The Scary Movie franchise became the flagbearer for the spoof movie genre, which excelled by parodying iconic horror movies. The film series became a pop culture phenomenon through the 2000s and still commands a special place in the heart of horror-comedy enthusiasts. However, a major chunk of the credit for the franchise’s success goes to its wacky characters and the actors who made the portrayal memorable.

Contributions - especially from the Wayans Brothers: Keenan Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans, who were responsible for creating and writing the initial two installments - were the most significant in positioning the movies as a legacy for the future sequels.

But their unceremonious exit from the franchise after just two movies is what still annoys the fans of the franchise, hopefully to be ceased with the latest update. 

The Wayans Brothers - Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Keenen Ivory Wayans - are making a comeback after more than 20 years to bring back the daring humor of the brand. In April 2024, a new Scary Movie was announced, and by October, the brothers had publicly disclosed they would co-write the screenplay. But why did they leave in the first place?

“It was tough to walk away, but we felt like we had to protect our voice,” said Marlon Wayans in a 2024 interview on Foxy 106.9.

After the first two movies, they left Miramax due to creative disagreements. Marlon Wayans noted that the family got a terrible deal for the first film on Shannon Sharpe's podcast, Club Shay Shay. Miramax snatched the concept and gave it to someone else without telling them when negotiations for Scary Movie 3 broke down. As a result, their departure was caused by unjust treatment, lack of creative authority, and contract issues.

Marlon Wayans discussed their return after 25 years in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2025, citing the end of the Weinstein era, support from their father, Howell Stouten Wayans, and divine direction. The brothers have now been given the credit they deserve and have once again taken back their roles.

Notably, Marlon and Shawn Wayans were not the only leads to leave the franchise; there were two others.

While Anna Faris and Regina Hall did leave the franchise after Scary Movie 4, it was nothing like what happened to the Wayans Brothers. The exact reason behind their exit is not very clear, but it is reportedly due to the studio wanting to revamp the whole franchise with Scary Movie 5.

Now, they are back to their iconic roles with the Wayans Brothers, and on March 2, 2026, the first trailer for Scary Movie 6 was released online, which gave a similar feel of nostalgia packaged in a new wrap of crazy. It teased parodies of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream, Heretic, Get Out, and Nope, giving a preview of the horror-parody tone of the movie, embellished with the same old faces. 

Not Just Another Scary Movie: Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Anna Faris on the Art of Perfect Parody

Are you excited to see the original gang reunite for Scary Movie 6? Share your thoughts in the comments.