To say the Scream franchise has been covered in a little controversy as of late would be an understatement. Late last year, new franchise lead Melissa Barrera was fired from the yet untitled Scream 7 due to social media posts regarding the Israel-Hamas War, which were allegedly viewed as Anti-Semitic by production company Spyglass.
Barrera spoke out after the firing, stating that she condemned any form of Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, as well as any hate and prejudice towards any group of people.
The situation has caused a lot of unrest amongst fans, who still remain very vocal about their support for the actor.
Co-star Jenna Ortega exited the project soon after due to apparent scheduling conflicts.
Both actors were instrumental in the success of the franchise's 2022 legacy sequel and 2023's Scream 6, where they played sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter, so having neither of them return in the next installment had left the future of the franchise in doubt.
While the situation is unfortunate, there are signs of better times ahead. Barrera will star in the upcoming Radio Silence horror-comedy Abigail (which looks like an absolute blast!). She will also lead Your Monster, a romance-horror film that has received positive reviews from early screenings at film festivals this year.
Ortega continues to grow into one of Hollywood's most sought after performers. She is set to star in the upcoming Beetlejuice remake and will soon begin filming for Netflix's upcoming second season of Wednesday.
But what of the Scream franchise?
We recently got the news that Neve Campbell will return as iconic final girl Sidney Prescott, alongside original Scream creator and screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who will take on directorial duty. Reports are also stating that Courtney Cox is in talks to return as Gale Weathers.
Having names like this return to the franchise brings back strong memories of Wes Craven's 1996 original classic, which remains one of horrors most enduring releases. Scream reinvigorated and reinvented the genre, propelling horror into a new era whilst inspiring a whole generation of filmmakers. Its legacy stands the test of time and was the catalyst for one of horrors most consistently strong properties.
And its legacy is something that deserves to be celebrated.
With that in mind, there are many directions the franchise could go. And here, we will take a look at 5 things we need to see in Scream 7.
1. A Christmas Theme
Christmas themed horror films haven't always delivered the most memorable entries, but having the festive period serve as a backdrop for Scream 7 could allow for many exciting things. From an aesthetic point of view, the harsh winter conditions could offer up a fresh look for the franchise as well as create a new look for Ghostface. Reinventing the iconic killers look could add a different tone to the character and add some serious suspense to its execution. Imagine an isolated sequence where Ghostface lurks in the snow, dressed head-to-toe in white, waiting to strike!
Given the rumours of a Prescott-family focused story, the film could make use of a Christmas setting to further enhance a sense of dread. Christmas is the most magical time of the year and a perfect opportunity for the next deranged killer to be unleashed.
2. More Realistic Kills
Although the Scream franchise is generally recognised as one of horror's most consistent properties, it's not without its faults. In particular, the series has struggled to deliver a sense of realism when it comes to some of its Ghostface kills. This was never more evident than in Scream 2022, where the death of beloved franchise regular Dewey Riley became a huge talking point.
In the film's final act, it was revealed that Amber Freeman was the one to off the former town sheriff, something fans questioned upon re-watching the scene. Most notably, Ghostface's size and stature, as well as the nature of the kill, became a source of contention. While most kill scenes see a stunt performer operate under the robe, a more creative approach to each kill would be welcome. Bringing a sense of believability to each kill would only increase the story as a whole and allow for each Ghostface killer to have their own identity.
3. A Conclusion to Sidney's Story
There is no doubting that Sidney Prescott is one of horror's greatest ever final girls, but there has to be a point when her story comes to a conclusion. While her character arch has remained strong for nearly three decades, there's only so many times it can be mined before falling off the rails. Last we heard, Sidney was living happily with her husband, Mark Kinkade, and their two daughters, and this dynamic will likely play a huge part in the upcoming release. Having a new Ghostface target the Prescott family seems like the next logical step, and offers up the perfect opportunity to bring their story to an end. Whether that means surviving the ordeal or not is up for discussion, but it would seem inappropriate for Sidney not to overcome one final onslaught. After all, she does deserve her happy ending.
4. The Cult of Ghostface
One of the most popular fan theories, the Cult of Ghostface has been a source of speculation for years. Fans have long theorised about the idea of an entire cult of twisted killers paying homage to the iconic villain, but it still remains an unrealized idea. Scream 7 offers up the perfect opportunity to expand the idea of Ghostface and introduce a whole new dynamic to the characters legacy. Making use of the dark web, a new following could develop online and target multiple people across the country, causing an heightened state of panic and hysteria, which leads all the way back to our main protagonists. Creating an increased sense of scope would allow the franchise to expand into new territory and could offer up more story possibilities moving forward.
Now, we just have to find ourselves a leader for this particular cult.
5. The Return of Stu Macher
Yet another hot topic amongst fans, the return of Stu Macher has been hinted at for years. Taking peer pressure to the extreme, Stu became a classic Ghostface alongside Billy Loomis in Scream, and was allegedly killed off after Sidney dropped a heavy television set on his head. Matthew Lillard's whimsical performance put Stu high on top of fans' favourite iterations of the character, which has seen many clamouring for his return all these years later. The idea has been teased on occasions, too. According to reports, he was set to return in Scream 3, until the film was forced into major script changes. He was also heavily referenced in Scream 6, where the character of Mindy Meeks-Martin questions whether the character is indeed dead.
Having Stu return makes a lot of sense and could help tie into multiple story threads. They could reveal him as the true killer of Dewey Riley, which leans into the idea of him spearheading the Cult of Ghostface, or simply tell a more self-contained story where he's silently in hiding waiting for revenge on Sidney. Either way, this would add even more heft to the story and bring the franchise full circle towards a truly epic conclusion.
So, there are five ideas for what we need to see in Scream 7. But what would you like to see? Let us know in the comments section below.
