santos, San Fierro e Las Venturas, based on Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas, respectively, and the map is three times bigger than the one seen in "Vice City". San Andreas had already appeared on the first "Grand Theft Auto" (1997). However, it was displayed only as a two-dimensional version of San Francisco. Garbut said that he didn't want the game to be "big for the sake of it" and that he and his team at Rockstar "could have made "Grand Theft Auto 3" or "Vice City" much bigger and simply repeated the same stuff for miles on end, padding out what we had, but no one wants to drive through miles of identical buildings." The goal of the team and Garbut with the game world was to create "depth" in the game's exploration, making each city seem different with each other, even though they belong in the same scenario. He commented: "I want to feel like I can stop at any point and discover new things, I want to feel I can climb onto any roof, I want to get to know the map and recognise where I am". Co-writer Dan Houser noted the development team's effort not to make each metropole seem "toy-towny" or something "square" and opined that the game had "really good gameplay built naturally into the environment."


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Rockstar's team did long searches to replicate the different cities in the game. All development members were equipped with a camera in each city where the game is based on, taking photos of various locations. Garbut described the experience: "We had a huge road trip, driving across the States in a convoy of Lincoln Town Cars… stopping off in each city and staying there till we had pretty much photographed every inch. It really was epic. The bravest of us were taken in smaller groups into the scarier areas, right into the heart of LA’s gang territory." Dan Houser commented that a group of searchers and artists took photos of every neighbourhood of Beverly Hills, California, and "the nicest casinos" of Las Vegas, besides other more peripheral regions in Los Angeles, as reported by "Eurogamer": "[they visited] every trainers-over-the-telegraph-wire ghetto cesspit with couches in the streets and gangbangers cruising past in low-riders, and everywhere in between". Various neighbourhoods, bridges and explorable interiors of the game were based on actual locations of each city. For example, urban extensions in Los Santos had inspirations from Compton, California; a red bridge in the map's northwest of San Fierro was inspired by the famous Golden Gate Bridge; the casinos of Las Venturas were influenced by casinos in Las Vegas and have a role in the game's plot. As Dan Houser states, Rockstar planned to build an atmosphere with many perspectives to ensure that the game's missions would "show off all the best assets of the map."


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Some players found the maps in "Vice City" too flat. Dan Houser agreed: "For good driving, one of the things that we missed was hills. It just adds that third dimension; it's not as fun with out." Regarding the game's mountain, the Mount Chiliad, Dan Houser stated: "One of the things that the countryside gives you is a mountain, you've never had a mountain in a "GTA" game before. The idea of being able to drive from LA, through the countryside, up a mountain and into San Francisco and on to Vegas is just freakish, and it feels amazing!" Garbut expressed satisfaction with the presence of hills, forests and a desert, which weren't in the previous installments: "I love the countryside [of the game]. It feels so refreshing to drive out of the city into rolling fields, past farms and rivers, into the forests, deserts and hills. The mountain is fantastic – it’s nearly half a mile [800 meters] tall and it takes just under a minute to fly from its base to the top in a helicopter… and a good deal longer to cycle down." Garbut said that he and the developers used many procedural techniques in grass and plants to give life to the mountain and the field: "There's so much to see. I really don’t think any game has achieved this level of scale before while keeping anything like this level of detail. There's a sense of scale in this game that dwarfs the previous two while actually adding to the variety and detail." According to developer John Whyte, the map of "San Andreas" has an area of 36 million square meters (13.9 million square miles).


