From show creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries), the dark, fast-paced thriller The Following is an epic story of good versus evil, as told through the eyes of ex-FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), who is forced to return to the case that destroyed his career, when it becomes evident that notorious serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) is at the center of a cult of like-minded killers who have created an insidious web of blood and carnage.  With Hardy’s help, a team of agents, including Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore) and cult specialist Debra Parker (Annie Parisse), attempt to unravel the deadly plot of murder before the body count rises.

During this recent exclusive interview with Collider, Kevin Williamson talked about developing so many different layers for the series, the elements needed to build and sustain a great thriller, the challenges of building suspense to the commercial breaks, his surprise that Kevin Bacon was looking to do television, and what makes James Purefoy so riveting in his role.  Check out what he had to say after the jump, and be aware that there are some spoilers.

Despite the network’s protestations otherwise, there are many things about The Following that feel specifically like network television.  At the same time, it has some genuine twists and jumps and set ups that certainly lend one to believe the show may be more than initially meets the eye (if you still have yours).  The series comes from Kevin Williamson, who has had a hand in so many cultural touchstones, from Dawson’s Creek to Scream to the Vampire Diaries, it’s nearly unfathomable to figure how he could not have a hit with this one, particularly with Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy (Rome) as acting anchors.  Plus, the formula combines some of our biggest cultural fascinations – serial killers, cults and, well, Kevin Bacon.  Hit the jump for a recap of the series’ premiere episode, which seems promising.

Fox unveiled their new lineup for fall 2012 earlier this morning, and we recently posted full trailers for the network’s new comedy shows.  Now it’s time to take a look at Fox’s new dramas, and Kevin Williamson’s (Scream, The Vampire Diaries) serial killer series The Following is most certainly a standout.  The trailer is genuinely chilling, and Kevin Bacon stars as an FBI agent who is reeled back into the department after a notorious serial killer (James Purefoy) he put away years ago escapes from death row. The serial killer creates a network of communicating with other active serial killers in the country, thus creating quite the problem for Bacon’s character.  Sadly, the series doesn’t debut until midseason so we’ll have to wait a while to check out the full pilot, but I’m beyond intrigued by this trailer.

The other new Fox drama, The Mob Doctor, is decidedly less promising.  Jordana Spiro (My Boys) stars as a Chicago surgeon with a lifelong debt to the Southside mob.  I wasn’t particularly taken by any of the characters, but I presume the series could eventually prove promising.  Hit the jump to watch the trailers.

Executive producer Kevin Williamson clearly gets as excited and passionate about his CW drama series The Vampire Diaries as the fans of the show do. Currently in its third season, the show is exciting and dangerous, in a way that most shows strive for but never quite live up to, leaving characters in serious peril, on a weekly basis.

While at the TCA Winter Press Tour, Williamson talked about why it was finally the right time to have that Damon-Elena kiss that many have been anxiously waiting for, how Stefan is now a true tragic hero, knowing the right time to kill off a character, embracing the melodrama in a way that makes it epic, and what he’s excited about for the remainder of the season. He also talked about his latest pilot, which he’s been looking to make for 15 years, about a serial killer who escapes from prison and has a cult of killers helping him, while an FBI agent is working to bring them down. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

A show like The Vampire Diaries is easily dismissed; there seems to be no reason at all to tune in unless you’re a fifteen-year-old girl who really loves Edward Cullen, or a cable-less vampire lover. The latter might even be a bit of a stretch. What you’d be missing while under that assumption, however, is one of the most consistently good shows on network TV. Though the premise might be a little hard to swallow at first – especially if you’re not the target demographic of anything else the CW puts out – the show is worth the effort. Hidden behind a trite storyline is solid writing, intriguing storytelling, and one of the most frivolously addictive shows on air right now. Hit the jump for our review of The Vampire Diaries season two Blu-ray.

