Summary
The best part of being a fan of a long-runninghorrorfranchise is seeing legacy characters come back, and so I can’t wait forthe next chapter of Sidney Prescott’s (Neve Campbell) final girl saga inScream 7.All the recent casting news has gotten me even more excited for Ghostface’s return.
With around one year to go untilScream 7’s February 27th, 2026 release date, I’m reflecting back on the past two movies, especiallyScream (2022). I appreciated a lot about the fifth entry in the slasher franchise, especially the chance to spend more time in Woodsboro, California. After readingone fan’s thoughts about the big risks thatScream (2022)took, I think that there are a few things thatScream 7can do to ensure the new movie is as unexpected and exciting as possible.
I Think Scream 7 Should Top The Creative Risks Of Scream (2022)
Redditor @Particular-Camera612pointed out thatScream (2022)took two main creative risksand one of them included:
“Pivoting away from the main cast.”
The fan also noted that the fifth movie in the slasher franchise made a big decision to kill off one of the three main legacy characters. They wrote:
“Killing off Dewey… all of the Main Trio had survived each movie they were in.”
Based on these fan comments,I thinkScream 7should craft fascinating new characters and also focus on one big death. I agree that creating new main characters was a great idea and one reason whyScream (2022)was so gripping. I enjoyed getting to knowtheScreamfranchise’s Core Fourof Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera).They’re smart, logical, and cool characters who don’t suffer fools and who fit perfectly into the fifth and sixth movies.
I also agree that Dewey Riley’s (David Arquette) death was a big deal. Although I thinkkilling Dewey was a mistakebecause he could have added something special to more movies, I do agree it was the kind ofmassive twist that a long-running slasher franchise needs to keep things interesting, exciting, and surprising.
While the upcoming sequel is going to focus on Sidney,Scream 7has a lot of new members, and they need to be worked into the story properly. I hope they’refunny and clever characters who add something to the movie. I’m most interested inSidney Prescott’s teenage daughter, played by Isabel May. However, ifScream 7can take things one step further thanScream (2022), it would be interesting ifMay’s character was a red herring for Ghostfaceor another new face seemed particularly suspicious. Although there is a negative online campaign against Sam inScream 6, I never thought she was really the killer. IfScream 7made audiences think something was up with Sidney’s daughter, that would be fascinating to watch unfold.
Although I don’t want a returning legacy character to die, I thinkan important new character should be killed. That could beSidney’s husband Mark Evans (Joel McHale)orEthan Embry’s new character. While this might not be as shocking as Dewey’s tragic death, it would still be pretty upsetting, and it would prove that the new Ghostface is just as threatening as the others.
What Other Creative Risks Did The Scream Franchise Take?
When I think about other creative risks thatScreamtook, two memorable aspects of the franchise come to mind: the excitingopening sequence ofScream 4and thede-aging of Skeet Ulrich as Billy Loomis inScream (2022)andScream 6. Considering how fun and entertaining the beginning ofScream 4is, it’s no wonderfans have ideas for theScream 7openingand hope it packs an even bigger punch than the previous sequences.Scream 4has adifferent, unique, and meta opening sequenceand shows twoStabmovies before revealing the real characters, Jenny Randall (Aimee Teegarden) and Marnie Cooper (Britt Robertson).
I didn’t love seeing Ulrich de-aged, though, and I think it was strange thataudiences were meant to feel sympathy for Billy. It would have been possible for Billy’s daughter Sam Carpenter to reflect on her dark family history without hallucinating him. Although some fans don’t want to see legacy characters come back as ghosts or in flashback scenes, I would have preferred either one of those options.