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: While writing the plot, Rockstar was inspired by events that occurred in the early 90s. The rivalry between the street gangs Bloods and Crips were used as the inspiration for the rivalry between the Grove Street Families and the Ballas — the main gangs of the game —, respectively. Sam Houser recounted his fascination with the appearance and the gang members' clothing and his wish to represent it in "San Andreas": "Well, what's after Miami in the '80s? Well, of course, the Bloods and the Crips and the LA early-'90s gang-banger culture. I remember being in the UK at the time it was going off and being completely fascinated and terrified by it. Fascinated by how they looked - they dress amazingly - but these guys are all like soldiers, and are treated like armies, and this is very serious, scary stuff." According to Dan Houser, the team was focused on not making "San Andreas" a game simply about gangs and wanted to connect all the narrative elements while still making sense. DJ Pooh, known at the time for being the co-writer of "Friday" (1995), was hired to co-write the game in order to detach the Britannic perspective on Los Angeles gang culture from the script, since Rockstar North was mostly composed of United Kingdom residents. DJ Pooh commented on the script's perspective: "One thing that makes me slightly nervous is the notion that it's a game about gang-banging, which it is not really". In the game's advertising, the Grove Street Families were referred to as Orange Grove Families. The game also portrays the crack epidemic, which was the rise of drug use in the major cities in the US between the start of the 80s and the start of the 90s, having an impactful role in the narrative.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Real-life events that involved police officers also inspired the events in "San Andreas". The Rampart scandal of the Los Angeles Police Department, which concerned various cases of police corruption in the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums anti-gang unit at the end of the 90s, was one inspiration. Another one involved a tumultuous manifestation, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when a jury absolved Los Angeles police officers, three white and a Hispanic, accused of aggression against black driver Rodney King after a high-speed chase.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: For the writing of the game's narrative, Rockstar got influences from Hollywood films with varied aspects of the story and characters. Dan Houser describes that the team watched "hundreds of movies to get the California vibe into the game", while Garbut says he and the team had always been interested in "any relevant films". One of these inspirations came from the film "Boyz n the Hood" (1991), with references to the gangster style from the 90s. The presentation of gang rivalries in "Menace II Society" (1993) and "Colors" (1988) also influenced the portrayal of gangs of Los Santos. Sean Penn, brother of Eddie Pulaski's voice actor Chris Penn, is one of the main characters of "Colors". The action movies "Con Air" (1997) and "Terminator 2" (1991) are referenced in the "Reuniting the Families" mission, when CJ tries to save his older brother Sweet in a motel while being chased by the police. Other influences and similarities come from movies such as "New Jack City" (1991) and "Juice" (1992).


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: As part of the "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Special Edition" re-release for the PlayStation 2 and the "", a DVD was provided containing a short 26-minute long film made through "San Andreas" in-game-engine. The film, titled "The Introduction", incorporates locations from both the game and "Grand Theft Auto III", and focuses on events that take place before the start of the main story, providing insight into various characters from "San Andreas" prior to CJ meeting or reuniting with them. Most key plot details from the game are explained in this film, such as the downfall of the Grove Street Families; Big Smoke and Ryder's betrayal of the gang and alliances with C.R.A.S.H., the Ballas, and the Loco Syndicate; CJ's life in Liberty City; C.R.A.S.H.'s murder of Officer Ralph Pendelbury; Kent Paul and Maccer's arrival in San Andreas for a concert tour; the circumstances surrounding the construction of the Mafia's casino in Las Venturas; and the fateful drive-by shooting that kills CJ's mother Beverly and determines him to return to Los Santos.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Alongside the short film, the DVD also included a live-action documentary on the custom car culture (featured prominently in the game) called "Sunday Drive".


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: As with the previous two entries in the "Grand Theft Auto" series, "San Andreas" has music taken from the time in which the game is based.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: San Andreas is serviced by eleven radio stations; WCTR (talk radio), Master Sounds 98.3 (rare groove, playing many of the old funk and soul tracks sampled by 1980s and '90s hip-hop artists), K-Jah West (dub and reggae; modelled after K-Jah from "Grand Theft Auto III"), CSR (new jack swing, modern soul), Radio X (alternative rock, metal and grunge), Radio Los Santos (gangsta rap), SF-UR (house music), Bounce FM (funk), K-DST (classic rock), K-Rose (country) and Playback FM (classic hip hop).


