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The horror genre hasn\u2019t been the same<\/a> since Ghostface asked Drew Barrymore<\/strong><\/a> that question in 1996. Three sequels and one TV spinoff later<\/a>, the Scream<\/em> franchise isn\u2019t going anywhere.<\/p>\n The first Scream<\/em> film debuted in December, a month usually reserved for awards contenders and family-friendly holiday fare. Even so, it became a runaway hit, and some critics credited it with revitalizing interest in horror movies.<\/p>\n Inspired by a real-life series<\/a> of murders in Florida, Scream<\/em> follows a group of high school students as they battle a mask-wearing serial killer known only as Ghostface. Barrymore, then one of the most in-demand young actresses in Hollywood, originally signed on to play the lead role of Sidney Prescott (later taken by Neve Campbell<\/strong><\/a>), but she switched to the much smaller part of Casey Becker after scheduling conflicts arose.<\/p>\n Casey famously dies in the opening of the movie, but the filmmakers saw the Never Been Kissed<\/em> actress\u2019 quick exit as a storytelling bonus. If a star as big as Barrymore could be killed off so fast, then it meant that any of the characters<\/a> could end up dead at any time.<\/p>\n