Summary
Althoughhorroraudiences don’t always agree on the best franchises (and rightly so as differing opinions are what make being a fan of the genre interesting), many think thatGhostface is one of the great slasher villains. For one thing, Ghostface talks to their victims, which sets them apart from silent killers like Jason Voorhees. For another, Ghostface just looks cool, and the black and white costume is haunting. It’s no wonder that fans are more than ready to see the new Ghostface whenScream 7arrives in theaters on February 26th, 2026.
Whether or notfans have guessed who the new Ghostface is, they will be following in the footsteps of many great and memorable characters. While fans of course don’t agree on the best Ghostface of all time, some fans have praised one particular Ghostface, andScream 7’s villain should take cues from them.
How Could Scream 7’s Ghostface Be Inspired By Scream 4’s Jill Roberts?
When someScreamfans debated the best killer in the franchise in aRedditthread, Redditor @KL-1993 pickedJill Roberts (Emma Roberts) inScream 4. They wrote that she killed her own relatives “just to become famous” and added:
“That shows how she doesn’t care about anyone else but herself… Jill will always be the most shocking ‘Ghostface’ reveal to me.”
Redditor @MonkeysRacehorse agreed:
“The reveal truly shocked me, and Emma was great at playing both different versions of Jill. I found her motive interesting.”
Several fans said Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) andStu Macher (Matthew Lillard), who is coming back toScream 7, are the greatest Ghostface killers. However, a case can definitely be made for Jill. When comparing motives,Jill’s desire to become a celebrity is the most shocking Ghostface moment, andScream 7’s Ghostface needs a big reveal that is just as expected as Jill’s. The new Ghostface needsa fresh motive, a truly wild reveal, and an over-the-top personality like Jill’s.
Jill could be considered the best Ghostface becauseshe has a new motive but is also connected to Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). As Sidney’s cousin, Jill hides who she truly is, and even Sidney is unaware of how evil, violent, and vindictive Jill is. Whether or not the new Ghostface isa friend or relative of Sidney’s, they do need to be part of her life somehow. Otherwise, the franchise risks going off the rails and making no sense.
However, Jill is so compelling because getting revenge isn’t her sole motive. She’s also jealous of her cousin’s fame and wants a piece for herself.Jill was the first Ghostface to seek out fame, and some criticized the fact thatScream (2022)’s killers had the same motive. For that reason, theScream 7Ghostface shouldn’t be looking for fame. Some think thatGhostface could be motivated by a cult, and that could definitely happen. But maybe the newScream 7killer could be inspired by Stu, too, and be violent for the sake of it. That opens up the possibility ofa serial killer hiding in plain sight who Sidney has known for years. That would tick all the boxes as the new Ghostface would be close to Sidney but would also have a unique motive.
What Did Emma Roberts Say About Starring In Scream 4?
Getting cast in a huge horror franchise likeScreamis exciting, and it’s even more so when someone learns that they’re playing Ghostface.Emma Roberts said onCONANon TBSthat she thought she might spoil the movie by mistake. She said that every page of the script has the actor’s name on it and one day, the last 10 pages of her script fell on the ground, and she was running around chasing them so the secret wouldn’t get out. She said:
“It was really, uh, stressful this whole time… because you have to keep the secret.”
Then, in 2022, when Roberts was promoting herhaunted house horror movieAbandoned, she toldDread Centralthat if she could pick a horror franchise to return to, it would be the meta slasher she once starred in. She said:
“Maybe I’d go back toScream, I feel like I wasn’t done withScream."
Roberts has appeared in several other horror projects, includingRyan Murphy’s comedic horror TV seriesScream Queensand several seasons ofAmerican Horror Story. She also starred in Osgood Perkins' 2015 horror filmThe Blackcoat’s Daughter, which a fan has an interesting thought about.
