10 Harsh Realities of Rewatching The Scream Sequels

Although the Scream movies are all beloved by fans of the iconic slasher franchise, rewatching the series proves that it does have its faults. The Scream movie franchise began in 1996 when director Wes Craven’s meta-slasher proved a huge box office success. Even though the teen horror movie was released in the depths of December, Scream’s savvy script and appealing cast ensured that the slasher became a word-of-mouth sensation. Since then, the lengthy Scream movie and TV franchise has had its highs and lows over the decades.

While all of the Scream sequels have their defenders and detractors, few critics and fans can deny that the series never outdid its first outing. The original Scream movie remains a classic despite its flaws, while all of its follow-ups struggled with various issues. Some of these sequels were downright disappointing, while others were appealing but failed to find Scream’s perfect balance of self-aware humor and surprisingly brutal scares. Now, as franchise star Neve Campbell prepares to return as Sidney Prescott in the forthcoming Scream 7, a rewatch of the sequels unearths numerous issues.

10
Scream 2’s Killer Reveal Really Doesn’t Work

The sequel’s silly ending is made worse by its previously strong story.

Scream 2 is arguably the strongest Scream sequel, but the 1997 follow-up is let down by one unfortunate problem. Scream 2’s killer reveal is the worst in the series, as the slasher unmasks its version of Ghostface and the pair turn out to be Billy Loomis’ previously unmentioned mother and an impressionable film student. Timothy Olyphant and Laurie Metcalf did all they could to salvage this twist with memorably hammy turns, but the revelation is simply too convoluted to recreate Scream’s elegant plotting.

9
Scream 2 Was The Franchise’s Last Chance To Kill Sidney

Sidney became unstoppable after surviving the second movie.

The news that Sidney will return in Scream 7 isn’t all that surprising thanks to Scream 2. Scream’s first sequel features some of the franchise’s most brutal deaths, from the sorority girl Cici’s gruesome fate to an unfortunate cop getting skewered by a steel pole. However, Scream 2 kept Sidney alive to ensure that the movie wasn’t too brutal, and in the process, the franchise showed it would likely never kill off its original final girl. If any subsequent sequel killed Sidney, the twist would have been too bleak, but it also deprived these later movies of high stakes.

8
Scream 3 Is Still The Franchise’s Weakest Outing

The second sequel sadly needed screenwriter Kevin Williamson.

Although Scream 2 has its flaws, it also has bravura sequences like Ghostface stalking Gale through a silent sound studio or Sidney escaping a car wreck by climbing over the killer’s unconscious body. In contrast, 2000’s Scream 3 is almost devoid of real scares and features the franchise’s weakest comedy. Screenwriter Ehren Kruger’s movie tries to take aim at Hollywood’s sleazy underbelly, but the tone of this sequel proves just how much the series needed Scream’s original scribe, Kevin Williamson.

7
The Worst Scream Movie Has One of the Best Opening Scenes

Scream 3’s Cotton Weary death is genuinely terrifying and tragic.

Despite its many flaws, Scream 3 does feature an all-time great opening kill. Scream 3‘s ending originally featured a cult of killer Stab fans who murdered the people involved in the series. However, all that survived of this gag is Cotton Weary’s tense chase in the sequel’s opening scene. Thanks to his deal with Sidney, the onetime murder suspect has become an outspoken talk radio personality. Sadly, his millions aren’t enough to save him when Ghostface lures Cotton to his lavish mansion, murders his love interest, and finally kills him in a genuinely chilling sequence.

6
Scream 4 Played It Too Safe

The belated sequel didn’t kill off any of the core cast.

While Scream 3’s opening kill might be the site of its only real scares, the sequel does at least kill off most of its cast. To justify keeping the central trio of Sidney, Gale, and Dewey around, Scream 3 had to slaughter almost the entire cast of likable stars the sequel introduced. In contrast, from Scream 4’s self-parodic opening scene onward, the sequel plays it too safe by keeping Sidney, Gale, and Dewey alive.

5
Scream 4’s Killer Reveal Was The Best Since The Original Movie

Jill’s motivations hilariously satirized remake culture.

Scream 4’s early satirical jabs at remake culture are a little predictable, although Kirby listing dozens of then-recent reimaginings when challenged by Ghostface to name a horror remake is ingenious. That said, Scream 4’s killer reveal is brilliant, and the twist is made all the better by its connection to the movie’s meta-message. Scream 4 mocks the trend of replicating earlier hits to cash in on audience nostalgia, so it makes perfect sense that the movie’s potential Sidney replacement would turn out to be its villain.

4
Scream 2022 Replaced The Franchise’s Original Heroes

Killing off Dewey and Deputy Hicks paved the way for a new era.

2022’s Scream is a darker, harsher reboot than Scream 4, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Scream 2022’s sweet Wes Craven tribute is a nice moment, but it is the sequel’s daring decision to kill off the returning Scream 4 heroine Deputy Hicks and franchise fan-favorite Dewey that really honors Craven’s legacy. From Nightmare On Elm Street’s Glen to the original movie’s final girl, Nancy, in its second sequel, Craven’s movies reliably killed off even their most likable characters. In Scream 2022, the franchise keeps the director’s ruthless edge alive.

3
Scream 2022’s Killers Were Too Similar to Earlier Villains

The killer superfan premise was more effective the first time around.

Scream 2022’s tone might have been right, but the movie isn’t without its faults. Although Scream 2022’s killers are a perfect tribute to Matthew Lillard’s Stu, they lack a cohesive identity of their own. Their motivation, a desire to kickstart a perfect Stab reboot by killing off the franchise’s real-life inspiration, is an uninspired blend of Scream 2’s Mickey and Scream 4’s Jill and Charlie.

2
Scream 6 Made Sidney’s Story Irrelevant

Scream 7 will have a hard time making Neve Campbell’s return matter.

2023’s Scream 6 initially struggles to overcome Neve Campbell’s exit, but the sequel ends up making Jenna Ortega’s Tara and Melissa Barrera’s Sam the franchise’s new generation of heroines. By the closing credits, it is clear that Sidney’s story could be over and Tara and Sam’s Scream era is truly underway. This made it all the more unfortunate and ironic when Barrera’s firing and Ortega’s exit led Campbell to sign up for Scream 7, right after the franchise ensured that Sidney’s story was thoroughly irrelevant.

1
Scream 6 Repeated Scream 4’s Biggest Mistake

Scream 2022’s sequel failed to provide any stakes.

Scream 6 features some brutally violent deaths, but the sequel does lack anything meaningful in the way of stakes. Sam, Tara, Chad, Mindy, Gale, Sidney, Sam’s love interest Danny, and Hayden Panettiere’s returning Kirby all survive, resulting in a follow-up that feels utterly toothless. While Scream 7 might give the series stakes again, Scream 6 left viewers with no reason to think the franchise would ever kill off anyone important. As such, the most recent Scream sequel makes things tough for any subsequent follow-ups.