At this point, it’s almost impossible to talk about Scream 7 without discussing the complications that arose during its production. In August 2023, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the directors of 2022’s Scream and 2023’s Scream VI, exited the project. Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon took their place, and soon after, the SAG-AFTRA strike paused pre-production on the film. Most notably, however, in November 2023, Melissa Barrera, the star of the last two Scream films, was controversially fired for pro-Palestinian comments on social media, with co-star Jenna Ortega leaving the project the next day. A month later, Landon would also step down as director.
Since then, it seemed as though Spyglass, the production studio behind the franchise, went into damage control following criticisms and talk of boycotting further installments, as well as the significant creative plan for Barrera and Ortega’s characters now falling apart. Kevin Williamson, the writer of the first two Scream films and <em>Scream 4</em>, was brought back to the franchise as writer and director — his first time behind the camera since 1999’s Teaching Mrs. Tingle. After a pay dispute left series star Neve Campbell out of Scream VI, the actress announced in 2024 that she would be returning for the seventh installment, and since then, many other former cast members — including many who are canonically dead — were revealed to also be coming back.
Scream 7 needs a history lesson before one sees it because it’s important to know how this mess began and how it led to this film, a desperate attempt to keep fans excited about a franchise that is falling apart in front of their eyes. This was once a series that made its original trilogy, got out on its own terms, and didn’t return for over a decade until it had something to say about the modern state of horror. After that, it didn’t come back for another 11 years with 2022’s Scream, but since that point, this series has been returning without much to say regarding horror films. But as one character says in Scream 7, when they ceremoniously once again state “the rules” of the film, this time, it’s all about nostalgia for the first movie, and disastrously so. After all these years and all the effort in keeping the story afloat, Scream 7 just might be the death blow for this once-meta franchise, as it’s now simply a ghost(face) of what it once was.
Sidney Prescott and Her Daughter Can’t Escape Ghostface in ‘Scream 7’
Scream 7 introduces a Sidney Prescott who is living a small-town life, running a coffee shop — oh, and now she’s Sidney Evans, having married local cop Mark Evans (Joel McHale, who isn’t Patrick Dempsey’s cop, Mark Kincaid, whom Sidney ended up with in Scream 3), with whom she has three kids. While the two youngest are away with their grandparents, Sidney’s oldest daughter, Tatum (Isabel May), is frustrated about how her mom avoids talking about her past, not to mention her difficulty in trusting Tatum’s boyfriend, Ben (Sam Rechner). Sidney’s reluctance to revisit her life story doesn’t stop everyone in town from essentially still knowing about it, with plenty of streaming documentaries and books available about her time in Woodsboro.
As is always the case, however, Sidney can never get away from her past. When a couple dies at a rental property that’s been built to look like Stu Macher’s (Matthew Lillard) old house in Woodsboro and a new Ghostface seems to be lurking around Sidney’s new home, this former final girl is forced to once again protect herself as well as her family from the killer who has caused her so much pain before. Of course, there are plenty of people in Tatum’s life who could be the killer while familiar faces show up to help Sidney once again. Obviously, this means the return of Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) as well as Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding, the only actors to reprise their roles from the last two sequel films).
‘Scream 7’ Tries and Fails To Remind Viewers Why They Originally Loved This Franchise
The Scream franchise has always been self-referential, from the in-universe Stab movies to the constant recitation of horror movie tropes. But Scream 7‘s references to the past feel needier and lacking in charm compared to earlier films, as though the filmmakers just want to play familiar hits and hope they still resonate. There are unnecessary and extremely silly cameos that seem like Williamson and co-writer Guy Busick were reading through Reddit fan posts trying to predict what their audience might want to see happen. Early on, it’s made clear that the killer must be obsessed with Sidney’s past; we’ve seen this all before. It’s as though Scream 7 knows this universe has run out of steam yet still tries to keep chugging along on pure nostalgia alone.
While Scream has always served as commentary on horror films’ state, Scream 7 entirely does away with that theme. Beyond reminding us that this story revolves around nostalgia (a fact we can easily tell by where it goes), this sequel has nothing substantial to say about horror itself. At times it seems like Scream 7 might incorporate technology or AI into its larger thesis; yet it only uses deepfakes and image alteration as tools rather than exploring their implications when misused. The first Scream launched as a parody of horror films; at this point,This franchise is simply no different than those films it once mocked.
It’s Great to See Sidney and Gale Together Again, but ‘Scream 7’ Proves the Franchise Has Run Out of New Ideas
Even though Scream 7 is fairly hollow from a screenplay standpoint,Williamson does make some clever choices as director.The framing of certain shots plays with the idea that Ghostface might be lurking around any corner while Williamson toys with different perspectives when Ghostface attacks. He also knows how to direct attention in one direction before surprising viewers from another angle which leads to some decent Ghostface jumpscares.
It’s also just great to see Campbell and Cox back together again.</strong Even though Cox's Gale has very little to do here, watching their dynamic is always enjoyable. Scream 7 recognizes their conflicted friendship that has lasted decades while understanding they will still get under each other’s skin after all this time. As for the rest of the new cast, May’s Tatum is the only real standout doing a serviceable job as the timid daughter of a woman everyone generally considers a badass. Following in one of cinema’s greatest “final girls” footsteps is tough but May rises mostly to meet expectations.
By and large however after all failed plans for sequels and complications brought upon itself,Scream 7 is proof that this once-great horror franchise doesn’t have any fresh ideas left.The well is dry and Ghostface’s games just aren’t as entertaining anymore. By the time we reach the killer reveal and motive explanation it’s hard not to laugh at how far this universe has fallen from its original heights. The original Scream used to mock horror movies’ silliness while now it’s indistinguishable from those films it once gleefully lampooned making it easily the worst installment thus far. The universe can only play on fans’ nostalgia for so long before any remaining goodwill runs out. After three decades of kills it’s time for Ghostface to finally put down his knife.
Scream 7 is now playing in theaters.
- Kevin Williamson makes some clever choices as a director.
- It’s always great to see Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox together again.
- Scream 7 relies too heavily on nostalgia for the first film and playing familiar hits.
- The story itself is hollow with no real commentary on modern horror films.
- It’s clear that this franchise has run out of new ideas.
