Scary Movie, the 2000 horror-comedy film, was a box office success and went on to become a cult classic. The film was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by his brothers, Shawn and Marlon Wayans, along with several other writers. Scary Movie was a parody of popular horror films such as Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Blair Witch Project.
The Sale of Scary Movie
Rumors have circulated for years that the Wayans sold their interest in the Scary Movie franchise after the first film’s success. However, these rumors are not entirely accurate.
In 1999, Dimension Films approached the Wayans brothers about creating a comedy based on popular horror films. The Wayans agreed to write and direct the film for a budget of $19 million. They were also given creative control over casting and marketing.
After the release of Scary Movie in July 2000, it became an instant hit at the box office. It grossed over $278 million worldwide against its $19 million budget. Given its success, it was only natural that Dimension Films would want to continue with sequels.
The Sequels
The Wayans brothers did not direct or write any of the sequels to Scary Movie. However, they did have involvement in some capacity with each sequel.
- Scary Movie 2: The sequel was released in 2001 and was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans’ frequent collaborator, Keenen’s brother Damon Wayans. Shawn and Marlon were credited as executive producers on the project.
- Scary Movie 3: The third installment was released in 2003 and was directed by David Zucker.
The Wayans brothers did not have any involvement in the film.
- Scary Movie 4: The fourth installment was released in 2006 and was directed by David Zucker once again.
- Scary Movie 5: The fifth and final installment of the Scary Movie franchise was released in 2013. The Wayans brothers did not have any involvement with this film.
The Sale of Scary Movie Rights
The Wayans brothers did not sell their interest in the Scary Movie franchise. However, they did sell their rights to the characters and storylines they created for the first film.
In 2003, Dimension Films acquired the rights to the Scary Movie franchise from Miramax Films. As part of that deal, Dimension Films acquired all rights to the characters and storylines created by the Wayans brothers for the first film.
This means that while Shawn and Marlon were credited as executive producers on some of the sequels, they did not have creative control over those films. Additionally, any profits made from those sequels would not have gone directly to them.
In Conclusion
The Wayans brothers did not sell their interest in the Scary Movie franchise after its success. Instead, they sold their rights to the characters and storylines they created for the first film. While they were involved as executive producers on some of the sequels, they did not have creative control over those films.
Despite not being involved with all of the sequels, Scary Movie will always be associated with Keenen Ivory, Shawn, and Marlon Wayans. Their unique brand of humor and satire helped to make the first film a cult classic that is still enjoyed by audiences today.
