This new Scream movie feels less like a creative work and more like a calculated attempt to cash in on nostalgia. It tries so hard to give fans what they want that it ends up falling flat. The movie feels overly eager to please, lacks originality, and the reveal of who’s behind the Ghostface mask is disappointing. Even bringing back familiar faces from past films doesn’t have the impact the movie seems to expect. While it’s not completely bad – the opening scene is strong and Neve Campbell delivers a particularly good performance – it’s easily the weakest entry in the Scream series, and not even close to the others.
That final phrase seems aimed at people who criticize Scream VI, and surprisingly, it also applies to Scream 7 itself.
Spoilers for Scream 7 follow.
How Does It Play Things Too Safe?
Okay, we’re about to reveal who Ghostface is in Scream 7, so if you haven’t seen the movie and don’t want spoilers, stop reading now. Ready? Here’s the reveal…
In Scream 7, one of the Ghostface killers is killed around the middle of the film. This Ghostface was Karl Gibbs, a patient at a mental institution. Sidney Prescott-Evans and Gale Weathers investigate the institution and meet Ethan Embry’s character, Marco Davis, who reveals that Stu Macher – seemingly still alive and disfigured – was admitted as an unidentified patient a few years prior.
Unfortunately, Stu is definitely dead – as confirmed by events in Scream 7. Marco is revealed to be one of the Ghostface killers, along with Jessica Bowden, who lives next door to Sidney.
Despite some good work by Embry and Camp, Jessica and Marco are by far the weakest Ghostface killers in the series. Marco’s reason for being involved is simply that Jessica asked him to, and Jessica’s own motivations feel like lazy writing meant to make money rather than genuinely progress the story. Even Scream 3 at least tried to move the franchise in a new direction.
Jessica is really into Sidney and adored her book, Out of Darkness. Jessica interpreted the book as suggesting that eliminating harmful people from your life is the way to find peace. There’s a kernel of truth to that – people often find their own meaning in art, and that’s perfectly valid.
Another key reason Jessica acted the way she did is that she was really upset Sidney didn’t participate in the New York murders. This was meant to reflect how disappointed fans felt when Neve Campbell wasn’t involved.
Look, let’s be real – even without Neve Campbell, Scream VI wasn’t a bad movie. It definitely has its detractors, but honestly, the backlash just isn’t on the same level as something truly divisive like Star Wars: The Last Jedi. That film really split the fanbase, while Scream VI hasn’t caused quite the same uproar, in my opinion.
While not as groundbreaking as some might hope (similar to how some feel about The Last Jedi), Scream VI still delivers a solid mystery and thriller experience. It doesn’t quite capture the same lively energy as the 2022 Scream film, but it’s far from a failure. The movie retains the franchise’s signature self-awareness, surprising twists, and intense atmosphere. In fact, Scream VI arguably makes its characters feel more genuinely threatened than any previous installment – during the initial theatrical release in 2023, it was hard to predict who would survive. Looking ahead to Scream 7, the established characters like Sidney, Tatum, Mindy, Chad, and Gale seem particularly well-protected from harm.
Even if hardcore Scream fans strongly disliked the reasoning behind Jessica’s actions in Scream VI, it still feels like a weak explanation. This is because it’s only been four years since Sidney Prescott last faced a masked killer. While she wasn’t the main character in the 2022 Scream film, her impact was still noticeable. True feelings of missing someone usually develop after a longer separation, and it hasn’t been long enough for audiences to genuinely miss Sidney.
Look, as a huge Scream fan, I have to say Scream 7 just didn’t deliver the smarts or scares I was hoping for. Remember how genuinely terrifying it was watching Gale try to outsmart Ghostface in the sound booth in Scream 2? Or the shock of Charlie turning on Kirby in Scream 4? Those moments really stuck with me. Even Scream VI, which some people criticized for being too dark, at least committed to a certain vibe. Scream 7 tried for something lighter, maybe even meta-humor, but honestly, it just felt… lost. It didn’t really land any punches, you know?
Let’s be honest, Scream 7 feels unnecessary. It’s nice to see Sidney Prescott return, but her story really ended with Scream 3. And the Carpenter sisters – Sam and Tara – had a satisfying conclusion at the end of Scream VI, when Sam discarded the Ghostface mask. This new installment doesn’t really add anything new.
Even as a big fan of this series, it’s hard to understand why this latest installment was necessary, or why more are planned. Considering its weak opening weekend, it risks following the path of the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot, despite the fact that Scream 8 seems inevitable. Since another sequel is likely, let’s hope the series focuses on moving the story forward instead of simply playing it safe to satisfy fans. The Scream audience is intelligent and deserves more than just predictable fan service.
Interested in seeing another Scream movie? Let us know in the comments and share your thoughts in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-03-01 21:41