Although Scream 4 served as a helpful reminder that we didn’t really need another Scream movie, apparently not everyone got the message.  Because the film grossed $97 million worldwide off a $40 million budget (plus P&A), director Wes Craven believes Scream 5 could be on the way.  The director tells Movieweb:

The odds are that there will be (a Scream 5). It is something that Bob Weinstein wants to do. He tends to do what he wants to do. So I am inclined to think that there will be (another sequel). Whether I will be a part of it or not? I don’t know. My contract gives me the first look. If they show me something that is really wonderful? Of course I will be a part of it.

Back in April 2010, we reported that Craven was already signed for Scream 5 and Scream 6, but it now appears that he simply had first-look deals rather than a firm commitment to helm a new trilogy.  Hit the jump for more details.

While everyone will be tuning in this fall to finally meet their mother (could it be Katie Holmes?), the minds behind CBS’s How I Met Your Mother are already looking to the future.  After a bidding war, Fox has greenlit a pilot from HIMYM co-creators/executive producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, as well as executive producer Chris Harris, titled The Goodwin Games. THR reports that the single-cam sitcom will follow three siblings who reunite after the death of their father.

Fox has also picked up a new one-hour series from the CW’s The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle progenitor, Kevin Williamson.  The untitled thriller series involves a technologically savvy serial killer who creates a social network of fellow murderers and the FBI agent caught in the midst. (If only Dexter was better at computers, then he wouldn’t have to keep Harry around for company.)  THR reports that Williamson will stay on as writer and executive producer with his Outerbanks Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. TV.

The CW supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries is one of those rare shows that just keeps getting stronger in its storytelling, making its Season 3 return on September 15^th highly anticipated for its devoted fan base. After Klaus (Joseph Morgan) proved himself to be the most powerful vampire in existence at the end of Season 2, wreaking havoc on Mystic Falls, this season will explore Klaus’ motives for wanting Stefan (Paul Wesley) on his side, the growing bond between Stefan’s love Elena (Nina Dobrev) and his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder), and Jeremy’s (Steven R. McQueen) new ability to see the ghosts of his past loves. And, making things even better, the popular series will now be teamed up with The Secret Circle, which is also adapted from books by L.J. Smith and executive produced by Kevin Williamson.

During a recent interview, in which he discussed both series and the differences between their mythologies, Williamson talked about how the first half of the season of The Vampire Diaries will explore the Original Family, that viewers will learn why Jeremy is seeing ghosts, that Bonnie (Katerina Graham) will play a pivotal role in the story, and how, if you focus on telling an emotional story, the twists and turns present themselves. He also talked about how The Secret Circle will be more of a multi-generational story, with its own intriguing love triangle and balance of power. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

When Scream first hit theaters in 1996, it took pop-culture by storm. Now, director Wes Craven returns to the franchise in a new decade with Scream 4. During production of the flick, it was announced that screenwriter Kevin Williamson (who scripted the first two Scream films) was being replaced with Ehren Kruger (who wrote the third Scream film, which was received, um, not well…). Craven made everyone uneasy when, shortly after that news broke, he tweeted from the set “No longer in control of the script.” The director recently sat down with Total Film magazine (via ScreamTrilogy) to discuss the issue:

“I was just stating the fact. In some ways it’s a Wes Craven film, and in way it’s not entirely, because it’s not a script I have control of. It’s ultimately controlled by what the studio wants in the script. My job is much more bringing whatever experience and expertise and creativity I can. Look, there was a bumpy period when things shifted over from Kevin to Ehren. I signed up to do a script by Kevin and unfortunately that didn’t go all the way through the shooting. But it certainly is Kevin’s script and concept and ideas and themes.”

For more, including 4 new images from the film, hit the jump. [Update: We've updated the article with the hi-res version of the images]

The CW’s popular TV series The Vampire Diaries returns on January 27^th with all-new episodes that will lead up to what promises to be a dramatic Season 2 finale. No one is safe, as the tension is heightened by the promise of ancient vampire Klaus’ desire to sacrifice the doppleganger, aka Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), and blood is sure to be shed.

