The first Scary Movie poster said, right there on the film poster, “no sequels”. That was 2000. Twenty-six years, five follow-up films, one franchise removal, and one comeback later, Marlon and Shawn Wayans were standing on a red carpet at Regal Cinemas in Atlanta’s Atlantic Station promoting Scary Movie 6, a film that, by every commercial logic, should not exist.
They are aware of the irony. They are clearly enjoying it.
“If you look at the first poster of Scary Movie, it says, ‘No sequels,’” Shawn shared in our interview. Marlon picked it up immediately: “We should have wrote, we lied. On the next one, Scary Movie 7, we die.” Shawn: “Cross that out.”
That is Wayans’ energy at its purest. And it is the energy Atlanta received when the brothers brought Scary Movie 6 to the city for a creator screening.
What makes Scary Movie 6 more than just another franchise installment is the story behind how it got made. Marlon and Shawn created the original Scary Movie in 2000, co-wrote the first two films, and played Shorty Meeks and Ray Wilkins respectively in one of the most successful comedy franchises in Hollywood history.
Then, after Scary Movie 2, they were removed from the franchise. Scary Movies 3, 4, and 5 were made without them. The series continued, the Wayans name remained attached as creators, and Marlon and Shawn watched from the outside.
Now they are back, with the Core Four reunited for the first time in over two decades. Anna Faris returns as Cindy Campbell. Regina Hall is back as Brenda Meeks. Marlon is Shorty again. Shawn is Ray again. And the film they have made together targets every horror trend of the last decade with the machine-gun joke delivery that the franchise was built on: reboots, requels, prequels, elevated horror, origin stories, every “final chapter” that was absolutely not final. Nothing is sacred.
When we caught up with both brothers during the Atlanta press stop, Marlon was direct about what distinguishes Scary Movie 6 from the earlier installments. “I think what’s different is the movies that we’re parodying are different kinds of movies because it’s more elevated comedy. I mean, elevated horror. So therefore, it has to be somewhat elevated comedy, but I do think it’s still simple and funny.”
The film was shot at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, and the city has been central to both the production and the promotional rollout. Marlon has spoken publicly about considering making Atlanta his permanent base as he builds his production company, a man who has been coming to the city for 30 years and has watched it become one of the most significant production hubs in American entertainment.
On the question of whether this is truly the last one, the brothers gave the only honest answer available. “If this hits, we’ll be back at it,” Shawn said. Marlon’s response was two words: “Damn right.”
Scary Movie 6 opens in theaters June 5. Check out the full interview.
