Kevin Williamson

Kevin Meade Williamson (born March 14, 1965) is an American screenwriter and director, best known for creating the *Scream* franchise. In 1995, and unhappy with his futile attempts to get an acting career off the ground, Williamson wrote a self-referential comedy horror script titled *Scary Movie*, which was subsequently bought by Miramax Films and put into production under filmmaker Wes Craven. Retitled *Scream*, the movie was a sleeper smash upon release in 1996 and was credited with reviving the horror genre as a commercial money-maker. It has, as of 2026, spawned six sequels and a TV spin-off series. The success of *Scream* led to Williamson becoming one of the most in-demand screenwriters of the era, with some of his biggest hits including the thriller *I Know What You Did Last Summer* (1997), the alien invasion film *The Faculty* (1998), and the TV drama *Dawson’s Creek* (1998), which was loosely inspired by his own coming-of-age and ran for six seasons. He also made his directorial debut with the black comedy *Teaching Mrs Tingle* in 1999.

Williamson’s other credits include the TV series *The Vampire Diaries* (2009) and *The Following* (2013), as well as the werewolf horror film *Cursed* (2005). In 2026, Williamson returned to the world of *Scream* – having only served as a producer on the third, fifth and sixth entries in the franchise – as the co-writer and director of *Scream 7*.