Melissa Barrera discusses where her character Sam Carpenter can go in a potential Scream 7. Introduced as the daughter of Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), one of the first Ghostface killers who died at the hands of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) in the original film, Sam has gone on to survive several attacks, in both Woodsboro and in New York City. Knowing who her father is has affected her, as Sam’s storyline includes hallucinations and hints of a possible dark side. Moving forward, a big part of the slasher franchise will likely be the growth of Barrera’s character, especially after the events of Scream 6.
In a recent interview with Digital Spy, Barrera talked about her role in the Scream movies, noting that it can be hard to tell what direction Sam will go in next. The star explained that she can be good and bad, adding that she would like to explore that makeup in another film. Read Barrera’s comments regarding Sam Carpenter in Scream below:
“There are so many places that [Sam] could go. That’s one of the reasons that, when I read the script for Scream 5, I was so interested in the character. There’s so much potential here of where she could go with her mental health – she’s just unpredictable. I find that that darkness in her makes her that much more interesting to play and to watch… She’s the hero but she’s also kind of the villain. It’s this contradiction in her that I find fascinating and, if we get to do another one, I would love to see. The writers have done a really good job with her up until this point, so I trust them just to know where to take her [in a way] that will be unexpected and cool for the fans.“
How Sam Has Evolved In The Scream Movies
In 2022’s Scream, Sam went to Woodsboro when she learned that her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) had been stabbed by an assailant donning the Ghostface mask. She told Tara how she found out about her birth father, revealing that she was thirteen and read one of their mother’s diaries. Sam also saw hallucinations of Billy Loomis, who told her things, including that she needed to accept who she was. After spotting him in a mirror and locating a knife, she was able to finally kill Richie (Jack Quaid) as well.
Though Sam has become a target of various Ghostfaces, it seems like she might embrace being the daughter of a murderer now. Heading to New York City for Scream 6, Barrera’s character attended therapy where she revealed how it felt to kill someone. She still experienced visions of Billy and in the end, closely observed his mask, suggesting that Sam really is good and bad in Scream, as Barrera discussed. Sam also wears the traditional Ghostface costume as she kills the final antagonist in Scream 6.
Despite some uncertainty surrounding Sam, she does appear to be one of the franchise’s main protagonists. It is interesting to think about where she could end up as her overall story continues, and time will tell if she evolves into a killer like her father. With how successful the sixth installment was, a Scream 7 seems likely, and audiences can look forward to learning more about Barrera’s character then.
