Was Wes Craven's 1996 Slasher 'Scream' Based On A True Story?

Wes Craven's 1996 "Scream" changed the way people look at the horror genre due to his directorial choices. With Ghostface's dark humor and unique approach to taunting his victims, the fictional killer set a standard for a new type of movie villain. How much of his persona, along with the story as a whole, was based on true events?

According to Screen Rant, the idea for the original screenplay came to writer Kevin Williamson when he learned about a real serial killer in Florida. Danny Rolling, also called the Gainesville Ripper, murdered five students in Aug. 1990 over a four-day period. Eventually, he was caught due to links being made between previous murders in Louisiana. Williamson said he fused the true events with his love of horror and created the now-iconic killer after watching a television special about Rolling.

Upon his capture, Rolling reportedly said he didn't have any motive when he carried out the murders, which was echoed by Ghostface in the film when he told Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) that not every killer needed real inspiration.

The methods both the fictional and real-life killer used mirrored each other as well as they both utilized knives to carry out their crimes. Additionally, the movie version strategically posed some of his victims, as can be seen in the clip below, which is another similarity. Rolling reportedly "propped up" some of his victims as well after he committed the murders, reports Complex.