- Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott after her controversial absence in Scream VI.
- Scream 7 opened to a franchise record breaking 63 million dollars in its first weekend.
- Courteney Cox delivers her most ferocious performance as Gale Weathers yet.
- Franchise creator Kevin Williamson directs for the very first time in the series.
Thirty years is a long time to keep running from the same masked killer. When Wes Craven debuted his meta-infused slasher masterpiece in 1996, following Sidney Prescott and her attempts to survive the iconic Ghostface, almost nobody predicted it would become one of cinema’s most enduring horror franchises. Three decades, seven films, and one very public pay dispute later, Sidney is back. And so, reliably, is Ghostface. Scream 7 opened to a franchise record breaking 63.6 million dollars in its opening weekend, topping every previous entry in the series, which tells you everything you need to know about how badly audiences wanted this reunion. The question, as always with late-franchise sequels, is whether the film earns that enthusiasm. The honest answer is mostly yes, with some reservations.
Sidney Prescott has left Woodsboro for good and built a quiet new life in Pine Grove, Indiana, married, running a coffeehouse, and raising her children including her teenage daughter Tatum, named after her late best friend. It’s a warm, considered setup that gives Campbell something genuinely fresh to work with after years away from the role. The peace is shattered when Ghostface calls again, this time revealing himself as an aged and scarred Stu Macher, played by the returning Matthew Lillard in a twist that the franchise’s most dedicated fans have been theorising about since 1996. It’s the kind of fan service that lands because it actually means something rather than simply existing for the sake of a reaction. Franchise creator Kevin Williamson, stepping into the director’s chair for the first time after writing several of the series’ strongest entries, handles the reveal with a confidence that suggests he always knew this was where the story was heading.
The cast around Campbell is a genuinely compelling mix of legacy and new blood. Courteney Cox gives a ferocious and incredible performance as the ever-fierce Gale Weathers, demonstrating genuine affection for her character and breaking the rules of the final girl stereotype entirely. She’s the film’s secret weapon and the performance that lingers longest after the credits roll. Isabel May as Sidney’s daughter Tatum brings fresh energy to the franchise’s new generation angle, even if her character could have been given sharper material to work with. Ghostface remains a reliable thrill, giving fans of the franchise much to relish, even if some plot beats feel comfortably familiar. The kills are inventive and brutal, the atmosphere is effective, and Marco Beltrami’s score hits every familiar note with precision.
Where Scream 7 shows its limitations is in the mystery at its centre. The casting makes certain possibilities feel obvious, and a few stronger red herrings could have elevated the thriller mechanics considerably. The film plays things safe in places where the best Scream entries were genuinely unpredictable, and the meta commentary that defined the franchise’s sharpest moments feels thinner here than in previous chapters. It’s never as sharp as the series’ best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve. For long-time fans, that’s probably enough. For newcomers, it’s a perfectly functional entry point that doesn’t demand homework but rewards it.
Scream 7 is flawed, familiar, and frequently a lot of fun. It gives Sidney Prescott the homecoming she deserved and Neve Campbell the showcase she’s more than earned. If you’ve ever loved this franchise, there’s enough here to make the cinema trip worthwhile. And if the box office is any indication, Ghostface isn’t going anywhere anytime soon!
Director: Kevin Williamson
Writer: Guy Busick
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, Joel McHale, Mckenna Grace
Release Date: February 27, 2026