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The music system in "San Andreas" is enhanced from previous games. In earlier games in the series, each radio station was mainly a single looped sound file, playing the same songs, announcements and advertisements in the same order each time. In "San Andreas", each section is held separately, and "mixed" randomly, allowing songs to be played in different orders, announcements to songs to be different each time, and plot events to be mentioned on the stations. This system would be used in "Grand Theft Auto IV". WCTR, rather than featuring licensed music and DJs, features spoken word performances by actors such as Andy Dick performing as talk show hosts and listener callers in a parody of talk radio programming.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Lazlow again plays as himself on the show "Entertaining America" on WCTR in the same persona as in "III" and "Vice City". He takes over after the former presenter, Billy Dexter, is shot on air by in-game film star Jack Howitzer. Lazlow interviews guests such as O.G. Loc, who is one of the four characters Carl encounters during the game that is on the radio, along with Big Smoke, Madd Dogg, and The Truth.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The Xbox, iOS, and Windows versions of the game include an additional radio station that supports custom soundtracks by playing user imported MP3s, allowing players to listen to their music while playing the game. This feature is not available on the PlayStation 2 version of the game or when played on the Xbox 360.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Upon its release, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" was met with critical acclaim. It received an average review score of 95/100, according to review aggregator Metacritic, tying for the fifth-highest ranked game in PlayStation 2 history. "IGN" rated the game a 9.9/10 (the highest score it has ever awarded to a PlayStation 2 game), calling it "the defining piece of software" for the PlayStation 2. "GameSpot" rated the game 9.6/10, giving it an Editor's Choice award. Jeff Gerstmann said ""San Andreas" definitely lives up to the "Grand Theft Auto" name. In fact, it's arguably the best game in the series." "San Andreas" also received an A rating from the "1UP.com" network and a 10/10 score from "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine". Common praises were made about the game's open-endedness, the size of the state of San Andreas, and the engaging storyline and voice acting. Most criticisms of the game stemmed from graphical mishaps, poor character models, and low-resolution textures, as well as various control issues, particularly with auto-aiming at enemies. Some critics commented that while much new content had been added to "San Andreas", little of it had been refined or implemented well.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Nevertheless, since its release, "San Andreas" has been regarded as one of the greatest games of all time, placing at number 27 in "Edge" Top 100 Games to Play Today. "Edge" declared that the game remains "the ultimate expression of freedom, before next-gen reined it all back in". In 2015, the game placed 8th on USgamer's The 15 Best Games Since 2000 list.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" sold units within six days of release in the United States. In the United Kingdom, it sold an estimated 677,000 copies and grossed about within two days, and sold over copies in nine days. It was the top-selling game of 2004, with copies sold in the United States, and over in the United Kingdom. The game generated $235 million in revenue in its first week.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: By March 2005, the game had sold over 12 million units for the PlayStation 2 alone, making it the highest-selling game for PlayStation 2. The game received a "Diamond" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 1 million copies in the United Kingdom. As of 26 March 2008, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" had sold 21.5 million units, according to Take-Two Interactive. The Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition lists it as the most successful PlayStation 2 game, with 17.33 million copies sold for that console alone from the total of 21.5 million in all formats. In 2011, Kotaku reported that, according to Rockstar Games, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" had sold 27.5 million copies worldwide.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "San Andreas" was criticised by some for its perceived racial stereotyping. Some saw the alleged stereotyping as ironic, while others defended the game, noting that the storyline could speak to people of different backgrounds. A study of how different groups of youths engaged with the game found that "they do not passively receive the games' images and content".


