The American Film Market is currently running in Santa Monica this week, which means we’ll probably be seeing lots of news and photos and posters over the next few days. ShockTillYouDrop got their hands on the very first teaser poster for Scream 4, which Dimension Films is currently readying to shoot next year. Most of this early artwork is just created to get investors and to sell the movie internationally, but it’s still cool to see how they’re selling it. In addition, screenwriter Kevin Williamson talked with MTV about the plot of the fourth film and where it’s going in this trilogy. If you’re a fan of the Scream series, then keep reading!

Before we get to the official synopsis found with the poster at AFM, let’s hear what Williamson had to say about Scream 4 and what he’s been writing, since we know very little about the actual plot. From MTV:

“The fourth one is an ensemble. It’ll take place right now, 10 years later, and it’s going to take place in [Sidney Prescott's hometown of] Woodsboro. We’ll have our three main characters, and we’ll be introducing several more. We’ll also be introducing a little group, a little ensemble of new castmembers. That’ll take us through the next three.”

We already know that Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell, and David Arquette are all set to return, but beyond that, they haven’t even chose a director. We reported in October that Dimension was supposedly close to getting Wes Craven back to direct Scream 4, but even the AFM material doesn’t list a director, so it sounds like they haven’t figured all of that out yet. Here’s what the AFM promo material did say about Scream 4:

“The horror series that reignited the genre and gross more than $500 million worldwide is back! From Kevin Williamson, creator of the original Scream trilogy, the new film sees the return of cast members Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, along with a group of new stars, who can all hopefully stay alive long enough to figure out the new rules to this one-of-a-kind horror franchise!”

Not only does the poster (seen below) say “new rules” but so does that description. So what new rules has Williamson come up with? I’m not the biggest fan of the Scream series, so I’m wondering what the rules of the original three movies were (I’m sure someone will answer that for me in the comments below), but now I’m a bit curious to know how they’re different this time. Can the killer not wear the same mask? Or can he only kill certain people? I doubt they’d have the killer wear a different mask, since it’s such an iconic part of this series, but what else big could they change? We’ll keep you updated, but only if you care to hear more!

In 1996, “Scream” came out of nowhere to bring the horror genre back from the dead like Michael Myers sitting up after a coat hanger to the eyeball. Acclaimed as the smartest horror film in years, it yielded a trilogy that would gross hundreds of millions of dollars and clear a path for dozens of self-aware genre flicks ranging from “Zombieland” to “Adaptation.”

Now, it’s getting ready to come back again for another stab.

“It’s going good,” said writer Kevin Williamson, giving us an exclusive update on the new trilogy (!) he’s writing. “I’ve gotta finish that baby.”

The series made box-office stars out of Neve Campbell, Jamie Kennedy and Skeet Ulrich as they were teamed alongside Drew Barrymore, Patrick Dempsey, Heather Graham and others in twisty, bloody plotlines. But according to Williamson, the new trilogy will only bring back three actors from the original series.

“The fourth one is an ensemble,” Williamson said of his “Scream 4″ script, which is being concurrently written with a fifth script as well. “It’ll take place right now, 10 years later, and it’s going to take place in [Sidney Prescott's hometown of] Woodsboro. We’ll have our three main characters, and we’ll be introducing several more.”

The three characters that will be returning are Sidney (Neve Campbell), Gale (Courteney Cox) and Dewey (David Arquette), Williamson confirmed, adding, “We’ll also be introducing a little group, a little ensemble of new castmembers. That’ll take us through the next three.”

Some might say that a new “Scream” movie couldn’t be as self-referential as the others, since self-aware entertainment has become so prevalent. But according to Williamson, he’s been writing plenty of spoof-heavy stuff into the “Scream 4″ script.

“I guess I’ll just have to be very aware of the fact that we’re a ’4′ and that we’re beating a dead dog. I’m going to make that very apparent in the dialogue,” laughed the writer/producer, who is also hard at work these days making “The Vampire Diaries” into a TV juggernaut.

“Come on,” he laughed. “It’s the age of the remake! And 3-D and all that [other horror fad material], can you imagine what ['Scream' movie-within-a-movie] ‘Stab 10′ is like?”

It seems that the new installment of a 90s horror staple might be adding another dimension. According to Bloody-Disgusting, The Weinstein Co. might be prepping Scream 4 to film in 3D.

The site is also reporting that franchise director Wes Craven is getting closer to directing the fourth film as well. Original Scream writer Kevin Williamson wrote the script and franchise staples Courteney Cox-Arquette, David Arquette and Neve Campbell have signed on for the new film.

We’ll be sure to keep you posted on any and all developments for Scream 4 as soon as we have more information.

Bob Weinstein has confirmed to Variety that Neve Campbell has signed to return as Sidney Prescott in Dimension Films’ Scream 4, which will start production in April or May. It will be the first film of a new trilogy and Wes Craven is in talks to direct once again. Campbell is joining returning stars Courteney Cox and David Arquette.

Weinstein also said that Robert Rodriguez is writing Spy Kids 4, which he will direct in 3D. The movie will be made in partnership with Disney and will start shooting in March.

Dimension is also planning to make Halloween 3D for an October 2010 release and is remaking the cult classic Children of the Corn.

Weinstein cited plans to shoot new Hellraiser and Scanners films in 3D. Also on the slate are remakes of Short Circuit and An American Werewolf in London.

Courteney Cox is “very excited” about making Scream 4.

The former Friends actress is treating her return to the slasher movie series as a chance for her and husband David Arquette to get romantic.

“I’m very excited. It will be fun,” says Courteney. “David and I are going to do it right back on the set where we first met. It’s going to be so exciting for us in many ways.”

Courteney’s character will reflect her real-life status in Scream 4– married with a child. But the actress insists she won’t have her real daughter, Coco, join the rest of the family on set. “I wouldn’t do that to her,” she says.

Cox, 45, recently admitted the tactic for any woman over 40 looking for love is to play the field — just like her pal and former costar Jennifer Aniston.

“You’ve just got to be willing to put yourself out there,” she said. “I’m sure it’s not easy but there are people in the same situation. You’re not alone.”

Courteney Cox, who is set to star in a fourth Scream movie, elaborated on a few details that were revealed by writer Kevin Williamson a couple of days ago about the sequel, which picks up the story 10 years after the events in 2000′s Scream 3. Cox will reprise the role of TV reporter Gale Weathers.
“She has a kid now,” Cox said in a group interview Saturday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif., where she was promoting her ABC show Cougar Town. “She’s married to Dewey.”
Scream 3 ended with Deputy Dewey (David Arquette, Cox’s real-life husband) proposing to local newswoman-turned-true-crime guru Gale. The characters bonded during their investigation of the first Scream murders, through the campus crimes of Scream 2 and the film-within-the-film of Scream 3.

Williamson previously described Scream 4 as the beginning of a new trilogy. Cox has no trepidations about beginning another three films. “No, because [I take things] one day at a time,” she said. “But I heard the idea for Scream 4, and it’s fantastic.”The Scream series tweaked the conventions of horror movies as film-obsessed killers terrorized teens a la their favorite slashers. Nearly a decade later, Cox said that she is ready for round four. “I’m excited,” she said. “It’ll be really fun.”
With Cox and Williamson both beginning new shows this season, Williamson expects to turn in a final draft for Scream 4 during hiatus and make final deals with cast and directors after that.