Anna Faris Reveals MAGA Joke That Was Cut From ‘Scary Movie’

Given how much time has passed since the last Scary Movie hit theaters, it’s unsurprising that some jokes ended up on the cutting room floor for the long-awaited sequel. The satirical horror series thrived in parodying whatever trends in the genre were popular at the time. However, the franchise hasn’t had a film release since 2013, meaning that the writers and director of this latest Scary Movie had 13 years’ worth of tropes, imagery, and stories to work from. Coupled with the many well-received, now-iconic horror releases from that period, you get a new entry that isn’t short on spoof material.

With so much material to possibly use, Scary Movie ended up leaving at least one joke out of the film. In an exclusive interview with MovieWeb, Anna Faris, the film’s star, spoke about a joke intended to poke fun at right-wing conservatives that didn’t make it into the movie. In her description, Faris says this joke alludes to Cindy being a “quarantined, lonely person,” harkening back to the post-COVID conspiracy trends. Despite how much Faris enjoyed the bit and how it showcased her character’s evolution, it did not make the final cut:

“There was a scene where we see Cindy Campbell as the frazzled blonde — you know, down the MAGA rabbit hole. And I’m getting wasted in my truck, of course. I’m drinking first from a tiny little shot glass, then from a flask, then from a keg, and then I’m making a margarita. There’s a whole bit. And then I looked into the rearview mirror, and I tried to straighten up, and I said, ‘Be best, Cindy Campbell. Be best.’ I really wanted to make it, but I don’t think it did. I liked Cindy Campbell being a good reflector, I think, of that quarantined, lonely person.”

More than anything, Anna Faris believes that this new Scary Movie is a return to form (despite what some reviewers might say), particularly because of the return of the Wayans brothers. The duo were credited as writers on the first two Scary Movie films, and did not contribute to the franchise after the 2001 sequel. So, while it has been 13 years since the last Scary Movie, it’s also been 25 years since one was written by the Wayans brothers, who Faris believes were perfect to help bring these parody movies back to the forefront of the comedy genre:

“The Wayans brothers have always had an electric brand of currency — I mean, truly. When Scary Movie hit theaters in the year 2000, it was like a cultural earthquake. It was a moment. It was hysterical and shocking, too, and uproarious, and a communal experience. I think the Wayans brothers have always brought that. And when we get asked what has changed with comedy in the last 25 years, the Wayans brothers usually answer by saying social media… Their approach, from my perspective, felt exactly the same with this movie as it did with the first two, and they got their franchise back.”