Scary Movie franchise rated ….

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After a 13-year break, Scary Movie 6 (actually just titled Scary Movie) has been released. We decided to revisit the entire franchise, which began back in 2000, and rank each film from worst to best.

Here’s the Scary Movie franchise rated here….

5. Scary Movie 5 (2013)

By the fifth installment, the Scary Movie franchise was losing steam and felt repetitive. Director David Zucker, who had been at the helm since the third film, now shared directing duties with Malcolm D. Lee, known for his work with films geared towards Black audiences. After a seven-year break, the writers had time to draw inspiration from newer horror movies, but the jokes still felt uninspired. This was the first film without Anna Faris, due to her pregnancy, and Regina Hall also chose not to return. The cast was generally weak, with Charlie Sheen being the only recognizable name – and unfortunately, he was mostly known for his personal troubles after being fired from his TV show and giving a damaging interview. Lindsay Lohan made a cameo appearance, but she, like Sheen, was also facing career and personal difficulties. Scary Movie 5 was poorly received by audiences, earning only $78 million – a franchise low, as all previous films had earned over $100 million. This led to the franchise being put on hold for thirteen years.

 

4. Scary Movie 4 (2006)

Most long-running movie series see a drop in quality by the fourth installment, and Scary Movie 4 was no exception. This was the first film in the series not written by the Wayans family; instead, Craig Mazin, later known for Chernobyl and The Last of Us, took on the writing duties. The script was also shaped by Pat Proft and Jim Abrahams, the team behind the comedies Airplane! and The Naked Gun, working with the director. After six years and three previous movies, finding fresh material to parody was becoming difficult. Even with a performance from comedy veteran Leslie Nielsen, surprise cameos from Michael Madsen and Bill Pullman, and the return of Carmen Electra, the film barely earned back its money, grossing $178 million on a $40 million budget.

 

3. Scary Movie 2 (2001)

Following the surprising success of the first movie, a sequel was fast-tracked into production – perhaps too quickly. It was released just nine months later, an incredibly short turnaround, even for a low-budget film. The original cast returned, along with a surprising addition: Tim Curry. There were also rumors of Marlon Brando joining the project, but he was ill and replaced by James Woods. The Wayans family worried about the rushed schedule, and they were right to be concerned. The sequel earned £141 million, making it the lowest-grossing film in the series.

 

2. Scary Movie 3 (2003)

Following the disappointing box office performance of the second film and the Wayans brothers’ complaints about the hurried production, a new director, David Zucker, was brought on board. Zucker, known for his comedic successes with films like Airplane!, Naked Gun, and Top Secret!, also brought in a new writing team, replacing the Wayans. This team consisted of Craig Mazin, a rising writer, and Pat Proft, a veteran of television since the 1970s – though Proft was also known for the much-criticized Star Wars Christmas Special and seven Police Academy movies! These new writers injected fresh energy into the franchise, focusing their parody on The Ring. They also added star power with Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, and Denise Richards. While Anna Faris and Regina Hall returned, the Wayans brothers didn’t appear. Zucker instead cast Leslie Nielsen, George Carlin, Charlie Sheen, and Kevin Hart. The result was the second highest-grossing film in the series, earning $220 million – more than four times its budget.

 

  1. Scary Movie (2000)

Scary Movie was created by the Wayans brothers – Keenan, Shawn, and Marlon, who were already well-known comedians (though Marlon had a notably different role in the intense film ‘Requiem for a Dream’) – along with four other writers. Inspired by hits like ‘Scream’ and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer,’ they created a relentlessly silly parody, a style that would become their trademark. The film famously mirrored the opening scene of ‘Scream’ with Carmen Electra taking the role originally played by Drew Barrymore. Interestingly, ‘Scary Movie’ was originally considered as a title for ‘Scream’ itself, but it felt more appropriate for a spoof. The film proved to be a turning point for Anna Faris’s career, as she’d only appeared in three films (including a short) in the previous nine years. While she did have roles in critically acclaimed films like ‘Lost in Translation’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ she became known primarily as a comedic actress, appearing in almost all of the sequels. Despite having the lowest production budget of the series at just $19 million, the film became the highest-grossing installment, earning $278 million worldwide.

…….and that’s the Scary Movie franchise rated (to be updated with film no 6 soon!)

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2026-06-06 13:24