Scream 7 Honors The Past, But Fumbles The Reveal
Ghostface is back, but, this time, it’s not just Sidney he’s after. Her teenage daughter, now the same age Sidney was when the Woodsboro murders began, is his next target. From salary disputes to cast firings, Scream has been a franchise marred by off-screen controversy in its recent installments. And while I had a great time watching Scream 7, I can admit it’s ultimately a mixed bag.
The opening sequence throws us headfirst into horror nostalgia as a superfan and his girlfriend arrive at Stu Macher’s house, now a themed AirBnB for the bravest Stab aficionados. It’s playful and self-aware with horror trivia phone calls, “kill spot” highlights, walls lined with Stab memorabilia, and even a high-tech Ghostface figure. Jimmy Tatro steals the spotlight in every role he plays and this is no exception. It’s a blast of an opener, highlighting a fandom so intense that people would literally book a stay in a murder house.
Meanwhile, Sidney Prescott, now Sidney Evans, is living in the small town of Pine Grove with her police chief husband and their three children. On the surface, everything looks peaceful. But behind closed doors, there are security cameras and safe rooms that even her own children don’t know about. Her oldest daughter Tatum, named after her late best friend, knows little about her mother’s real history outside of the Stab movies and online lore. While Neve Campbell and Isabel May ground the film emotionally as mother and daughter, it’s frustrating to see that the way she has “protected” Tatum has really just left her vulnerable and ill-prepared to deal with this legacy.
When a new Ghostface emerges, it gets more personal than ever as he claims to be someone from Sidney’s past. This is the most compelling aspect of the film as they tap into the franchise’s thrilling fan conspiracies involving Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard). There are jolting jump scares, brutal kills, and moments that blur the line between reality and manipulation.
This film brings back Kevin Williamson to both write and direct. He not only wrote the original Scream, but penned Scream 2 and the criminally underrated Scream 4. What I appreciated most was the attention to detail when it came to continuity. They remember Sidney’s college play, explain why she wasn’t in New York, and treat the history of the franchise like it matters. It’s the kind of legacy-building I love in projects like Degrassi or Chucky. The stories evolve with their characters and honor what came before in an authentic way. We grew up with these worlds and it makes us feel like we’re a part of it.
But where the film falters is in its ensemble. Tatum’s father (Joel McHale) and her friends are severely underutilized and given no real development. They just feel like bodies to be added to the kill count. Gale’s (Courteney Cox) arrival adds an electricity to the film that quickly fizzles when she, along with twins Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), are sidelined. For characters who helped reinvigorate the excitement for this franchise in 2022, their lack of purpose was disappointing to see.
There is no lack of rich material to explore in Scream 7, including motherhood, generational trauma, and even conversations around AI. Unfortunately, it only grazes the surface of these themes instead of diving into the sharp cultural commentary the franchise is known for. But the biggest downfall is the Ghostface reveal. It feels illogical and anticlimactic, especially after spending so little time building meaningful stakes with the supporting cast.
There is definitely fun to be had in Scream 7. I laughed, I jumped, I gasped. It understands its history and even builds on it. But nostalgia can only carry you so far without fully developed stakes or an ensemble worth investing in. Without that foundation, the Ghostface reveal struggles to land.
Scream 7 is playing now in theaters.
