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[This story contains spoilers for Scary Movie 6.]
Within two weeks of release, Michael Tiddes’ Scary Movie (2026) is already the third-highest grossing installment in the Wayans brothers’ parody franchise that’s been dormant since 2013.
The six-film series — which launched with 2000’s Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer send-up, Scary Movie — has now accumulated over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, cementing its status as the most successful parody/spoof property in cinematic history. On a modest $30 million budget, the sixth installment scored a franchise-record opening weekend of $55 million, delivering a much-needed win for theatrical comedies after their sharp decline that began around 2016. Furthermore, Scary Movie 6 represents a triumphant homecoming for the Wayans family after the Weinsteins’ Dimension/Miramax unceremoniously ousted them from the franchise they created following Scary Movie 2 (2001).
Tiddes, who honed his comedic and horror chops during the early days of YouTube, also climbed the ranks of the Wayans’ inner circle at the same time. He worked as an assistant to the brothers’ writing/producing partner, Rick Alvarez, on their post-Scary Movie 2 films, White Chicks (2004) and Little Man (2006). Those experiences eventually turned into a chance to direct the Wayans’ 2013 found-footage parody, A Haunted House, which grossed $60 million against a $1.5 million budget. That opportunity led to five more directorial outings including the most recent Scary Movie.
