Mountain Brook's Courteney Cox Returns To Screens In 'Scream'

HOLLYWOOD —Actress Courteney Cox, a 1982 graduate of Mountain Brook High, has returned to the big screen in Paramount Pictures' "Scream," which opened nationwide on Friday.

The movie is the fifth installment of the franchise that began in 1996, and it is projected to make between $25 million to $30 million in ticket sales during the opening, three-day weekend, according to Comscore.

In fact, CNBC suggested "Scream" has a chance to topple "Spider-Man: No Way Home" at the domestic, weekend box office. The superhero film has held the top spot for four weeks since its December release.

Cox, 57, is one of three stars of the original "Scream," who has returned for the latest film. Neve Campbell (as Sidney Prescott) and David Arquette (as Dewey Riley) also are back. The film, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, also features Dylan Minnette, Melissa Barrera, Jack Quaid, Mikey Madison, Mason Gooding, Sonia Ammar and Jasmin Savoy Brown.

Cox recently spoke to Parade magazine about how she felt returning to the set with a few of her "Scream" co-stars —including her ex-husband Arquette —but without the film's original director Wes Craven, who died in 2015.

"It was such an emotional thing to come back," Cox said, "I had the same feeling when I walked on the set of "Friends" (for the reunion). I got really teary-eyed then too."

Cox also said she enjoyed working with a whole new group of actors.

"They're all top-notch actors who were so excited to be there, and (there was) no complaining over the sticky (special-effects) blood," Cox said.

Cox added about the film: "It's nuanced, and it's funny, and you have no idea who the killer is."

Locally, "Scream" is playing in several theaters, including:

• Phoenix Theaters the Edge 12 Birmingham, 7001 Crestwood Blvd. in Birmingham
• Birmingham PREMIERE LUX Ciné GSX & Pizza Pub, 501 Lakeshore Pkwy. in Birmingham
• AMC Summit 16, 321 Summit Blvd. in Birmingham
• AMC DINE-IN Vestavia Hills 10, 1911 Kentucky Ave. in Vestavia Hills
• Regal Trussville, 5895 Trussville Crossings Pkwy. in Birmingham