Laughter, Legacy, and the Wayans: Celebrities Shine at the Scary Movie Premiere

On June 3, a constellation of celebrities gathered at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles to debut Scary Movie, transforming the red carpet into a glamorous, star-studded affair with a delightfully eerie vibe.

At the forefront of the festivities were the film’s principal figures—Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans—who were joined by co-stars Anthony Anderson and Anna Faris. A number of other notable guests showed up to back the eagerly anticipated horror-comedy, including Lizzo, Carmen Electra, Backstreet Boys alum AJ McLean, and South African model Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni, to name just a few.

“It was like watching your child become a crackhead. It was just like, ‘But you got to let them—they got to go get that crack. They going to learn,’” he recalled. “They going to learn sooner or later but until they do, tack down the TVs. I’m still here. We going to be here when they’re ready to come home, but tack down the TV.” But we let it go. It wasn’t like when it came out, we didn’t even see the movie. Matter of fact, when I did part six, we didn’t look at part three, four, and five.”

Despite earlier tensions, the brothers ultimately chose to revisit the franchise, a decision deeply influenced by their late father, Howell Wayans, who passed away in 2023. According to Marlon, reuniting to work together was one of his father’s final wishes.

“My father told me before he passed, ‘You and your brothers should work together again,’” he called. “I looked at my dad on that hospital bed and I said, ‘Alright, for you…I promise.’”

The actor added:

“I think this movie is special, I think my dad saw the world needs to laugh again…and the world needs to come together in a theater, and just go and have a good time…I just hope that this helps brings back comedy.”

Lizzo

Lizzo captured everyone’s attention in an elegant black gown, complemented by a bold red lip and sun-kissed, beachy blonde waves. The Grammy-winning artist exuded effortless glamour as she posed with the Wayans siblings and Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni on the red carpet.

Although Lizzo does not appear in the film, she contributes to the soundtrack through a collaboration with Sexyy Red on the track “HOES.”

Marlon Wayans 

Marlon Wayans also delighted attendees by bringing his three-year-old daughter, Axl July Ivory, whom he shares with former partner Brittany Moreland, to the premiere. The night unfolded into a heartfelt family affair as Marlon posed for photos with his siblings Shawn Wayans, Keenen Wayans, and Kim Wayans, the latter flaunting a lavender fishtail gown that flattered her figure during the celebration.

Marlon, Kim Wayans, Shawn Wayans

Family remains a central theme both on screen and behind the scenes in the newest installment of the Scary Movie franchise. Scary Movie 6 marks the first occasion in almost twenty years that Marlon, Shawn, and Keenen Wayans have reunited to craft and shepherd a fresh chapter in the beloved horror-comedy series. It is their first collaboration on the franchise since Scary Movie (2000) and Scary Movie 2 (2001). The brothers are producing the film alongside Rick Alvarez, with Michael Tiddes directing.

In a May 26 interview with GQ, Marlon reflected on how difficult it was to watch later Scary Movie installments move forward without the Wayans family’s involvement following disagreements with the Weinstein brothers.

Marlon asserted that they “didn’t want to make” a fair “deal and they didn’t want to pay for the jokes.”

Anthony Anderson

Anthony Anderson, who attended the premiere with his new partner, television host Rocsi Diaz, expressed enthusiasm about finally collaborating with the Wayans family on a Scary Movie project.

Anderson, 55, previously appeared as Mahalik in Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4 in the mid-2000s. While speaking with People on the Beverly Hills red carpet during the Peabody Awards on May 31—just days before the Los Angeles premiere—he revealed that he initially joined those films unaware that the original creators were no longer involved.

“It’s great,” Anderson says of the franchise’s new entry, which hits theaters on June 5. “You know, when I took the job for Scary Movie 3, I was excited about doing the job because I thought I’d be working with my friends Marlon and Shawn and the entire Wayans family. I had no idea that they had left the franchise, and this [was] now just a Miramax production. So for me to do Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4, it was great to do that, but I thought I was going to be doing it with my friends.”

He continued:

“And then they went on to do Scary Movie 5, and then Marlon wrestled the franchise back into the family name, and I was one of his first phone calls to make,” Anderson says. “He was like, ‘Yo, Ant, you want to be down in Scary Movie 6?’ I was like, ‘Hell yeah, it’s about time we get to work together.’”

According to the actor, filming went so smoothly that he hinted a seventh installment might already be in the works, with hopes of bringing back familiar faces from across the franchise’s history.

“I can’t tell you what’s happening in the film, but you’re going to be thoroughly entertained. I can tell you this, no holds are barred,” he added.

Anna Faris

Anna Faris, famed for her iconic portrayal of Cindy Campbell—the perpetually jittery yet endearingly funny heroine—exuded elegance and laid-back charm on the red carpet. She wore a black sequined gown with tasteful cutouts at the waist, completing the look with sleek black sunglasses.

Deon Cole

Comedian and actor Deon Cole stepped out in a relaxed denim ensemble for his red-carpet appearance.

Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra, famed for her role as Drew Decker in the iconic opening sequence of Scary Movie (2000), commanded attention on the red carpet on June 3 in a sheer gown embellished with intricate beading and a flowing chiffon fishtail train.

AJ McLean

Backstreet Boys alum AJ McLean kept his look cool and low-key, pairing a white cotton shirt with a brown fedora and relaxed-fitting trousers.

Gregg Wayans

Gregg Wayans—nephew of the Wayans clan and son of their elder sister Diedre—stepped out in bold style as he promotes his funny role as Brad Meeks in the movie. He wore a black-and-white jacket adorned with graphic motifs, delivering a look that was casual yet striking.

The Scary Movie premiere promised a night of pure entertainment. Will you head to theaters when it releases on June 5? Share your plans in the comments.