Lucy Hale, Shenae Grimes, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Aimee Teegarden and Brittany Robertson. Those six actors can be seen just within the first five minutes of the newest movie in the “Scream” franchise, “Scream 4.” Talk about an all star cast; added to that star-studded line-up is a whole new generation of actors such as Rory Culkin, Nico Tortorella, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody, Hayden Panettiere and Emma Roberts. Along with the younger cast, the originals have returned as well; Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and of course Neve Campbell are back reprising the same roles as they did over 10 years ago.

When news first broke last year that there was going to be another “Scream” many people were quick to doubt that it would measure up the three already released years ago. Older generations doubted that the new, young cast would be able to have the acting chops to hold “Scream 4” up to its original’s legacy. Although “Scream” is more known for its comedy as well as its scares, critics were up in arms that the newest movie would flop.

With original director and “master of horror” Wes Craven on board, along with three original cast members, original writer Kevin Williamson decided to sign on as writer of the fourth movie. The director-writer duo promised that “Scream 4” would live up to everyone’s expectations and even change people’s minds about the series of movies as  a whole.

The movie starts off with a different twist to an old storyline. As Drew Barrymore famously played the first girl to die in the first “Scream,” Lucy Hale (“Pretty Little Liars”) and Shenae Grimes (“90210”) are the frontrunners to fill Drew Barrymore’s shoes, although Williamson is quick to write a twist that will have audience members already trying to figure out what’s happening. Anna Paquin (“True Blood”) and Kristen Bell (“Veronica Mars,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) are also part of the opening sequence in another twist, yet this one is comical, bringing back to “Scream” what fans had already loved about the comedy-horror.

Although Neve Campbell is back as the main character Sydney Prescott, it’s Emma Roberts who takes on the new lead as Sydney’s cousin, Jill Roberts. Sydney returns back to Woodsboro after 10 years and some deep soul searching, which led her to writing a book about finding her way out of the darkness and into the light. The day that she returns, Ghostface returns as well and begins to kill random teenage girls at Jill’s school and also calls Jill and some of her friends.

The story of “Scream 4” is set up almost the same way as the original “Scream.” The teenagers of Woodsboro High begin to get phone calls from a mysterious voice asking the infamous question, “What’s your favorite scary movie?” Slowly, friends close to Jill begin dying horrible deaths while the threats become worse. The standout character in Jill’s circle of friends is Kirby, Jill’s no-nonsense, fierce best friend played by Hayden Panettiere in one of her best performances yet; Panettiere did an outstanding job. Kirby, although not Ghostface’s immediate target, is fearless of anything that comes her way.

Just like in the first “Scream” with the mysterious-could-be-the-killer boyfriend of Sydney, Jill also has a boyfriend Trevor, played by up and comer Nico Tortorella, who gives off the creepy vibe that he could be the killer. But, just like the other movies in the franchise, Williamson and Craven know how to keep the audience guessing as to who the killer could be.

Keeping the original movies in mind, “Scream 4” lives up to most of its expectations and is considerably better than “Scream 2;” Although to say it was better than the first “Scream” would be a little bit of an exaggeration. The new cast of actors clearly hold their own in the movie, but Courteney Cox gives them a run for their money with her fiery reprisal role as Gale Weathers. Side note: In the movie Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale are having marital problems; funny how real life plays out in the movies.

“Scream 4” will make audiences laugh, jump and keep them guessing the whole time, just with different twists and a bit of new technology thrown in there too, to make the guessing that much more harder.