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Scream Directors Reveal Original Stars Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard Have Cameos in 5th Movie

Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard
Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard

Miramax/Kobal/Shutterstock (2) Drew Barrymore (L) and Matthew Lillard in Scream (1996)

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Scream (2022).

Drew Barrymore and Matthew Lillard's characters may not have survived past the first Scream movie 25 years ago, but their voices live on.

In a new interview with Bloody Disgusting published Thursday, the fifth installment's co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett revealed that both actors did return — just not in the flesh.

"Matthew Lillard does the voice of flamethrower Ghostface, 'This s--- is lit,' " said Gillett, referring to the take on the villain in the trailer for the Stab 8 movie-within-a-movie.

Lillard, 51, also spoke a line at the party scene — fitting, since it takes place in the same location as the party in the first film: the home of Lillard's original character, Stu Macher.

"There's a line when Amber's walking through the party — there's a couple right before she turns into the kitchen — and Matthew Lillard's [automated dialogue replacement] is 'Cool house, Freeman,' which we thought was funny because it's his house," said Bettinelli-Olpin.

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Scream 2022
Scream 2022

BROWNIE HARRIS/ Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group Ghostface in Scream (2022)

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As for Barrymore, whose character Casey Becker is famously (and shockingly) killed off in the first scene of the original film, "She is the principal making announcements at the beginning of the movie when the camera pans down from the tree to find our new cast at the picnic tables," executive producer Chad Villella told Bloody Disgusting.

The scene plays out right after Tara (Jenna Ortega) is attacked in the opening sequence, just like Barrymore's Casey. "We thought that was fun too because that's the same first scene after her death in the original," said Bettinelli-Olpin.

Other Scream franchise stars whose voices can be heard to eagle-eared listeners? Adam Brody, Hayden Panettiere and Henry Winkler, who toast "to Wes" at the party in the film — no doubt a double-entendre nod to both the character who dies in the movie (played by Dylan Minnette) and the late director of the horror series' first four films, Wes Craven.

"Then we got Jamie Kennedy to come back," Gillett said. "He does the line, 'Someone's goofy ass dad is kicking us out at the party.' "

RELATED VIDEO: Drew Barrymore Reunites with Scream Costars Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Neve Campbell on Her Show

Scream sees the return of veterans Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox alongside a slew of franchise newcomers including Ortega, 19, Minnette, 25, Jack Quaid, Mikey Madison, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown and In the Heights star Melissa Barrera.

Other familiar faces include Marley Shelton as Sheriff Judy Hicks — and Skeet Ulrich, who makes a live-action return for the first time since the original film as Stu's co-conspirator Billy Loomis, in visions experienced by one of the main characters.

"Honestly, all the nods to all the involvement of the original cast, I think is something that we wanted to take into consideration when we were making this. Let's get everybody back. Let's bring back as many people as we can," Villella told Bloody Disgusting.

"Once we knew Skeet and Billy were coming back, really, we can layer in the voices of these other actors in a way," he added. "I mean, honestly, we're dedicating this move [sic] for Wes. We should include everybody from the entire Scream family."

Scream is playing now in theaters.