‘Scream’ movie turns 20 years old | CNN

"Scream" became a cult classic after it was released on December 20, 1996. Let's catch up with some of the stars.

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Neve Campbell already was beloved for her starring role in the TV series "Party of Five" and was also one of the stars of "The Craft," which also came out in 1996. Since then she has appeared in multiple films and TV shows including "Wild Things" "House of Cards" and "Mad Men."

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Actor David Arquette found love on the set of "Scream" when he met costar Courteney Cox whom he later married (the couple divorced in 2013). He has also worked behind the camera as executive producer of Cox's FX series "Dirt" and the game show "Celebrity Name Game."

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Courteney Cox appeared in all four "Scream" films and is best known for her roles on the TV shows "Friends" and "Cougar Town." She also directed episodes of "Cougar Town" and co-founded Coquette Productions with Arquette.

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Matthew Lillard has continued to act on both the big and small screens and has carved a career for himself as a voice actor. In 2002 he was cast as Shaggy Rogers in the live action version of "Scooby Doo" and has since voiced that character in multiple projects.

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Rose McGowan went on to star in The WB supernatural drama "Charmed." She has appeared in multiple TV shows and films such as "Grindhouse" and "Jawbreaker." This summer, she sparked headlines for a guest column she wrote taking a publication to task for criticizing Renee Zellweger's looks.

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Like his "Scream" costar Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich starred in "The Craft." In addition to films such as "As Good as It Gets," he has gone on to nab roles in various TV series including "Jericho," "CSI: NY" and "Law & Order:LA."

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Drew Barrymore's opening scenes in "Scream" set the tone for the franchise. She's produced a few of her own films, which include the "Charlie's Angels" reboots and "Never Been Kissed." She also had a reoccurring role on the Fox animated comedy "Family Guy" and has a thriving Flower Beauty products line.

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'Scream' stars: Where are they now?

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"Scream" was released during the holiday season

The cult classic sparked a lucrative franchise

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When “Scream” debuted on December 20, 1996, fans were praising Tom Cruise in the newly released sports drama “Jerry Maguire” and excited about MTV’s animated show “Beavis and Butt-Head” coming to the big screen with “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America.”

The slasher film directed by Wes Craven and starring Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Courteney Cox and David Arquette was viewed as a bit of a gamble with it being a horror film released during the family friendly holiday season.

The movie not only found its audience, but also birthed a franchise.

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the release of “Scream,” movie site IMDB has gathered a few tidbits about the film.

For instance, Arquette and Cox met on the set in 1995 and fell in love. The couple married in 1999 and had their daughter, Coco, in 2004. They separated in 2010 and divorced in 2013.

Director Craven told animal lover Barrymore stories about animal cruelty to help get her into character. Fans of the film can tell you it worked based on the sobbing performance given by Barrymore during the opening of the film.

Click through the gallery above to catch up with the cast of “Scream.”