Anna Faris is opening up about her return to the “Scary Movie” franchise, describing it as a meaningful moment in her career. The actress rose to fame following her portrayal of Cindy Campbell in 2000’s “Scary Movie,” which paved the way for her Hollywood career.
In 2020, the actress stepped back from work to focus on her family, but she is now grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with the Wayans brothers and to once again reprise the role that helped define her career.
Marlon, Shawn, and Keenen Wayans have reclaimed control of the “Scary Movie” franchise, two decades after they were allegedly pushed out of their own creation. The upcoming instalment, the sixth in the franchise, has the original cast members reuniting to parody horror movies and pop culture.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Anna Faris, who reprises her role as “final girl” Cindy Campbell, shared how meaningful the opportunity was, both professionally and personally. “I had been coming around to the idea of Hollywood sort of putting me out to pasture. And that was okay,” Faris said, describing her career trajectory before she got the offer for “Scary Movie 6.”
The Actress Lost Touch With The Wayans Brothers
Faris lost her home during the devastating Palisades Fire in 2025. Just a month later, however, she received a call from Marlon about the movie. “With the house burning down, there was a lot of taking stock. So to have this opportunity to thank them — I got to thank them every day. They were probably really annoyed with me,” Faris shared.
Admittedly, Faris said the call was the first time she had spoken to any of the Wayans brothers since they worked together on “Scary Movie 2,” the last movie in the franchise they were involved in. As previously reported by The Blast, Marlon claims the Weinstein brothers “stripped” the franchise from them, and they were in no way involved in the third, fourth, and fifth films.
Faris returned for “Scary Movie 3” and “Scary Movie 4,” and despite wanting to reach out to the Wayans brothers, she had reservations. “I had always wanted to. But honestly, I didn’t know if they were mad at me,” Faris confessed.
In an interview, Marlon said he didn’t take Faris’ involvement in the other films personally, adding that he was simply glad she was part of the sixth instalment.
‘Scary Movie’ Launched Anna Faris’ Career
Faris was an aspiring novelist who completed her degree in literature in 1999. While studying, she did acting gigs for extra income. After graduating, however, she gave professional acting a shot, and “Scary Movie” was her first audition in Hollywood.
The first movie was a critical and commercial success, and it skyrocketed Faris’ career. Apart from being in four “Scary Movie” films, the actress also starred in several movies, including “The House Bunny,” “What’s Your Number?” “Overboard,” “Just Friends,” and “The Dictator.” She also lent her voice to animated movies, such as “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” and “The Emoji Movie.”
The Actress Took An Unintentional Sabbatical
In 2013, Faris was cast as one of the lead characters in the Chuck Lorre sitcom “Mom,” alongside Allison Janney. After Season 7, however, Faris announced her sudden departure from the show, citing a desire “to pursue other opportunities.” The show continued for one more season without Faris before ending in 2020.
The actress didn’t entirely exit from acting, but she became more selective of her projects. In a 2023 interview with PEOPLE, Faris said she stepped back from work to spend more quality time with her son. “I kind of took my foot off the gas and I spent a lot of time with my son. It felt really good. It wasn’t conscious, but sort of a sabbatical, I guess,” she explained.
Anna Faris Said Returning To ‘Scary Movie’ Was ‘Healing’
Faris was not part of “Scary Movie 5” because the studio opted for a younger cast, choosing Ashley Tisdale as the lead instead. In April, Faris shared how shocked she was to learn that there would be a sixth movie in the “Scary Movie” franchise, and, more importantly, that she would be reunited with her former castmates.
“I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that there was a world where I would be feeling so good about doing ‘Scary Movies’… It’s a little, I wish I had a better word, but healing. We got back together again. And that in and of itself is, for me, a personal celebration,” Faris said.
The sixth instalment in the franchise, titled “Scary Movie,” will be released in theatres on June 5.
