After 3 Years, The Greatest Horror Series Of All Time Returns To Screens This Month

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I’ve been a huge fan of the Scream movies for years, and I think it’s easily the best horror franchise Hollywood has ever created. But honestly, I’m a little worried about Scream 7. It’s going to be tough to keep up the incredible quality we’ve seen so far. Everyone has their favorite Scream film, of course, but if you look at what critics have said over the years, one thing is obvious: this series has consistently delivered.

The Scream movies are hugely popular with audiences. While Quentin Tarantino isn’t a fan of the first Scream from 1996, almost everyone else loves it. Thanks to the brilliant direction by Wes Craven and the innovative writing by Kevin Williamson, the original Scream is considered one of the best horror films of all time.

The original Scream received generally positive reviews, earning a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences agreeing at 80%. Scream 2 improved on that success with an 83% critic score. While Scream 3 saw a dip in ratings with 45%, Scream 4, released in 2011, brought the series back with a respectable 61%.

Scream Is The Most Critically Acclaimed Horror Franchise Ever

These numbers might seem surprisingly low for a movie series that’s made nearly a billion dollars and is so well-known and impactful. This is probably due to the fact that horror films were often unfairly judged by critics, especially before the 2010s when more sophisticated horror movies became popular and critics started to appreciate the genre.

The relatively high Rotten Tomatoes scores for Scream 2022 (76%) and Scream VI (77%) could be due to a recent trend of more positive reviews for horror films. While horror has been studied seriously by scholars for many years, critics historically tended to rate horror movies lower than films in other genres, especially during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.

The Scream movies have been remarkably successful. When looking at reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Scream consistently scores higher than many other popular horror franchises, including Halloween, Leprechaun, The Exorcist, Child’s Play, The Conjuring, Wrong Turn, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Candyman. Even the lowest-rated Scream movie, Scream 3 (with a 45% rating), still received a better score than any of the Leprechaun films.

Horror Franchise Original Movie Release Year Number of Movies Average Rotten Tomatoes Score
Scream 1996 6 70%
The Exorcist 1973 6 40%
Halloween 1978 13 44%
Child’s Play 1988 7 50%
The Conjuring 2012 10 55%*
A Nightmare on Elm Street 1984 9 50%
Candyman 1992 4 60%*
Friday the 13th 1980 12 27%
Wrong Turn 2003 7 20%
Leprechaun 1993 8 15%

Even The Worst Scream Movies Are Acclaimed

The Scream movies consistently receive better reviews than many other horror films, even the less successful installments. While Scream 3 is generally considered the weakest in the series, it still features a notable cast, including Parker Posey, Emily Mortimer, Patrick Dempsey, Patrick Warburton, and Heather Matarazzo.

Like the other films, Scream 4 isn’t the strongest entry in the series, but it’s still popular because of its clever killer reveal and the introduction of Kirby, a fan-favorite character played by Hayden Panettiere. Even the least-liked Scream movies have a certain warmth, charm, and humor that many other horror franchises lack, even in their best installments.

Even though Scream VI had some plot issues, it actually received better reviews than the 2022 Scream movie. This was probably due to the strong connection between the lead actors, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. They brought a lot of energy to the series, making this sequel feel new and exciting even though it followed a similar story.

Despite the success of previous installments, it will be challenging for Scream 7 to maintain the franchise’s positive critical reception as it enters its fourth decade. Following Jenna Ortega’s departure after Melissa Barrera was fired, the film is now centering on Neve Campbell’s character, Sidney Prescott, a change that could potentially harm the entire series.

What Scream 7 Needs To Deliver To Extend The 30-Year Critical Streak

It’s hard to imagine Scream 7 will be a hit, given the surprising focus on Sidney Prescott’s previously unknown family. The new movie introduces Tatum (played by Isobel May) as Sidney’s teenage daughter—a character never referenced in the last three Scream films. Similarly, Joel McHale plays a husband who’s completely new to the story.

The new approach to the Prescott family in Scream 7 is the biggest gamble for the film. The previous movie, Scream (2022), centered on introducing Sam and Tara as the future of the franchise, and Scream VI completely left out Sidney. It’s unclear how this next installment will explain what Sidney has been doing behind the scenes and also justify why her family hasn’t been involved in previous films.

Adding to the danger in Scream 7, the return of Kevin Williamson as screenwriter also puts Sidney Prescott’s family in jeopardy. Williamson has a history – demonstrated by the deaths of beloved characters like Casey and Randy in earlier Scream films – of not being afraid to kill off even seemingly safe characters. This suggests that Sidney’s husband, or even Sidney herself, could be in danger.

The latest plot development could hurt the new movie’s chances with critics. However, if the filmmakers don’t kill off Sidney Prescott or a member of her family, the sequel might feel weak and uninspired. This puts Scream 7 in a difficult spot, and it’s unclear whether the Scream series can continue to receive positive reviews after its release.

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2026-02-12 00:03