In this recent interview, show creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson talked about how they’re expecting some big game-changers and lots of bloodshed before the season is over, how they’re currently going through about 100 auditions for possible actors to play Klaus, that the vampire-werewolf relationship between Caroline (Candice Accola) and Tyler (Michael Trevino) will get very tragic, and how the doppleganger storyline will be resolved before the end of this season. He also talked about his deal with Warner Bros. and how he’s currently developing some new television series for them. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Dimension Films has just released a new trailer for Scream 4 and it’s actually quite good with tons of new action-packed footage not seen in the original teaser. Not that I was worried or anything, but after the disappointing Scream 3, my expectations for this third sequel haven’t exactly been through the roof. In all actuality, I’m just curious to see how many members of the original cast will get offed.

Scream 4 reunites Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette and director Wes Craven. The screenplay was written by Kevin Williamson who penned the scripts for Scream and Scream 2. The thriller is set to open April 15. Check out the trailer after the jump, but be warned, there is much spoiler-ish action on display – don’t say I didn’t warn you!

One would assume ’round The CW headquarters Kevin Williamson, creator of the network’s biggest hit The Vampire Diaries, is the man.  Williamson is developing a new supernatural series about a group of paranormal investigators — described as “The X-Files meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer” — envisioned as a companion series to Diaries.  There’s no deal in place, but Williamson’s hitmaker status ought to flush this one through pilot season.  (Of course, 2009 me said similar things about the now-defunct Gossip Girl spinoff.)  Deadline hears that Vampire Diaries co-creator Julie Plec is in talks to co-write the project.  The series has no direct connection with The Vampire Diaries.

After a brief lull, Williamson is again approaching the heights of his late nineties Dawson’s Creek/Scream heyday: William’s script for the franchise reboot Scream 4 hits theaters on April 15, 2011.

Returning for its highly anticipated second season, The Vampire Diaries is the story of two vampire brothers obsessed with the same beautiful girl, and battling to control the fate of an entire town.

During Season 1, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) returned to their hometown of Mystic Falls, where they both became enamored with high school student Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). Season 2 will see the appearance of the villainous Katherine (also played by Nina Dobrev) throwing a wrench into the love triangle between Stefan, Elena and Damon. This time around, the stakes are raised even higher as new and unexpected friendships are forged, allies become enemies and hearts are broken, and Stefan and Damon are forced to face a villain more evil and diabolical than they ever believed possible.

In a recent interview to promote the Season 2 premiere, executive producer Kevin Williamson talked about what fan can expect, why Katherine has returned and that the werewolves will play a bigger role in the story. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Scream 4 has just killed off a major player.  Zap2It reports that “significant script changes have created some tension on the set” and that screenwriter/series co-creator Kevin Williamson has left the project.  This follows the news that Lauren Graham dropped out after her role was reduced to almost nothing and Hayden Panettiere’s is “beyond frustrated” that her part was “dumbed down significantly.”  In an attempt to stop the bleeding, screenwriter Ehren Kruger has come on board to handle the script.  Kruger penned the screenplay for Scream 3 and most recently wrote the script for Transformers 3 (he was also a co-writer on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen).

Williamson is reportedly out of the project entirely so I wouldn’t count on his continued participation for Scream 5 and Scream 6, which he was working on according to Wes Craven.  Hit the jump for a list of people still involved with Scream 4, which hits theaters on April 15, 2011. [UPDATE - New details on the current situation after the jump.]

With Scream 4 set to open next year on April 15, 2011, Dimension Studios has begun looking for fresh new faces to join the horror movie franchise.  The studio is currently in talks with Ashley Greene (Twilight), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Lake Bell (It’s Complicated), and Rory Culkin (Mean Creek) to join returning cast members Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox in the film.  Heat Vision reports that if the deals are made, Green would be playing Campbell’s cousin in the film named Jill with Culkin being cast as her potential love interest.  Panettiere would be playing a nerdy film geek who is her best friend.  Meanwhile, Bell will be playing a police officer who knew Sidney (Campbell) from high school.

The story is still unknown due to secrecy but the plan is for the film to “be seen as a passing of the baton to a new generation of slasher victims.”  This makes sense since Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven, who kicked off the series as writer and director, respectively, will resume their respective roles for this latest installment.  Filming is expected to begin in July.  Here’s the first poster if you missed it.