10-Year Wait Over: Marlon Wayans Returns to His Funniest Role in "Scary Movie 6"

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After nearly twenty years, the Wayans brothers are reuniting once again. Marlon has confirmed he'll be returning to his iconic role as Shorty in the sixth installment of "Scary Movie."

To get into character, the actor dropped 20 pounds (about 9 kg): "I didn't want to show up on set looking like a football player after filming 'The Other Guys' (in the 2025 film, Marlon played a football player). Shorty needs to look funny to audiences, not weird."

New Installment Plot

"Scary Movie 6" hits theaters June 12, 2026. The film promises a return to its roots—with ruthless parodies of fresh horror hits. On the chopping block: "Longlegs," "Heretic," "Get Out," and "Nope."

According to Wayans, the new installment will be "a conversation with entire generations of viewers who grew up on different movies," meaning they'll tailor the humor for today's audiences.
A man in a white mask and a man in a red sweater talking on the phone with smiles
Scenes from the first "Scary Movie"
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Other franchise favorites are returning to their roles too—Regina Hall (Brenda) and Anna Faris (Cindy). Wayans hinted that the studio's in talks with other actors, but they're keeping those names under wraps for now.

How the Humor Will Change

The movie world and audiences have evolved, and even the Wayans brothers get that. "We've always made humor for everyone and about everyone," Marlon tells Ew.com. "The main thing is laughing together. Sometimes someone might get offended, but the goal isn't to hurt—it's to let go and see the funny side."

The creators promise "equal opportunity" comedy: jokes about everyone, no exceptions. That's exactly how "White Chicks" and the first "Scary Movie" films worked—and that's what fans are waiting for.

Franchise History

The first "Scary Movie" dropped in 2000 and instantly became a phenomenon. With just a $19 million budget, the film raked in over $278 million according to Wikipedia. The success formula was simple: the Wayans brothers took the then-fresh "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and flipped them upside down, adding raunchy humor, absurdity, and recognizable characters.
A group of people in colorful clothing sitting in a movie theater
Poster for the first "Scary Movie"
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Sequels kept coming: 2001 brought "Scary Movie 2," then the third and fourth installments that turned the franchise into the symbol of 2000s parody cinema. But after the Wayans brothers left, the project started losing steam: the fifth installment (2013) bombed with critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, it scored a brutal 4% "fresh" rating.

Without the brothers, the franchise lost its edge. But now "Scary Movie" has a shot at becoming a cult comedy for a new generation again. Earlier, we at zoomboola.com covered the filming of a new movie starring Dwayne Johnson.