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: In mid-June 2005, a software patch for the game dubbed the "Hot Coffee (mod)" was released by Patrick Wildenborg (under the Internet alias "PatrickW"), a 38-year-old modder from the Netherlands. The name "Hot Coffee" refers to the way the unmodified game alludes to unseen sex scenes. In the original version of the game, the player takes his girlfriend to her front door, and she asks him if he would like to come in for "some coffee". He agrees, and the camera stays outside, swaying back and forth a bit, while moaning sounds are heard. After installing the patch, users can enter the main character's girlfriends' houses and engage in a crudely rendered, fully clothed sexual intercourse mini-game. The fallout from the controversy resulted in a public response from high-ranking politicians in the United States and elsewhere and resulted in the game's recall and re-release.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: On 20 July 2005, the ESRB, which establishes content ratings for games sold in North America, changed the rating of the game from Mature (M) to Adults Only (AO), making "San Andreas" the only mass-released AO console game in the United States. Rockstar subsequently announced that it would cease production of the version of the game that included the controversial content. Rockstar gave distributors the option of applying an Adults Only ESRB rating sticker to copies of the game or returning them to be replaced by versions without the Hot Coffee content. Many retailers pulled the game off their shelves in compliance with their store regulations that kept them from selling AO-rated games. That same month in Australia, the Office of Film and Literature Classification revoked its initial rating of MA15+, meaning that the game could no longer be sold in the country.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: In August 2005, Rockstar North released an official "Cold Coffee" patch for the PC version of the game and re-released "San Andreas" with the "Hot Coffee" scenes removed ("Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" Version 2.0), allowing the game's earlier M rating to be reinstated. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions have also been re-released with the "Hot Coffee" scenes removed in the Greatest Hits Edition, the Platinum Edition, and the ""Grand Theft Auto" Trilogy Pack".


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: On 8 November 2007, Take-Two announced a proposed settlement to the class-action litigation that had been brought against them following the Hot Coffee controversy. If the court approved the proposed settlement, neither Take-Two nor Rockstar would admit liability or wrongdoing. Consumers would be able to swap their AO-rated copies of the game for M-rated versions and may also qualify for a $35 cash payment upon signing a sworn statement. A report in "The New York Times" on 25 June 2008 revealed that a total of 2,676 claims for the compensation package had been filed.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: Following the success of "San Andreas", Rockstar followed it up with two handheld games by Rockstar Leeds - "", set in the late 1990s, and "" in the mid 1980s. Both were developed for the PlayStation Portable handheld, and designed as prequels to "Grand Theft Auto III" and "Vice City" respectively, though eliminating some elements introduced in "San Andreas", such as the need to eat and exercise, and swimming (although "Vice City Stories" re-introduced it, but in a limited capacity). The series would continue with 2008's "Grand Theft Auto IV", and 2013's "Grand Theft Auto V".


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "San Andreas" marked the technological pinnacle of the 3D era of "Grand Theft Auto", although the development team believed that the design of its setting, incorporating three cities based on their real-life counterparts, had been too ambitious and did not allow the real-life locations to be emulated properly. Although the continuity of the setting would be retained in the handheld-focused spin-offs, Rockstar began establishing a new continuity for the series with the advent of the seventh-generation consoles, focused more on realism and details, including a full emulation of real-life cities used in settings, though with a scaled-back list of celebrity voice actors that had been prominent in the previous continuity. The launch of "Grand Theft Auto IV" led to Rockstar redesigning the setting of Liberty City, with the third incarnation being more heavily based upon the real-life New York City - amongst the improvements made included more depth in the number of buildings used and the detail with each, and removing any dead spots or irrelevant spaces. When Ars Technica reviewed "Grand Theft Auto IV", he noted that the "slight regression of the series from "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"" in terms of its setting was "surprising".


