Cox attended the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend to premiere her second directorial feature, “Evil Genius.”

Courteney Cox thinks she should direct Scream 8: ‘Nobody knows more about that movie than I do’

Cox attended the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend to premiere her second directorial feature, “Evil Genius.”

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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September 13, 2026 7:59 p.m. ET

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Courteney Cox in ‘Scream VI’. Credit:

Brownie Harris/ Paramount Pictures

- Courteney Cox says she’s the best choice to direct *Scream 8*.

- “I think I should, honestly. Nobody knows more about that movie than I do,” Cox explained at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.

- Cox attended TIFF for the world premiere of her true crime thriller *Evil Genius*, which stars David Harbour and Patricia Arquette.

Courteney Cox is the only actor to appear in all seven films in the *Scream** *franchise (*appear *being the operative word, *Scream *superfans — Roger L. Jackson only *voiced *the slasher in all seven films). Isn’t it time she took a stab at the helm?

“I think I should, honestly. Nobody knows more about that movie than I do,” Cox enthused during an interview with *Deadline Hollywood** *at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday. Cox was asked if she’d ever consider taking the director’s reins on a *Scream *sequel, namely the forthcoming eighth entry in the horror franchise. Her response was as unambiguous as it was affirmative.

Cox conceded that, of course, she isn’t the singular authority on all things *Scream*, pointing to “the creator and the writers and Wes Craven and everyone who’s been in it. But I think it’d be great and fun and it’d be a good publicity thing. Get on it!”

In terms of seniority, series star Neve Campbell is right up there with Cox, though she did bow out of *Scream VI*, citing a salary dispute. Campbell has also never directed a film, while Cox is going on her second. The *Friends *star was in Toronto for the world premiere of her new true crime thriller*, Evil Genius*, which stars David Harbour and Patricia Arquette.

Cox also directed the Seann William Scott comedy *Just Before I Go *in 2014.

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The first four entries in the slasher franchise were directed by horror maestro Wes Craven. Since then, it’s been a revolving door of talent stepping up to fill the *Scream *director’s chair.

The man who developed the series and wrote *Scream*, *Scream 2*, and *Scream 4*, Kevin Williamson, took the lead for the recent *Scream 7*, while *Ready or Not *directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett took on *Scream 5 *(simply titled *Scream*) and *Scream 6*.

After *Scream 7 *proved a commercial hit (despite largely negative reviews), an eighth entry was quickly greenlit at its longtime production home of Spyglass Media Group. The film has even found writers in Lilla and Nora Zuckerman, best known for showrunning Peacock’s *Poker Face*, as well as their writing and executive producing credits on series like* Suits *and* Fringe* (and that canceled* Buffy *revival)*.*

Courteney Cox and David Arquette in ‘Scream’.

Dimension Films/ Everett

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Were Cox to step up to direct *Scream 8*, it would mark the first woman-dominated creative crew behind any film in the franchise. It would be a bit of fitting symmetry for a franchise powered so totally on screen by its female stars, including Cox, Campbell, Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, and the late Hayden Panettiere, who starred in *Scream 4 *and *Scream 6*.

Drew Barrymore could even lend her talents to a Cox-era *Scream*, as she recently pitched an idea to bring back the iconic character she opened the franchise with for *Scream 8*. Barrymore’s Casey Becker was slashed to ribbons at the beginning of *Scream*, but Barrymore joked in April, “I’m pretty sure a C-section is comparable to what happened to her... Like, literally. And I’m here! I’m fine! So, maybe Casey Becker will be okay.”

- Horror Movies

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Horror”