Scream is an American slasher franchise that includes seven films, a television series, merchandise, and games. The first four films were directed by Wes Craven. The series was created by Kevin Williamson, who wrote the first two films and the fourth, and returned to direct and co-write the seventh film. Ehren Kruger wrote the third. The fifth and sixth installments were directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, with Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt serving as writers and Williamson returning as executive producer. Busick and Vanderbilt also co-wrote the seventh entry. Dimension Films produced the first four films, while Dimension Television produced the television series. Spyglass Media Group took over the rights from the fifth film onwards, with Paramount Pictures distributing. The film series has grossed over at the global box office.
Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Roger L. Jackson (who voices the various Ghostface killers) starred in the first five films, and returned for the seventh. Cox and Jackson also reprised their roles for the sixth film and are the only cast members to feature in all seven films to date, with Cox also being the only actress to appear in seven consecutive films of a horror franchise. Hayden Panettiere stars in the fourth and sixth films, while Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown star in the fifth and sixth, with Gooding and Brown also reprising their roles in the seventh. Jamie Kennedy and Liev Schreiber feature in the first three films, and Marley Shelton appears in the fourth and fifth. Skeet Ulrich stars in the first and cameos in the fifth and sixth installments, Matthew Lillard stars in the first and features in the seventh, Laurie Metcalf stars in the second and cameos in the seventh, Scott Foley stars in the third and cameos in the seventh, and Jack Quaid stars in the fifth and cameos in the sixth. Additionally, Heather Matarazzo makes cameo appearances in the third and fifth films, as does Nancy O'Dell in the second, third and fourth. Having appeared in the iconic opening scene of the first film and on its poster, Drew Barrymore is strongly associated with the franchise. The series has also featured many notable actors making single-film appearances in supporting cast roles or as cameos.
Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream (2022), and Scream VI (2023) received high praise from critics. Scream 3 (2000) received a more mixed response, as did Scream 4 (2011), Craven's final film; both were later reappraised and the fourth film was generally seen as a return to form for the series. Meanwhile, Scream 7 (2026) received mostly negative reviews from critics but became the highest grossing movie in the franchise. Commercially, all the films have been high performers at the box office apart from Scream 4, which had a disappointing domestic run. The film series has also been the recipient of several awards and nominations, including winning Best Movie twice at the MTV Movie & TV Awards (for Scream in 1996 and Scream VI in 2023). An eighth film is in early development.
Overview The first four films follow Sidney Prescott and her struggle against a succession of murderers who adopt the guise of Ghostface to stalk and kill their victims, the killers often motivated by revenge, jealousy, and seeking notoriety. Sidney receives support from town policeman Dewey Riley, tabloid reporter Gale Weathers, and film-geeks Randy Meeks and Kirby Reed, along with various other friends, romantic partners, and acquaintances that change as the series progresses. The fifth and sixth films follow Samantha Carpenter and her sister, Tara, who are targeted due to their connection to the original killers. Together with their friends Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin (niece and nephew of Randy Meeks) and some of the original survivors (including Sidney, Gale, Dewey, and Kirby), they must contend with new Ghostface killers. The focus switches back to Sidney in the seventh film, alongside Gale, Mindy, and Chad, and also follows Sidney's daughter, Tatum, and her group of friends, who are all stalked by a new killer.
The first film, Scream, was released on December 20, 1996, and became the highest-grossing slasher film in the world until the release of Halloween (2018). The second entry, Scream 2, was released less than a year later on December 12, 1997. The third installment, Scream 3, was released on February 4, 2000, and was originally the concluding chapter of the series. Eleven years later, the franchise was revived with a fourth installment, Scream 4, which was released on April 15, 2011. An anthology television series Scream, which followed new characters and settings and is not canon to the films, aired for three seasons from 2015 to 2016 on MTV and on VH1 in 2019. A fifth installment in the film series was released on January 14, 2022, directed by Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett. Busick and Vanderbilt wrote the screenplay, and original creator Williamson returned as an executive producer. It is the first installment in the film series to not be directed by Wes Craven, who died in 2015. A sixth installment, Scream VI, was released on March 10, 2023, developed by the same directors and screenwriters as the fifth film.
Williamson's original script for the first film was bought by Miramax and developed under the Dimension Films label. Craven recruited composer Marco Beltrami to score the film. Williamson was unable to write Scream 3 due to his commitment to other projects. Ehren Kruger replaced him as screenwriter. Kruger also provided uncredited rewrites for Scream 4. Craven ran into conflicts with the Motion Picture Association of America over the series and was forced to reduce the violence in Scream 3 due to the Columbine High School massacre resulting in increased focus on violence in the media. Scream became notable for its use of established and recognizable actors, which was uncommon for slasher films at the time.