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: The focus on realism and depth was continued with "Grand Theft Auto V", though aimed at providing a more expansive setting than "Grand Theft Auto IV", with the development team re-designing Los Santos, a city in "San Andreas", to fully emulate the real-life city of Los Angeles, thus creating a setting with a higher quality, and at a grander scale with the incorporation of countryside and desert areas. Houser elaborated that "to do a proper version of L.A., [...] the game has to give you a sense of that sprawl — if not completely replicate it", and thus deemed that dividing both the budget and workforce to create multiple cities would have detracted from the goal of emulating the real-life setting. Garbut felt that, in the PlayStation 2 era, the team did not have the technical capabilities to capture Los Angeles properly, resulting in the "San Andreas" rendition of Los Santos feeling like a "backdrop or a game level with pedestrians randomly milling about", effectively deeming "San Andreas" as a jumping-off point for "Grand Theft Auto V" with the newer generation of consoles. As Garbut explained, with the move to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 hardware, "our processes and the fidelity of the world [had] evolved so much from "San Andreas"" that using it as a model would have been redundant.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" was made available on the digital distribution platform Steam in January 2008, and received a notable amount of updates after its launch. On 7 November 2014, an update caused controversy after 17 tracks from the soundtrack were removed due to expired licences. Other drawbacks of the update included removal of widescreen support (which was later fixed via another minor update), and certain regions being incompatible with older saves. Both old and new owners were affected by the update, unlike with "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City", where only new owners were affected due to a similar update. Additionally, the game received native support for XInput-enabled gamepads and the removal of digital rights management software.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: A port of "San Andreas" for select iOS devices was released on 12 December 2013. It was followed closely by ports to Android devices on 19 December 2013, Windows Phone devices on 27 January 2014, and Fire OS devices on 15 May 2014. The upgrades and enhancements from the original game include newly remastered graphics, consisting of dynamic and detailed shadows, greater draw distance, an enriched colour palette, plus enhanced character and car models.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: In 2008, the original Xbox version was released on Xbox 360 as an emulated port, and part of the Xbox Originals line-up. However, in late 2014 it was removed from the Xbox Live Marketplace and replaced with a port of the mobile version on 26 October 2014, the game's tenth anniversary. It featured HD 720p resolution, enhanced draw distance, a checkpoint system, a new menu interface, and achievements. While it introduced many new features, around ten songs were removed from the HD version that were present in the original due to licensing issues, and numerous new bugs were introduced. A physical release followed on 30 June 2015 in North America and 17 July 2015 elsewhere, under the "Platinum Hits" banner ("Classics" in PAL regions).


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: "San Andreas" was first released on PlayStation 3 in December 2012 as an emulated PS2 Classic. This version was also removed in late 2014, leading to rumours of a PS3 HD release. However, this was not the case at the time, and the PS2 Classic later returned. In early November 2015, the game was re-rated by the ESRB for an upcoming PS3-native release. The HD version was released on 1 December 2015, replacing the PS2 Classic on the PlayStation Store, and on physical media, gaining instant "Greatest Hits" status in North America. There has also been a PlayStation 4 version released, though unlike the port for the PlayStation 3, it is the PlayStation 2 game running via emulation, although it still has trophies and some songs edited out due to licensing restrictions.


