Scream 7 Confirms the Franchise Has Lost 4 Things That Once Made It So Special

There are a few key moments for the slasher genre. It technically started with Psycho and Peeping Tom in 1960, its real bones were set in place with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Halloween in the ’70s, and it boomed with the release of Friday the 13th in 1980. Then, throughout the remainder of the ’80s, they were being churned out with such frequency that it ended up doing a disservice to the subgenre. In the ’90s even the big guys’ movies failed, e.g. Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare.

There needed to be a change, and in came the aforementioned Craven and Kevin Williamson with Scream. It was exactly what the slasher needed, yet now that Williamson has directed his first movie of the franchise with Scream 7, it seems many of the things that made that original film and the franchise as a whole work so well have been removed from the equation.

4) Genre Commentary

The original Scream incorporated horror movie trilogy as a way to seemingly save potential victims (though Billy and Stu were going to kill them anyway). Scream 2 was a commentary on sequels at large, but also what makes a horror sequel a horror sequel. For instance, how they have a higher body count. Scream 3 toyed with the conventions of a trilogy-capper in comparison to just a third film. For instance, in a trilogy-capper, the villain has some sort of edge that makes them more powerful and the fact that even the protagonist isn’t fully safe.

Scream 4 then commented on the glut of too glossy 2000s and early 2010s horror remakes, e.g. the Platinum Dunes horror movies and stuff like Black Christmas. Then, Radio Silence’s 2022 version aimed its lens at reboot-sequels/legacy sequels and the devotion of fandom. However, Scream VI is more straightforward. There isn’t any meta commentary about movies with the exception of Ghostface saying something along the lines of who cares about movies anyway as he strikes Jason Carvey. That continues with Scream 7. Once more the franchise seems to have turned its back on what made it different from the movies it was semi-parodying.

3) Humor

While the commentary seemed to depart with Scream VI, there’s an argument to be made that the franchise’s humor seemed to depart with Wes Craven. Without a doubt, Scream 4 felt like the most comedic of the franchise. After all, there were two fake openings that were then humorously torn apart in the real opening and a few jokes about lemon squares.

When Radio Silence came in, the Ghostface saga became a bit more horror focused. There are moments like when Richie Kirsch screams “Oh, s**t! It’s Ghostface!” and Dewey’s reaction when he’s in the circle with the teens talking about how he isn’t safe this time, but for the most part it’s grounded. Then, between Scream VI and Scream 7, there isn’t a single laugh. It’s odd in the latter case, because Kevin Williamson was the one who injected the humor into the franchise, and he both directed and co-wrote the seventh movie.

2) Great Ghostface Reveals

The Psycho reference that reveals Billy Loomis as a Ghostface killer, the revelation that Debbie Salt is actually Mrs. Loomis, Charlie stabbing Kirby while being fake tied to a chair, these are all great Ghostface kills. Scream (2022) also had a pair of very good ones in Amber shooting Liv and saying “Welcome to act three” and Richie stumbling down the stairs and stabbing Sam Carpenter. Then, Scream VI‘s Bailey trio reveal was a little predictable, even if the fake-out death of Liana Liberato’s Quinn was a nice touch.

But Scream VI‘s reveal scene now looks pretty good thanks to just how obvious it is that Marco and Jessica are the killers in Scream 7. Just about everyone else is dead, so it has to be them, yet their reveals have no impact because we’ve hardly gotten a chance to get to know them. The fact that Jessica killed her own son has a level of impact, but other than that this reveal scene lands with a thud, especially once Jessica’s three odd motives get spouted out.

1) A Reason for Sidney to Be a Part of It

Sidney Prescott stands above other final girls because we’ve genuinely gotten a chance to watch her grow as a human being. She’s not just a “Final Girl,” she’s a flesh and blood person. And, each time up until now, there’s been an organic, logical reason for her to be involved in the murder spree.

Billy and Stu are specifically targeting her. Mrs. Loomis follows her to college to get revenge. Roman Bridger is her jealous long-lost brother. Jill wants the fame Sidney has gained. And, lastly, Dewey is killed. But in Scream 7 it plays less like Jessica wanted Sidney out of retirement (even though it’s hardly been any time between the 2022 movie and this one) and more like the studio wanted another Scream movie and recognized that the audience wanted Neve Campbell brought back into the fold.

Do you think Scream can rebound with the next installment? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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