The first film has been credited with revitalizing the horror genre in the late 1990s by combining a traditional slasher film with humor, characters aware of horror film cliches and a clever plot. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1996 and became the highest-grossing slasher film in the world, an honor it held until it was surpassed by 2018's Halloween. Its success was matched by Scream 2, which not only broke box-office records of the time but was also considered superior to the original by some critics. Scream 3 fared worse than its predecessors critically, with many reviewers commenting that it had become the type of horror film it originally parodied in Scream and Scream 2, while others praised it for successfully completing the film trilogy. The movie and its themes were re-evaluated in the wake of the MeToo movement and it underwent a positive reappraisal in the years since its release. Scream 4 also received mixed reviews, with criticism mainly aimed at its use of horror film cliches, although many considered it an improvement over its predecessor. Like the third film, it was critically reappraised years after its release. Both films, especially Scream 4 and its killers' motives, are now widely seen as being ahead of their time. The fifth and sixth entries received mostly positive reviews. Collider said the franchise worked so well because at heart it is really a mystery series.
Films Film U.S. release date Director(s) Screenwriter(s) Story by Producers Scream December 20, 1996 Wes Craven Kevin Williamson Cary Woods, Harvey Weinstein, & Cathy Konrad Scream 2 December 12, 1997 Wes Craven, Cathy Konrad, Harvey Weinstein, & Marianne Maddalena Scream 3 February 4, 2000 Ehren Kruger Cathy Konrad, Kevin Williamson, Harvey Weinstein, & Marianne Maddalena Scream 4 April 15, 2011 Kevin Williamson Wes Craven, Iya Labunka, & Kevin Williamson Scream January 14, 2022 Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett James Vanderbilt & Guy Busick Paul Neinstein, William Sherak & James Vanderbilt Scream VI March 10, 2023 Scream 7 February 27, 2026 Kevin Williamson Kevin Williamson and Guy Busick James Vanderbilt & Guy Busick Untitled eighth Scream film TBA TBA Lilla Zuckerman & Nora Zuckerman TBA TBA
Scream (1996)
The film series began with Scream, premiering on December 18, 1996, at the AMC Avco theater in Westwood, California and was generally released on December 20, 1996. Based on a screenplay by screenwriter Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven, creator of the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Scream offered a self-referential approach to horror by featuring a cast of characters aware of the conventions/clichés of the horror film genre and able to use them to survive. The film focuses on teenager Sidney Prescott as she comes under attack from a mysterious character dubbed Ghostface while dealing with the anniversary of her mother's murder. The film went on to be a financial success and received considerable critical acclaim for its deconstruction of the horror genre. It is credited with revitalizing the horror genre in the mid 90s and inspiring an array of imitators. It was particularly notable for its casting of established and popular actors and actresses which was previously uncommon in horror films.
Scream 2 (1997)
The series continued with Scream 2, premiering at Mann's Chinese Theater, followed by a general release on December 12, 1997. Written by Williamson and directed by Craven, released less than a year after the original film. Like Scream, the film features characters aware of the horror genre and the conventions of the horror sequel, mocking them while simultaneously falling victim to them. Set in 1997, the film again focuses on the character of Sidney Prescott, now a college student, as a series of copycat crimes begin, the killers again using the disguise of Ghostface. The film was financially successful, and received similar critical praise for its deconstruction of the horror film sequel and commentary on the influence of the media in society. The script for Scream 2 was leaked during production revealing the identity of the killers and so the film underwent extensive rewrites, changing the identity of the killers, though their motivation remained the same.
Scream 3 (2000)
The series continued with Scream 3, which premiered on February 3, 2000, at the AMC Avco theater in Westwood, California and was generally released on February 4, 2000. Like previous entries, the film was directed by Craven, but Williamson was unable to formulate a complete script due to his commitment to the short-lived television series Wasteland and his original film Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999). Consequently, he wound up being replaced by Ehren Kruger who finalized a script based on several ideas supplied by Williamson. Set in 2000, the film focuses on Sidney Prescott who faces a new Ghostface killer and the truth about her mother that led to the start of the Ghostface killings. The film, like its predecessors, featured characters who were self-aware of horror conventions, in this case the rules and structure of the final entry in a movie trilogy. Scream 3 was less successful than the previous two installments, commentators noting that the film had become akin to the horror films it originally parodied in Scream and Scream 2. Others were critical of the change in tone, focusing more on humor instead of horror and violence. However, critics who reacted positively were supportive of this change in tone and praised the film for successfully completing the film trilogy. The movie and its themes were re-evaluated and examined in the wake of the MeToo movement.
Scream 4 (2011)