All 6 Scream movies, ranked from worst to best
2. Scream VI
Sam (Melissa Barrera) Tara (Jenna Ortega), Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), and Chad (Mason Gooding) return for Scream VI, which is now playing in theaters. Coming off of Scream (2022), I had relatively high hopes for the latest movie, as well as a few worries. A brand-new location in New York City, far, far away from Woodsboro? That might feel weird. Well, as the credits — and post-credits scene — rolled, I only had two thoughts: that was so, so good; and where will I put Scream VI in my rankings!?
Warning: This review contains MAJOR SPOILERS!
It kind of feels sacrilegious to place not only Scream (2022) but also Scream VI ahead of Scream 2, but here we are. I’m sorry to the diehard Scream fans who don’t agree! Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are so great and Scream VI really breaths some fresh air into the franchise. And I’ve totally fallen in love with the new characters as they cement themselves as the new leads of the franchise.
In an attempt to start fresh after the latest Woodsboro murders, Tara, Mindy and Chad relocate to New York City for college, while Sam tags along to keep an eye on her younger sister. Tara, as we come to learn, feels like her sister is smothering her and keeping her from moving on. Sam really comes into her own as a horror movie lead in Scream VI, which is a relief. The four actors really bring out each others’ strengths, and with the introduction of the “Core Four” — the name Chad gives them and the others begrudgingly agree to — we now have a new set of legacy characters. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve connected with characters this much since the original Scream. They’re that great.
The opening kill scene takes risks and subverts the viewer’s expectations. We meet a college professor named Laura, played by Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), who recently moved to New York City and is waiting to meet up with a date. After a creepy phone call, things escalate fast, and she ends up getting stabbed repeatedly and killed in an alleyway. Scream VI really takes advantage of its new location; in such a big city where everyone minds their own business, you can get away with a lot in public. Of course, this gives the new Ghostface a major leg up.
Laura’s death is really quick, but the scene doesn’t end there. Ghostface, shockingly, removes his mask and reveals himself to be a character we’ll soon know as Tara’s college classmate Jason (Tony Revolori). Quick side note: Revolori is a talented actor and any horror fans must check him out in the show Servant on AppleTV+. He’s great!
So is Jason the new Ghostface? Does Scream VI really give us the reveal in the opening scene? Nope. He’s just a copycat killer who, soon enough, gets killed by the real Ghostface. It’s not a perfect opening, but it’s really different from what we’ve seen from this franchise before. I had no idea what would happen next, making for a really fun viewing experience.
Of course, there’s no Scream movie without jabs at the horror genre, and Scream VI has some of the most clever of the franchise. As Mindy explains, they’re now in a franchise, so everything should be bigger and better and no one is safe, especially not the legacy characters. It’s a quick, entertaining scene that straps viewers in for what’s to come. But of course, Mindy’s not always right. The movie tells you right off the bat what should happen, but it doesn’t exactly go that way.
Speaking of legacy characters, Courteney Cox is back as Gale Weathers, the last of the original characters after Dewey’s (David Arquette) death in Scream (2022) and Neve Campbell’s departure from the franchise over salary disputes. Again, diehard Scream fans, don’t come for me, but Scream VI works just fine without Sidney Prescott. She’s mentioned briefly, but with this being a new chapter for the franchise, she doesn’t need to be there. Plus, we get the return of Hayden Panettiere as Kirby, a worthy addition. It’s great to have characters return for the nostalgia of it all, but putting a bigger focus on the new group really works this time around.
There are so many fantastic scenes throughout Scream VI, and the new location in New York City allows the writers and director to work with new elements. Murders in a bodega, a stalking and stabbing on the subway, and an escape from one apartment building to another are things we never could’ve seen in Woodsboro. Though I was a little nervous about a location switch-up this extreme, I now don’t think the franchise could survive without it. We needed something different, and we got it.
And finally, the Ghostface reveal. There are issues I have with it; I was already tired of the secret relative thing and Dermot Mulroney’s performance as Detective Bailey is a little too exaggerated for me, but overall it’s fun. The reveal happens in an old, run-down theater, which is a nice touch. The reveal is different from before as we have not one, not two, but three Ghostface killers in Detective Bailey, his daughter Quinn (Liana Liberato), and his son Ethan (Jack Champion), who happen to be the family of Richie looking for revenge. There’s an unhinged energy about the reveal that reminds me of the original trilogy, and a silliness that Scream (2022) didn’t have. That’s a good and bad thing.
I still prefer the Ghostface reveal of Scream (2022), but because of all the other things I love so much about Scream VI, this gets my #2 spot. The movie does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and it has me hopeful for a Scream VII announcement soon. What more could I ask for?