Howell Wayans died in 2023 at the age of 86
Credit: Marlon Wayans Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Marlon Wayans says a promise to his late father inspired the Wayans family’s return to the Scary Movie franchise
- The reboot is the family’s first involvement in the franchise since 2001 after Wayans claims they were pushed out over pay disputes
- Marlon also reflected on losing 62 loved ones during the pandemic and supporting his transgender son with unconditional love
Marlon Wayans is opening up about the emotional promise he made to his late father — and how it ultimately led to the long-awaited return of the Wayans family to the Scary Movie franchise.
In an interview with Variety published on Monday, May 25, the actor, writer and producer recalled one of the final conversations he had with his father, Howell Wayans, before his death during the COVIDpandemic.
“My father was in the hospital for a few weeks before he passed, and in one of our final conversations, he said, ‘I think you and your brothers should work together again,' ” Marlon, 53, told the outlet.
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
The comedian — the youngest of 10 siblings in the famous Wayans family — explained that getting everyone aligned creatively wasn't necessarily easy after years of separate careers and projects.
“It's hard for four Black men to stay together,” he joked. “Look at New Edition. And in this case, we've got four Bobby Browns.”
Still, their father remained persistent. “You guys make magic together,” said Howell, according to Marlon. “I think you should do it.”
Then came one final plea that stayed with him.
“Do it for me,” his father whispered, Marlon recalled.
The actor said he immediately agreed. “My father put his hand out, and I shook it and promised him that I would make this happen,” Marlon said. “And I did. And I feel complete.”
Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Paramount Pictures
Howell died in 2023 at the age of 86. But the promise Marlon made ultimately helped bring the Wayans family back to the franchise they created with the upcoming reboot of Scary Movie, which hits theaters June 5.
Directed by frequent collaborator Michael Tiddes, the new film is written and produced by Marlon alongside brothers Keenen Ivory Wayans and Shawn Wayans, nephew Craig Wayans and longtime collaborator Rick Alvarez.
The reboot marks the first Scary Movie installment involving the Wayans family since 2001's Scary Movie 2.
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Credit: Marni Grossman
Marlon claimed in the interview that he and his brothers were pushed out of the franchise after demanding a raise for a third film following the massive success of the first two movies.
Instead, claims Wayans, the Weinsteins stole their idea for the third film and made it without them. “We got an announcement on New Year's Eve that they were doing Scary Movie 3,” he recalled. “The franchise was stripped from us. And we were just asking for our fair share.”
PEOPLE reached out to a representative for Weinstein for comment.
Years later, after Jonathan Glickman became CEO of Miramax in 2024, he reached out to Marlon about reviving the franchise. Marlon said he knew he couldn't move forward without his brothers.
“This is a return back to the franchise we all created, so forget all the bad years!” he said. “This isn't Scary Movie 6; this is a reboot.”
Elsewhere in the profile, Marlon reflected on the devastating losses he endured during the pandemic, revealing that he lost 62 loved ones from various causes, including both of his parents.
“My world crumbled,” he said. “I lost 62 people that I loved, including my mother and my father.”
He also opened up about supporting his transgender son, Kai, saying the experience taught him “true, unconditional love.”
“At the end of the day, are my children happy? And if they're happy, then I'm happy for them,” he said. “My job as a father is to protect, respect and honor my children, and make sure they feel supported.”
Scary Movie is in theaters nationwide June 5.
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