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If you’re a diehard fan of Scream’s signature blend of black comedy and meta narrative, now is your time. Over a decade and a half after the premiere of the original Scream, the franchise has returned. Get ready to sleep with a nightlight.
Originally directed by Wes Craven, Scream completely changed the slasher and horror genres. Prior to the movie, horror characters were bound to the tropes of this genre. Craven’s masterpiece subverted these expectations, focusing on characters who knew the rules to being in a horror movie, called them out, and fell victim to them anyway. Starring David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy, and Drew Barrymore, the original movie quickly became a cult classic. And now Ghostface is back.
Craving a full Scream binge watch? Unlike half the characters in these movies, we have your backs. Here is everything you need to know about how you can create your own Scream marathon from the comfort of your couch. All you need are a few streaming services, a good internet connection, and a landline to make things extra spooky.
'Scream' (1996)
This was the Wes Craven classic that started it all. High school student Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) was just an ordinary girl. At least that was the case until a mysterious killer known only as Ghostface starts stalking her. Part thriller, part black comedy, this first film was meant to pock fun at the slasher genre. Instead it revitalized it, becoming the highest-grossing slasher movie in adjusted dollars. See? Mockery can be used for good.
'Scream 2' (1997)
Out of the many Scream sequels, this was the only one that achieved a substantial degree of commercial success. Starring David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie Kennedy, Laurie Metcalf, Timothy Olyphant, Jada Pinkett and Liev Schreiber, this one takes place two years after the events of the Woodsboro massacre and follows its survivors. This time around, Sidney and her friends are targeted by a Ghostface copycat killer. Because pages of its script were leaked online, the movie went through several rewrites. But in spite of its seat-of-its-pants filming schedule, it’s still a pretty good slasher and a fun whodunit.
'Scream 3' (2000)
This meta-slasher was supposed to mark the end of the Scream trilogy. But, as you know, that’s not always how Hollywood goes. Craven, Campbell, Arquette, and Cox returned to this story set three years after the events of Scream 2. Sidney Prescott is drawn out of her self-imposed isolation when a new Ghostface starts to attack the cast of Stab 3, Scream 3’s film within a film. Out of the original trilogy, it’s the weakest by far. But hey, if you want to see Ghostface killing more people, here ya go.
'Scream 4' (2011)
Did you think the reign of Ghostface was over? You fool. Set 15 years after the original Woodsboro massacre, this one sees Sidney returning to her old high school once the killings start yet again. And because this is a snarky slasher created in 2011, you better believe there are all sorts of jokes and plots about social media as well as a surprisingly stacked cast. We’re talking Emma Roberts, Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie, Adam Brody, and Rory Culkin in addition to your franchise favorites. This was the final film to be directed by Craven before his death in 2015, so even though it had mixed reviews, it’s an installment that will go down in history.
'Scream 5' (2022)
Sadly, due to Craven’s passing in 2015, this is the first Scream movie to not be directed by the legend. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and starring Melissa Barrera, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, and Mikey Madison, this one takes place 25 years after the original Woodsboro murders. When another Ghostface appears, another group of teenagers will be traumatized. The movie was praised for honoring Craven’s legacy and was even called one of the best Scream sequels.
'Scream 6' (2023)
The newest Scream movie—which was directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick—continues the story of Scream 5, following a new cast of characters led by stars Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera, who play sisters Tara and Sam. Tara is attempting to live a normal life as a college student in New York City, but that’s hard to do with her big sister Sam watching her every move. But can you blame Sam? If Sidney Prescott has taught us anything, it’s that once you’re marked by Ghostface, you’re cursed for life. Unfortunately, this is the first Scream movie without Neve Campell, after the star was unable to negotiate her desired salary for the movie. Boo hiss.
'Scream' TV Series (2015-2019)
MTV’s take on this horror classic can best be described as an anthology series. Each season followed a group of teenagers who were being hunted by a masked killer hellbent on destruction. The first two seasons followed popular student Emma Duval (Willa Fitzgerald) as she screamed her way through the mystery of the Lakewood Slasher. Season 3 changed things up a bit, this time focusing on football star Deion Elliot (RJ Cyler), who becomes Ghostface’s primary target. Are these seasons as good as the original movie? Absolutely not. Will they satisfy your weird urge to see masked monsters hunting teens? Yes.
