WARNING: SPOILER ALERT

★★☆☆☆ I love the Scream franchise. It’s self-aware and satirical (most of the time) while executing (ha!) horror tropes and gory kills perfectly. That is all except in Scream 3. The jury is out on that mixed-bag, and the jury’s out on this film too. Despite that, these movies are still cult classics and Wes Craven’s legacy will live on through them.

The Production Drama That Shaped the Film

But before I get into Scream 7 itself, it would be a disservice to not mention the discourse around the film’s production and the franchise in general. In November 2023, at the peak of the political tension surrounding Israel and Palestine in Hollywood, Melissa Barrera likened Gaza to a “concentration camp” on social media and was quietly dropped by Spyglass from Scream 7. 

About a week later, Christopher Landon also left the project, saying the film felt redundant because “…the whole movie was about [Barrera].” Soon after Jenna Ortega also dropped out; the speculation was a scheduling conflict with Netflix’s Wednesday, but she clarified that:

“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling. The Melissa stuff was happening and it was all kind of falling apart. If ‘Scream 7’ wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.” – Jenna Ortega to The Cut.

Amongst the frantic reworks, Neve Campbell, who refused to work on Scream 6 due to pay disputes, returned to her iconic role for Scream 7. Fans were curious as to how this would play out, and after watching the movie, the pressures of everything that unfolded are clear.

Sidney Prescott, Thirty Years Later

Scream 7 celebrates 30 years of the franchise and brings us back to the ultimate final girl: Sidney Prescott (who now goes by Sidney Prescott Evans). Living in the quiet and cosy town of Pine Grove, she’s a long way away from Woodsboro, running a coffee shop and living a peaceful life with her police officer husband Mark Evans (Joel McHale)¹ and their teen daughter Tatum (Isabel May)².

We’re introduced to Tatum when her boyfriend Ben (Sam Rechner) climbs through her window for a late night visit³. Sidney quickly catches the two of them, kicks Ben out, and causes an argument. 

Sidney has a strained relationship with her 17 year old, who is curious about her mother’s past. Tension builds between them as Sidney dodges anything relating to Ghostface and Woodsboro. 

Ghostface Returns, and So Does the Past

Later, while Sidney works at her coffee shop, Tatum’s true-crime-obsessed classmate Lucas (Asa Germann) orders a coffee for his school musical rehearsal. Curiosity gets the best of him and he intrudes on Sidney’s personal life, asking about her past with Ghostface. His mother Jessica (Anna Camp) interrupts and tells him off, where the two women later sit and chat about how hard it is being mothers to teenagers.

In her office, Sidney receives a call from “Ghostface”, trying to torment her. She scoffs at yet another person hiding behind a voice and an unknown number, but when he video calls her, she’s shocked to see Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard). The question of whether or not this is AI, a deepfake, or the real Stu causes Sidney to spiral and face her past.

What Works: Nostalgia, Gore, and the Cinema Experience

There are elements of Scream 7 that I loved. It was a warm welcome to see Sidney Prescott back on the big screen, and it immediately throws you back into the nostalgia these movies often bring. Some kills were great, and way more graphic than previous films, plus it was entertaining enough on a surface level. Most importantly, it crafted a sense of community with the audience – there were cheers in the cinema when Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) returned, and those classic murmurs when characters would make an obvious wrong choice. The shared frights and laughter amongst audiences are what make these movies continuously relevant and loved.

It also had a new star studded cast (because what’s a Scream movie without one): Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, David Arquette, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Mark Consuelos, and so many more. 

A Narrative That Feels Rushed

Something the Scream movies do well is create a well-rounded “whodunnit”. They’re able to have every Ghostface reveal make sense in the world or have a connection to the previous movies. If Scream 5 and Scream 6 didn’t exist, this movie would almost fit perfectly in the franchise. It’s a great movie to watch in the cinemas, full of thrilling jump scares, over the top kills, and scenes that will have you clutching anxiously to the person beside you. But the campy energy in Scream 7 felt a little lost with the hurried rewrites and complete change in narrative.

The Timeline Problem

That said, the massive elephant in the room is since when did Sidney Prescott have three children and a husband? There has never been any mention of her having a family, it doesn’t make sense in the timeline. There’s also no explanation for this in the movie. It feels dishonest to fans who vehemently love the franchise, and makes for a sudden shift in the story. 

It’s symptomatic of a larger issue. The narrative that feels clunky and convoluted, too full of new ideas and ways to replace the heart of the last two movies. The newer characters have neither substance nor development, they simply appear and die in an instant. Even the return of Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding felt lacklustre.

The AI Angle Falls Flat

In a reality where AI is constantly debated, bringing up AI felt cheesy. They decry the misuse of AI in the movie, but used it as a marketing tool. It’s cheap, lazy, and off-putting. What’s worse is the AI concept wasn’t engaging. It ends with horrible CGI of old characters on screens around Sidney’s home.

A Disappointing Reveal

The unmasking of Ghostface done without lead up or any rhyme or reason at all. Anna Camp had about two scenes in the film before being revealed as the main Ghostface. The reason? Some long-winded explanation of being a Sidney Prescott fan and going to a psych ward. More than motive, it was filler, and unfortunately unsatisfying.

A 30-Year Celebration That Feels Uneven

The average cinema go-er may have no idea about the behind-the-scenes drama, but as a fan, it’s hard not to have that playing in the back of your mind. In Scream 7, you don’t feel a respect for the franchise, and on its 30th anniversary no less. The movie is has big kills and classic twists, but also too many plot holes to ignore. At least it pays homage to Craven with the iconic subversive opening phone call scene, or first kill, which was a nice touch.

1. Who’s not to be confused with Detective Mark Kincaid (Patrick Dempsey) from Scream 3 ↩︎
2. Who’s named after Tatum Riley (Rose McGowan) from the original 1996 Scream. ↩︎
3. In a callback to Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) climbing through Sidney’s window in the first movie. ↩︎