A “Scream” Franchise Revisit: “Scream” (2022) and “Scream VI”
- Matt Palmer
- Mar 9
- 5 min read
For the last couple weeks I have been revisiting the “Scream” franchise to get ready for the latest installment - “Scream 7.” For last week’s edition, I took a look at “Scream 3” and “Scream 4” (the weakest of the series - even though the 4th movie isn’t actually that bad).
Now, it’s time to talk about the 2022 and 2023 sequels, which actually helped revitalize the meta horror franchise.
In the 2022 installment of “Scream,” 25 years after a streak of brutal killings shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teens to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
The 2022 “Scream” (or “Scream 5”) is a truly successful “requel” (part reboot, part sequel) that revitalized the franchise after a decade-long hiatus. This installment was a welcome return of the series’ meta-commentary and a nostalgic return of the legacy characters.
The movie’s sharp meta-commentary on the “toxic fandom” and the recent trend of “requels” is easily one of the major highlights of this entry. The traditional monologue explaining the new rules of “requels” is also entertaining and helps the meta-commentary angle out in a huge way.
“Scream” (2022) also delivers quite a few notable moments, such as the intense and suspenseful opening sequence, the killer reveal that involves “toxic fandom,” the return of the Stu Macher house (a pivotal location from the first movie) and a shocking departure of a beloved character.
“Scream” (2022) (a.k.a. “Scream 5”) is a meta-slasher that successfully revitalized the franchise by balancing nostalgia with fresh self-aware commentary on “elevated horror” and toxic fandom. It’s considered a worthy, entertaining addition to the series that respects its roots while exploring modern horror trends.
MPA: Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout and some sexual references (runtime 114 minutes)
In “Scream VI,” four survivors of the last Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind for
a fresh start in NYC. However, they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a bloody rampage.
Just like the 2022 entry, the sixth “Scream” continued to revitalize this meta horror franchise. This is a fast-paced, intense and refreshing entry that also moved the franchise to the big city of NYC.
“Scream VI” is actually one of the most exciting, and at times, brutal installments of the franchise. Even moving the series to an even bigger location made the tension feel bigger and more chaotic.
When “Scream VI” was initially released, some fans were divided over the absence of iconic franchise character Sidney Prescott. Yet, I honestly think this entry showed that the franchise could continue successfully without the character.
This intense sequel also delivers some really chaotic sequences, such as the apartment ladder escape (which is still tense even after watching the movie many times) and the NYC subway ride. The hidden shrine of the previous killers is also another highlight of this movie and a nostalgic one for the fans of the franchise. Even though I thought the killer reveal for this one was awesome during the very first watch a few years ago, after a few more watches you can easily pick up more subtle hints of who the killers actually are.
“Scream VI” is a high-intensity installment that continues to breathe more life to the franchise. It’s generally viewed as a successful, energetic sequel that p[roves the franchise can thrive with new characters. It also serves as an effective, fast-paced thriller, even if it doesn’t quite reach the narrative heights of the 1996 original.
MPA: Rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, and brief drug use (runtime 122 minutes)
You can currently stream the first six movies on Paramount Plus.
The fact that Dewey never mentioned his sister Tatum or her death was an oft-criticized aspect of the prior sequels, making it seem like she had been forgotten. Here, we see that he still keeps her ashes on the mantle.
Neve Campbell was initially hesitant to return to the franchise, especially in a new Scream film that didn't feature Wes Craven as director, who would be unable to give Campbell and the new directors his blessing due to his death. What changed her mind was a letter sent to her by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, where they wrote about how much Wes Craven and his films meant to them as filmmakers.
The first Scream film not directed by Wes Craven, who passed away in August of 2015 from cancer. The character of Wes was named in honor of him and the film is dedicated to him in the end credits.
Skeet Ulrich shot all his scenes in just one day.
The film was released on January 14, 2022, being 25 years and 25 days since the original film's release date, which came out on December 20, 1996.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett were big fans of the Scream films long before being hired as the directors of this film. Both cite Wes Craven and Scream (1996) as the reason they started making horror films. They also very badly wanted to collaborate with Samara Weaving again, after having worked with her on Ready or Not (2019), but she was unavailable. Weaving would later appear under their direction in Scream VI (2023), however.
Courteney Cox was the first cast member to sign up to return as Gale Weathers. She stated that she did not hesitate to return because she loved playing Gale, and jokingly said that she'd even play her for free.
As Randy Meeks intercepted Gale Weather's intended Ghostface call in Scream 2 (1997), this marks the first Scream film where Gale Weathers receives a call from Ghostface.
The film was greenlit on February 3, 2022, three weeks after Scream (2022) was released.
The first Scream sequel to ever reference any of the sequel film's killers directly by name and not indirectly. Every sequel up until this film had only specifically referenced the first film's killers Billy and Stu.
Following the release of 2022's Scream, Kevin Williamson revealed that Scream 4 was supposed to be the start of a new trilogy. He told Bloody Disgusting that in his original vision for a fifth movie, Jill would have gone to college (where Sidney was a professor) and faced off with a killer who knew she'd been the killer in the previous film. "Scream 6 was gonna answer whatever happened between Dewey and Gale," Williamson continued. "Sidney was in it, but it was more focused on Gale's storyline." Due to Scream 4's relatively poor box office performance -- it was the first film in the series to bring in less than $100M globally, despite having one of the highest budgets -- Williamson's vision for a fifth film never came to fruition.
In December 2022, Radio Silence commented on Neve Campbell's absence, saying her absence affected the script "greatly". They decided to use the change as an opportunity to focus more on other characters, particularly the four young survivors from the previous film. They also mentioned how much they love both Campbell and the Sidney character and that she could return in future installments.
Comments