Marlon Wayans is shedding weight to reprise his role as Shorty in the upcoming horror-comedy, Scary Movie 6. After gaining mass to portray a professional football player in the horror film Him, due to debut soon in theaters, Wayans committed to losing 20 pounds to authentically embody his iconic character. This transformation signals his dedication to returning to the franchise with a look that aligns with fan expectations and the character’s signature style.
Physically, I like to endure some kind of crazy regimen,
Wayans mentioned in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Even right now, it’s Scary Movie. I just lost 20 lbs busting my behind every day ’cause I didn’t wanna show up to set as Shorty buff at 225. That’d be lazy of me. I wanna do the work, I wanna look like Shorty. So when I’m able to [in his Shorty voice] have fun and s—, people are able to laugh at me, son.
Franchise Revival: Joining Forces with Wayans Brothers and Returning Cast
Scary Movie 6 was officially announced in April 2024, marking a comeback nearly 11 years after the fifth film’s release. This sequel serves as a fresh start for the series, with the Wayans brothers—Marlon, Shawn, and Keenan Ivory—collaborating on an original screenplay for the first time in 18 years. Paramount Pictures is spearheading the project, emphasizing its intent to revitalize the franchise for contemporary audiences.
The writing team also includes Rick Alvarez, who is co-producing alongside the Wayans. Marlon Wayans revealed that the film will bring back familiar faces such as Regina Hall and Anna Faris, reprising their roles as Brenda and Cindy respectively. He hinted at plans to reunite more alumni from past installments, though concrete deals have yet to be finalized.
We have plans to bring a few more back,
Wayans teased, without disclosing additional details because no deal’s been done.
Adapting Comedy to Modern Horror and Audience Shifts
Wayans shared his thoughts on how the comedy landscape must evolve alongside the changes in the horror genre and audience sensibilities. Referring to movies like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream, Get Out, and Nope, he sees an opportunity to parody recent trends in horror, especially those that emphasize intense and elevated storytelling.
I think you have to acknowledge how comedy has changed. Not just horror has changed, but films have changed, the audience has changed, the world has shifted,
Wayans explained.
I think the way to do that is to make the generational gap part of the conversation. That’s how we constructed the movie so we could talk about it all. It’s a conversation with these funny characters, and they just so happen to be going through this. The more pressure you put on characters and the more horrific the situations, that’s when you really get to know the characters.
Equal Opportunity Offenders with No Limits on Humor
The tone of Scary Movie 6 promises to be edgy and inclusive in its approach to comedy. Wayans emphasized that the film will follow the franchise’s tradition of poking fun at everyone, regardless of background or sensitivity.
It’s how we always do it,
he said.
We just want to make everybody laugh, and we don’t care if you’re sensitive. Even sensitive people need to laugh at themselves.
He further elaborated on the nature of their humor, underscoring its broad reach and intent to bring laughter rather than harm.
Just know that we’re not just laughing at you, you get the chance to laugh at others,
Wayans continued.
When we did White Chicks, we made fun of everybody. We made fun of Black people, we made fun of white people, we made fun of Hispanic people. That’s just what we do. We make fun of the world, make light of the world. It’s not to harm, it’s to bring humor. You may offend people here and there, but, hey, not every joke’s gonna land 100 percent, but if you tell a joke and 100 people laugh and one person walks out, that’s still a good joke.
He added a humorous perspective on joke reception and their overall goal with the film’s humor.
If 100 people walk out and only one person is laughing, That’s a bad joke,
he stated.
That’s not to say that there’s not something in that joke ’cause this guy’s laughing now. We want to make the majority of people laugh and have a good time. I think this film that we’re working on is gonna be a great conversation piece, that we can all sit down and laugh together, over three generations of people who haven’t had great comedy in a long time.
Release Date and Anticipation
Scary Movie 6 is scheduled for theatrical release on June 12, 2026. The film aims to attract both longtime fans of the franchise and newer audiences by blending sharp parody with contemporary cultural commentary. Given the involvement of the Wayans brothers and returning cast members, the movie is positioned to reinvigorate interest in this well-loved horror spoof series.
