Scream first reactions tout film as 'bloody good time' that 'keeps you guessing'

Hello again, Sidney.

It's been 25 years since the Ghostface killer and his deadly games first terrorized the town of Woodsboro, and next week the horror series' fifth entry is slated to bow in theaters. The first reactions to the film — which will see the return of original stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette to fend off a new threat alongside newcomers Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sonia Ammar, Jack Quaid, and Melissa Barrera — leaked on Thursday night.

So, were critics slayed by the film, or is this latest entry dead on arrival?

The earliest reactions to the kill fest were overwhelmingly positive, with several longtime fans of the series calling it a worthy entry that has reverence and love for its predecessors. (And yes, it's apparently as bloody and gory as viewers have come to expect from the saga.)

A few critics even went so far as to say it was their favorite film since the original.

Others were just happy it exists.

Scream will be released on Jan. 14.

Pick up a copy of Entertainment Weekly's Ultimate Guide to Scream, available online or wherever magazines are sold.

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• Neve Campbell recalls filming Scream: 'None of us thought it would be huge'