title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

text: An enhanced version of "San Andreas", subtitled "" was released alongside "Grand Theft Auto III" and "Vice City" for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021; versions for Android and iOS devices are also in development. "The Definitive Edition" replaced existing versions of the game on digital retailers. A virtual reality version of the game is in development for Oculus Quest 2.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Fear the Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson for AMC. It is a spin-off to "The Walking Dead", which is based on the comic book series of the same name by Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The first three seasons serve as a prequel, focusing on a blended family who experience the start of the zombie apocalypse. Subsequent seasons run concurrently to the original show, with Morgan Jones (Lennie James) from "The Walking Dead" crossing over into the series.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: The series features a large ensemble cast, originally led by Kim Dickens as Madison Clark, Cliff Curtis as Travis Manawa, Frank Dillane as Nick Clark, and Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia Clark. Following a reboot with its fourth season, the series has been led by Lennie James as Morgan Jones. Other series regulars have included Colman Domingo, Mercedes Mason, Rubén Blades, Danay García, Maggie Grace, Garret Dillahunt, Jenna Elfman, Karen David, Austin Amelio, Mo Collins, and Christine Evangelista.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: "Fear the Walking Dead" premiered on August 23, 2015. Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg serve as the showrunners since the fourth season, succeeding Erickson from the first three. In December 2021, the series was renewed for an eighth season. Initially set in Los Angeles, filming for the series has taken place in Los Angeles, Texas, Vancouver, Canada, and Mexico.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Set in Los Angeles, California and later in Mexico, the first three seasons of "Fear the Walking Dead" follow a dysfunctional, blended family composed of high school counselor Madison Clark, her English teacher fiancé Travis Manawa, her daughter Alicia, her drug addict son Nick, Travis' son from a previous marriage, Chris, Chris' mother Liza Ortiz, and others who join their group at the onset of the zombie apocalypse. They must reinvent themselves, learning new skills and adopting new attitudes in order to survive as civilization collapses around them.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Beginning in the fourth season, the series shifts focus toward Morgan Jones, a character from the original series, who encounters the group's surviving members and new survivors in Texas.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: The first season consists of six episodes. The second season, comprising 15 episodes, premiered on April 10, 2016. On April 15, 2016, AMC announced the series had been renewed for a 16-episode third season, which premiered on June 4, 2017. In April 2017, AMC renewed the series for a 16-episode fourth season and announced that Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg would replace the departing Dave Erickson as showrunners. The fourth season premiered on April 15, 2018. On July 28, 2018, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on June 2, 2019. On July 19, 2019, the series was renewed for a sixth season, which premiered on October 11, 2020. On December 3, 2020, the series was renewed for a seventh season, which premiered on October 17, 2021. In December 2021, the series was renewed for an eighth season which will premiere in 2023.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: In September 2013, AMC announced they were developing a companion series to "The Walking Dead", which follows a different set of characters created by Robert Kirkman. In September 2014, AMC ordered a pilot, which was written by Kirkman and Dave Erickson, and directed by Adam Davidson, and is executive produced by Kirkman, Erickson, Gale Anne Hurd, and David Alpert, with Erickson serving as showrunner. The project was originally known as "Cobalt"; Kirkman confirmed, in March 2015, that the series would be titled "Fear the Walking Dead". On March 9, 2015, AMC announced it had ordered "Fear the Walking Dead" to series, with a two-season commitment. The series premiered on August 23, 2015.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: In December 2014, the first four starring roles were cast: Kim Dickens as Madison Clark, the female lead; Cliff Curtis as Travis Manawa, the male lead; Frank Dillane as Nick; and Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia. In April and May 2015, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Mercedes Mason were announced as series regulars, both in unknown roles. In December 2015, it was announced that Colman Domingo was promoted to series regular.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: In March 2017, it was revealed that Daniel Sharman joined the cast as a series regular. In April 2017, several new actors were announced having joined the series, including Dayton Callie (reprising his guest role from the second season) and Sam Underwood, who, along with Daniel Sharman play members of the Otto family, and Lisandra Tena as Lola Guerrero.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: In November 2017, it was confirmed that Lennie James who portrays Morgan Jones on "The Walking Dead" would crossover and join the main cast in the fourth season. The fourth season also sees the additions of several new series regulars, played by Garret Dillahunt, Jenna Elfman, and Maggie Grace.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: In December 2018, it was reported that Rubén Blades, who last appeared in the series' third season, would return in the fifth season as Daniel Salazar. In January 2019, it was reported that Austin Amelio would join the cast as Dwight, who last appeared in the eighth season of "The Walking Dead". In March 2019, it was announced that Karen David had joined the main cast for the fifth season as Grace. In December 2019, it was announced that Zoe Colletti would join the main cast for the sixth season as Dakota, and that Mo Collins and Colby Hollman were promoted to series regulars. In December 2021, it was announced that Kim Dickens would return as Madison Clark in the seventh season, after last appearing in the fourth season where her character was believed to have been killed off.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Paul Haslinger composed the score for the series in its first three seasons. After Dave Erickson left at the end of the third season of the series, the show underwent major changes with the fourth season taking on a semi-reboot approach. Haslinger was replaced by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans beginning with the fourth season. The original title card composed by Atticus Ross was also replaced.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Production of the pilot episode began in early 2015 and ended on February 6, 2015. The pilot and early episodes were filmed in Los Angeles, including Woodrow Wilson High School; the remaining first-season episodes were filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Production on the remaining five first-season episodes began on May 11, 2015. Adam Davidson, who directed the pilot, also directed the series' second and third episodes.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Filming for the second season began in December 2015, with production moving to Baja California, Mexico. Locations included Rosarito (sea scenes and hotel) and Valle de Guadalupe (Abigail's vineyard). The sea scenes were filmed using a horizon tank at Baja Film Studios. An additional scene from the season one finale was filmed in The Sunken City, San Pedro, Los Angeles. Filming for the third season began on January 6, 2017, in Baja California, Mexico, with some of the same location sites used for the second half of season two. Additional locations in Tijuana Municipality included Avenida Revolución, Abelardo L. Rodríguez Dam and the hills that hosted the Otto's ranch.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Filming for the fourth season began in early 2018 in various locations around Austin, Texas, including the Dell Diamond baseball stadium in nearby Round Rock, the vacant Brackenridge Hospital in downtown Austin, and the flood-damaged Onion Creek neighborhood. Filming for the fifth season began in December 2018. It was also confirmed by the showrunners that the season would be filmed in New Braunfels, Texas.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: In March 2020, production for the sixth season was reported to have gone on a three-week hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The seventh season began filming in April 2021 in Texas, and wrapped in December 2021.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Production for the eighth season moved from Texas to Savannah, Georgia. In April 2022, co-showrunner Andrew Chambliss said they are in the planning stages of the season.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: On August 23, 2015, the series debuted simultaneously worldwide on: AMC in the U.S.; AMC Global in major regional markets in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East; and FX in Australia. Hulu holds the show's video on demand rights in the U.S., while Amazon Instant Video owns the streaming rights in Austria and Germany, and make episodes available online one day after their original airing. Streaming in the UK became available to Amazon Prime members in 2016.


