Scary Movie 6 has Jordan Peele’s blessing: ‘He understands comedy’

It’s been 13 long years since the Scary Movie franchise was in theaters, and a shocking 25 years since its creators, the Wayans Brothers, appeared in Scary Movie 2 before getting pushed out of their own series by studio executives. Now, after returning to reclaim their throne, Marlon and Shawn Wayans are set to star in Scary Movie 6, which they also co-wrote.

With so much horror history to catch up on, the Wayans had their pick of scary movies to spoof, and a trailer for Scary Movie 6 features parodies of recent classics like Sinners, M3GAN, and Get Out. On that last one, Marlon Wayans tells Polygon they even got director Jordan Peele’s blessing: “He was actually excited about the possibility of us doing something.”

For Polygon’s 2026 Summer Preview, we caught up with Marlon and Shawn Wayans to find out what we can expect from Scary Movie 6, which movies they were excited to spoof, and how their characters evolved over the 25 years since we last saw them. (Spoiler alert: they haven’t, but that’s OK).

Polygon: Marlon, did acting in last year’s horror-tinged Him inspire you to make Scary Movie 6?

Marlon Wayans: No, it’s funny. It just happened to be that I was working on Scary Movie before I got Him. I think God gave me this so I could rescue myself from the darkness of Him.

Are there any Him jokes in Scary Movie 6?

Marlon Wayans: I had written a couple scenes. They didn’t make the cut, but I definitely wasn’t afraid to make fun of myself

The trailer confirmed you’re spoofing Get Out. Have you guys talked to Jordan Peele at all for this? Did he give you any ideas for jokes?

Marlon Wayans: No, but Jordan’s a game player. He understands.

Shawn Wayans: He understands comedy.

Marlon Wayans: He was actually excited about the possibility of us doing something. He likes our work and he likes our comedy and he’s a funny dude. Don’t let the horror fool you. He’s a very funny man.

The trailer for Scary Movie 6 also has some social and political jokes in it. Is this movie pushing that sort of edgy humor any further than the previous Scary Movies did?

Marlon Wayans: I think it’s the same level for us. It may be boundary pushing for you and this audience.

Shawn Wayans: And boundary pushing for the time that we’re in.

So you’re saying you guys stayed the same, but the world has changed?

Shawn Wayans: Absolutely.

What other horror movies were you most excited to spoof in this?

Marlon Wayans: Actually, there’s none that I was like, “This one!” We were excited to explore our characters and put them in different funny situations.

Shawn Wayans: Sinners was one.

Image: Paramount

It does seem like you’re focused on a lot of pretty new horror movies. Can we expect any references to older stuff?

Marlon Wayans: You may. You might see some of those. Whatever’s funny for us. It wasn’t about what’s current. It’s about what’s funny, what fits in the structure of the movie.

Shawn Wayans: What works for our characters.

Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen those characters. What have they been up to in the year since? Have they changed?

Marlon Wayans: I think everybody’s changed except for [Marlon’s] Shorty. The world’s changed and he stayed right there.

Image: Paramount

This is the first Scary Movie you guys are making after reclaiming the rights to the franchise. How does it feel to be back?

Marlon Wayans: It feels good, man. We were just happy to get on set and bond with each other and make each other laugh, and then hopefully make the world laugh.

Is there a lot of improv on the set? How much of it is the script versus you guys just riffing?

Shawn Wayans: Well, we usually shoot one as it’s written to get that locked down and then we play with the rest of the takes.

Marlon Wayans: I would say it’s probably fifty-fifty. We definitely allow for a lot of improv. You want that, especially when you have strong actors, you make them writers.

Scary Movie 6 also brings back Anna Farris and Regina Hall. Did you have to convince them to come back?

Marlon Wayans: Easiest phone call I ever made. Called them one after the other. Anna first, Regina after, and both of them were like, “I’m in. Let’s go. Tell me when to show up.”

Scary Movie 6 releases in theaters on Jun 5, 2026.