1996 brought the rise of the Spice Girls, the Nintendo 64, and the international popularity of “The Macarena.” It also brought the cultural phenomenon of the first “Scream” movie. Fast forward 30 years and six movies later, Scream 7 was released on Feb. 27, 2026.
The movie follows the original protagonist, Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, as the new Ghostface goes after her family. The film also features Courtney Cox returning as Gale Weathers and other appearances from the original cast, such as David Arquette and Matthew Lillard. The film also features a select new cast with Isabel May playing Tatum Evans, Sidney’s teenage daughter.
The film begins at the Macher Mansion, which has been turned into a museum for the ironic in-movie franchise “Stab.” Bringing back this choice appeals to the nostalgia from the original movie by using the original sets. “I really liked the nostalgia factor, bringing back the Macher Mansion was cool,” junior Evan Passante said.
At the end of the opening sequence, two characters are murdered by someone in the iconic Ghostface mask, signifying that Ghostface is back.
The film then picks up with mid-aged Sidney Prescott, relocated to Pine Grove, Indiana, where she owns a coffee shop. Prescott has a family of three daughters, but the story focuses on her eldest daughter, Tatum Evans. Evans’s name is a reference to Prescott’s best friend from the first movie, who was a victim of the original Ghostfaces, Billy Loomis and Stu Macher.
When the new Ghostface goes after Prescott’s family and haunts her town, Prescott has to make critical decisions about who she trusts that will determine the fate of her family.
The past two installments of the franchise, “Scream 5” and “Scream VI,” followed a different story in New York City, with two sisters, Sam and Tara Carpenter. The seventh installment was planned to continue the story, but lost its two main actors, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, and its director, Christopher Landon.
“I actually liked it a lot better than the fifth and sixth movies,” junior Emelia Marquis said.
In Nov. 2023, Barrera was fired from Spyglass Media Group for criticizing Israel following the beginning of the Gaza War. Barrera’s support for Palestine was deemed “antisemitic” by the production company, leading to Barrera’s firing. This led to a boycott of “Scream 7” by angered fans. Despite this, the movie has done well at the box office, making over $100 Million in its opening weekend.
Days after Barrera’s firing, Ortega dropped out of the production. Ortega told The Cut in 2025 that her reason for leaving was not pay or scheduling, but that the movie was falling apart after losing directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.
The film received a 31% critics score and a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Many critics fault the movie’s plot, suggesting it lacks the unpredictability of previous installments. “I feel like the more they make, the more the plot gets lost,” Marquis said.
It was also criticized for its constant use of nostalgic factors, such as bringing back old cast members, old elements, and even recreating scenes from the original movie. Many expressed their disappointment, calling it “the worst film in the franchise.” Other critics called it a “moral and artistic failure.”
However, some audiences seemed to enjoy these features, finding the nostalgia comforting rather than a cash grab. “I would rate it a 7.5 rating out of 10,” said senior Jacob Rizzo. “I like how they brought back a lot of characters that we haven’t seen in a while.”
For fans of masked-killer tropes and self-referential horror commentary, this movie is a recommended watch. It provides jumpscares, mystery, and most of the elements of a traditional meta-slasher film.
