20 Years Later, The Horror Franchise That Inspired Scream Is Overdue For A Reboot

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The series Scream was inspired by another horror franchise, but that original series hasn’t produced any standout films and hasn’t had a theatrical release since 2006. Despite its own inconsistencies, Scream has become a hugely influential and important part of horror movie history.

The late 1990s saw a revival of slasher films thanks to Scream. Without it, movies like Valentine, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cherry Falls, Halloween: H20, and the Urban Legend series likely wouldn’t have been made. Scream also heavily influenced the hugely popular Scary Movie franchise, meaning we might not have those iconic parodies either.

The series that originally inspired Scream hasn’t had a strong cinematic presence in twenty years, and it never really produced any truly great films. Despite being a highly influential slasher series, When a Stranger Calls still lacks any definitive horror classics.

There Has Still Never Been A Great When a Stranger Calls Movie

In 1977, director Fred Walton released a highly praised short film called “The Sitter.” Its success – a suspenseful 21-minute horror story – led him to create the full-length feature film When a Stranger Calls in 1979. The film is based on the well-known story of a babysitter who is terrorized by a mysterious caller, and it’s famous for its incredibly frightening opening scene.

The first part of the movie centers on a babysitter who gets increasingly frightened by disturbing phone calls from an unknown person, eventually discovering the calls are coming from someone inside the house. This opening was so effective and scary that director Wes Craven used it as inspiration for the beginning of Scream. Screenwriter Kevin Williamson also mentioned it as a key influence on his work.

Despite a strong performance by Carol Kane as the film’s central character, When a Stranger Calls failed to maintain the intensity of its incredible opening scene. That first scene, a chilling recreation of “The Sitter,” is brilliantly executed, but the rest of the 1979 movie feels slow and directionless after such a powerful start, struggling to build a compelling story.

For a 1993 TV movie sequel, When a Stranger Calls Back, Walton and Kane reprised their roles. Despite the somewhat silly title, the movie was surprisingly good. While it didn’t quite live up to the original, much like later Scream sequels, When a Stranger Calls Back worked well as its own story and was still enjoyable to watch.

A Good When a Stranger Calls Reboot Could Be Truly Terrifying

The series last appeared in theaters with the 2006 remake, When a Stranger Calls, starring Camilla Belle as the troubled babysitter. The film also featured a strong supporting cast with up-and-coming actors like Katie Cassidy, Tessa Thompson, and Dianna Agron. Notably, the 2006 version took a gamble by expanding the suspenseful opening sequence of the original film into the full length movie.

The 2006 version of When a Stranger Calls unfolds mostly in real-time, following the main character as she tries to escape the killer inside a surprisingly luxurious house. Despite being directed by Simon West, who also directed Con Air, the film is surprisingly boring and lacks suspense, violence, scares, or even a little bit of levity.

It’s disappointing that all three When a Stranger Calls movies aren’t very strong, considering they’re based on a well-known and impactful horror story. However, the unexpected financial success of the latest Scream film suggests now is a great time for the franchise to revive itself, and several other movies have already started to do just that.

A When A Stranger Calls Reboot Can Benefit From A Major Genre Trend

The idea behind the When a Stranger Calls movies – as shown in the chilling opening of Scream and the classic scares of 1974’s Black Christmas – is really strong. The beginning of the first When a Stranger Calls film is still genuinely creepy, and with slasher movies being popular again, a new version could really deliver on that core, frightening concept.

Slasher films are really popular right now, as seen in recent movies like the new Scream installments, Totally Killer, the Terrifier series, the upcoming reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Thanksgiving, Heart Eyes, and Clown in a Cornfield. This variety of approaches means a new When A Stranger Calls movie could be very different and take some bold chances.

The When a Stranger Calls series has a compelling premise and deserves a truly great movie. Whether a new version sticks with the original’s fast-paced style or tries something completely different, it’s a classic that has significantly impacted the horror genre, and there are many modern filmmakers who could do it justice.

2026 looks like the year the When a Stranger Calls franchise will regain its strength. Having inspired the popular Scream series, it’s finally time for When a Stranger Calls to get a truly great horror story of its own.

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2026-04-12 16:10