Scream is a 1996 film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin
Williamson. The film revitalized the slasher film genre in the mid
1990s, similar to the impact Halloween (1978) had on late 1970s film,
by using a standard concept with a tongue-in-cheek approach that
successfully combined straightforward scares with dialogue that
satirized slasher film conventions. The film features many teen idols
of the time, including: Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Drew
Barrymore, Matthew Lillard, David Arquette and Courteney Cox Arquette
(then at the height of her Friends fame).

Scream became a major
commercial success upon its release, and was one of the highest
grossing films of 1996. It was also highly acclaimed by many critics
worldwide, who appreciated the film's tongue-in-cheek approach. It
received an 86% rating at rottentomatoes.com.[1] As a result it spawned
two sequels, Scream 2 and Scream 3. A fourth film was officially
announced by The Weinstein Company in July 2008.