SONOMA, Calif. (KRON) — The people of Sonoma got a bit of a scary surprise on Monday morning when a person wearing a frightening but familiar mask stood motionless at the Sonoma Plaza, according to the Sonoma Police Department.

Police say they contacted the person who said they’d been hired by Paramount Pictures to promote the newest movie in the Scream franchise: “Scream VI.” KRON4 reached out to Paramount Pictures for comment on the incident, but the message was not immediately returned.

Video shared by Visit Sonoma shows a time-lapse of the masked individual standing on the corner of 1st Street and East Napa Street. The person faces south, standing just in front of cocktail bar Town Square Inc.

This is an image of the Scream mask.
A mask from the movie “Scream” is exhibited during a press preview of Prop Store’s Iconic Film & TV Memorabilia on May 14, 2021, in Valencia, California. (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

This isn’t the first time a Scream mask has made an impact on that street. The first film in the franchise was shot at the Sonoma Community Center just a block away. The community center served as the high school in the film. Scream was filmed all over the Bay Area back in 1996. Santa Rosa, Tomales and even Healdsburg all got in on the action.

KRON On is streaming now

According to the City of Santa Rosa’s website, “Scream” director Wes Craven originally hoped to film most of the movie in Santa Rosa. However, the Santa Rosa Board of Education denied his request to film at Santa Rosa High School. As a a sassy poke at the school board, Craven included, “No thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board,” in the film’s closing credits.