by: Kayla Mitchell
Public Relations Manager
Continuing to fill theaters with thrilling films this spring, legendary screenwriter Kevin Williamson introduced another sequel to the long-running Scream franchise. Scream 7 came out in theaters on Feb. 27, bringing back the iconic Ghostface and the classic stab-horror themes that fans love. With new characters and Williamson taking over directing the film, viewers are getting a fresh start within the popular horror series.
At the end of the last film, audiences were left with the survival of the Carpenter sisters after stopping the Ghostface killers who were hunting Sam Carpenter to avenge their dead family member. Following the departure of directors from the previous film and the firing of Melissa Barrera, who portrayed the main character Sam, popular actor Jenna Ortega did not return for Scream 7. The loss of the two main actors marked the end of the Carpenter sisters’ storyline. Despite the loss of stars from the last installment, the new cast is filled with talent, with well-known teenage actor McKenna Grace and returning actors Neve Campbell, Isabel May, and Mason Gooding.
Departing from the storyline of the Carpenter sisters, the new film focuses on legacy character Sidney Prescott. When Ghostface returns and begins threatening Sidney’s family, especially her daughter Tatum, she is forced to relive the traumatic events from her past and face the Ghostface killer to protect her family. The film focuses on Sidney’s personal story as she attempts to establish a normal life after the traumatic events in her past, but she is quickly thrown back into the horror to end the attacks once and for all. The killer targets characters involved in past Ghostface attacks, such as returning characters Gale, Mindy, and Chad from Scream 6, while introducing new characters to broaden the pool of potential suspects.
Since arriving in theaters, the film has received mixed reviews from the franchise’s fans. Many critics are praising Campbell for her return as lead character Prescott, but overall criticizing the movie’s repetitive elements and lackluster killer reveal. The movie’s success is also being affected by boycotts from the fans due to the loss of stars from Scream 6 and departure of past directors. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a critics’ score of 32% and an audience score of 77%, showing a mostly positive reaction from viewers. Despite any negative criticism, the film has already generated a worldwide total of 97.2 million dollars as of Mar. 1.
Scream 7 will remain in theatres for roughly four to eight weeks before premiering on Paramount+ in late April. The film is expected to arrive on additional streaming services at a later date. Scream 7 is a thrilling addition to the long-running series, which continues the franchise’s signature stab-horror storyline while delving deeper into the lives of both new characters and returning fan favorites.