I have always loved the Scream movies. I vividly remember watching Scream for the first time when I was in middle school. I found the film’s mix of slasher and satirical themes hilarious, while also satisfying my desire for a fun-to-watch horror movie. The film’s killer, Ghostface, has long since dominated Halloween costumes and been referenced in other films, such as Scary Movie. Scream continues to be rewatched year after year, and has led to the birth of an ever-growing movie series. But where did Scream begin, and where does it end?
Scream was written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. Williamson was inspired by the 1990s Florida serial killer, the Gainesville Ripper. The film featured up-and-coming actress Neve Campbell, who was 21 at the time of filming, and had just finished filming a witchy, supernatural horror film, The Craft. Neve starred as high schooler Sidney Prescott, the main character of the film. Rising star Courteney Cox played the invasive reporter Gale Weathers. Actress Drew Barrymore starred as Sidney’s friend Casey. Other actors, such as Mathew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, and David Arquette, would later owe the growth of their careers to their roles in Scream. The film was set in Woodsboro, California, where the killer, Ghostface, committed a string of violent murders targeting high schoolers. Sidney Prescott and others sought to catch and unmask the killer. Scream released in 1996, with a poster featuring the phrase, “someone’s taken their love of scary movies one step too far!” Following its release, Scream went on to achieve a lifetime gross of $173,046,663 worldwide, according to IMDb.
News Sources took notice of Scream. On Dec. 20, 1996, Janet Maslin’s review of the film was published in the New York Times. Maslin wrote, “Wes Craven is in the mood for a parody. So Scream winks at everything from a virginal heroine in a flowered cotton nightie to ‘the moment when the supposedly dead killer comes back to life for one last scare.’ Along the way, proving it’s not too detached from business, Scream also finds time to disembowel a pretty young victim or two.” Maslin critiqued the film, “not much of Scream is that gruesome…But when [Mr. Cravens] savors the sights of young girls in tight sweaters, Scream isn’t all that funny, and in any case, its brand of humor proves one-note and thin.”
Leonard Klady reviewed the film for Variety in 1996 and had similar thoughts. He wrote, “Director Wes Craven is on familiar turf with his latest thriller, Scream. The setting is a small town, the protagonists are teens, and there’s a psychotic killer on the prowl. But he may have gone to the trough once too often, attempting an uneasy balance of genre convention and sophisticated parody. The pic’s chills are top-notch, but its underlying mockish tone won’t please die-hard fans.” He ended his review with the comment, “Scream is an interesting stab at altering the shape of horror. But it’s one experiment that needed more lab time before venturing into the marketplace.”
Despite the critiques of mainstream film reviewers, Scream made it big. Today, many writers look back at the innovation achieved by Craven and Scream. In 2022, New York Times writer Dave Itzkoff wrote that, “at its release, Scream reinvented the slasher picture, populating it with photogenic cast members who were well-versed in the genre’s rules and tired of its clichés.”
Scream would go on to have three sequels: Scream II in 1997, Scream III in 2000, and Scream IV in 2011. According to IMDb, these films have a lifetime gross of $101,363,301, $89,143,175, and $38,180,928, respectively. Scream IV remains the worst-performing film of the franchise to date. The franchise would take a hiatus due to the death of Wes Craven in 2015, as well as general burnout from the production crew, and the poor earnings from Scream IV. In an interview with Itzkoff, Kevin Williamson spoke about the impact of Craven’s death on the franchise: “In my heart, it was over. Without Wes, I didn’t think there would be a Scream.”
The Scream franchise was later sold and acquired by Spyglass Media Group. In 2019, a new “Scream” film was in the works. The film was titled Scream, but effectively served as “Scream V.” Scream (2022), followed the three remaining survivors 25 years after the original Ghostface attacks. The film was directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Kevin Williamson, the franchise’s original writer, returned as an executive producer. Miraculously, the film was able to secure the return of stars Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell, and David Arquette. The film grossed a lifetime total of $81,641,405. Scream was officially back.
I was lucky enough to be working at a movie theater when the next film, Scream VI, was released. The theater I worked at gave the theater’s posters to employees once a film left theaters. We employees would have our names queued in the “poster book” months before a film was set to release. My name was the first one down for Scream VI. In the spare bedroom of my childhood home, one will find a 27-by-40 inch poster hanging above the bed. Ghostface stares menacingly at John Wick, who is featured on the John Wick IV poster that hangs on the other wall. I can’t imagine what guests who sleep over must think.
Scream VI released in 2023 and sought to capitalize on the renewed success of the Scream franchise. Courteney Cox was the only original cast member to return, as Neve Campbell did not reprise her role as Sidney Prescott due to a pay dispute, according to People Magazine. The film featured new faces, as Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera joined the cast. Overall, the film was a major success, grossing $44,447,270 at its opening and $108,391,107 in its lifetime, according to IMDb. Scream VI officially surpassed Scream (1996) in earnings. The franchise was more popular than ever.
That brings us to today. Scream 7 released on February 27, 2026. Kevin Williamson wrote and directed the film, which surely appeased long-time Scream fans. Of course, Courteney Cox returned to star as Gale Weathers, but interestingly, Neve Campbell also returned to the franchise. The film was a box office success, grossing $63,615,172 in its opening weekend and $120,705,101 in its lifetime (as of April 8, 2026), according to IMDb. Although monetarily successful, Scream 7 has mixed reviews. On IMDb, the film is rated 5.6 stars out of 10, and on Letterboxd, the film averaged 2.3 out of 5 stars. In comparison, Scream (1996) averaged 4 stars on Letterboxd and 7.4 stars on IMDb.
Although continuing to take over theaters, it seems that the Scream franchise has lost its way from the innovative slasher it once was. As the original cast has continued to dissipate, Scream faces uncertainty. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scream 8 has been confirmed to be in the works. Fans are left asking: Will the trend of high profit with low ratings continue?
The Scream franchise remains one of my favorites, but no Scream film has surpassed the enjoyment I experience watching Scream (1996). The charm of the original film has been lost as the franchise continuously seeks to recreate what once was. Perhaps it is time to let Scream die and unmask Ghostface for the last time, before the Scream devolves into the poorly done slasher-horror films it once sought to parody.