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has a rating of 76%, based on 206 reviews, whose average rating is 6.75/10. The site's critical consensus reads, ""Fear the Walking Dead" recycles elements of its predecessor, but it's still moody and engrossing enough to compete with the original." On Metacritic, the season has a score of 66 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: Elisabeth Vincentelli of the "New York Post" rated the first two episodes three out of four stars, stating that "[They] are creepily suspenseful–they're great examples of how effective a slow pace and a moody atmosphere can be." Another positive review of the first episode came from Ken Tucker of Yahoo TV, who wrote, ""Fear the Walking Dead" is a mood piece, more artful than the original series" and that the cast is "terrific". Tim Goodman of "The Hollywood Reporter" wrote, "The 90-minute first episode and the hour-long second episode are, while not actually boring, certainly less magnetic than the original." Daniel Fienberg and Alan Sepinwall of HitFix reviewed the premiere episode, with Fienberg calling it "awful ... as bad as "The Walking Dead" has ever gotten at its very worst", while Sepinwall called his B− review "slightly generous".


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 70%, based on 223 reviews, whose average rating is 6.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads, ""Fear the Walking Dead" sets sail in its sophomore season with an intriguing backdrop that doesn't always disguise its deficiencies in comparison to its predecessor." On Metacritic, the season has a score of 54 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season has an approval rating of 84% based on 110 reviews, with an average rating of 7.25/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A distinctive ensemble brings a compelling flavor of "Fear the Walking Dead" mythos, but this ambitious spinoff still shares its originator's penchant longwinded pacing that may diminish the tension for some viewers." In his season review for IGN, Matt Fowler gave it an 8.2 out of 10, writing, ""Fear the Walking Dead" more solidly found its tone and voice this season by embracing the arid landscape, ramping up the human-on-human conflict, and rallying around Kim Dickens' anti-hero mom, Madison, as the driving character", and it is now "a better series overall than "The Walking Dead"".


title: Fear the Walking Dead

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth season has an approval rating of 80% based on 164 reviews, with an average rating of 6.85/10. The site's critical consensus reads, ""Fear the Walking Dead" shuffles onward confidently in its fourth season with a bevy of horrifying set-pieces and heartbreaking twists, but some viewers may be dispirited by the series' constant reshuffling of its characters." TVLine reevaluated the series for its fourth season, giving it a grade of a "B+". Reviewer Charlie Mason wrote, "it's gone from being an adequate stopgap between seasons of "The Walking Dead" to a show that's as good or arguably even better than the one from which it was spun off", stating that the season has had several genuine surprises in its storytelling.