Scream 7 Fails to Live Up to Its Legacy with a Disappointing Anticlimax
Following the success of 2023's Scream VI, which many consider the best sex-quel of all time, fans eagerly anticipated the seventh installment. However, Scream 7 delivers a shocking anticlimax that struggles to revive the beloved horror franchise.
The Return of Sidney Prescott
The biggest news surrounding Scream 7 is the return of Neve Campbell as original final girl Sidney Prescott. After reportedly opting out of Scream VI over pay disputes, Campbell returns as a middle-aged Sidney attempting to live a quiet life running the Little Latte Café in Pine Grove, Indiana. Now preferring to go by Mrs. Evans, Sidney has a 17-year-old daughter named Tatum, played by Isabel May.
The mother-daughter dynamic adds tension as the Ghostface killer reappears, this time targeting Tatum specifically. This sets up a series of brutal murders among forgettable teenage characters while audiences try to identify the new person behind the iconic mask.
A Troubled Production History
The making of Scream 7 proved almost as bloody as the on-screen gore. In November 2023, lead actress Melissa Barrera was fired by the studio over her pro-Palestinian social media posts, which the studio deemed anti-Semitic. This prompted the exit of co-star Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon, leading to fan calls for a boycott and significant plot overhauls.
Original Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson stepped in to direct for the first time since his 1999 box office failure Teaching Mrs. Tingle, bringing back Campbell alongside other legacy stars. Returning actor Matthew Lillard describes Williamson's approach as "a little more traditional," though this proves to be a kind description for what becomes a disappointingly by-numbers slasher.
Forgettable Characters and Tired Tropes
The film presents a bland collection of potential suspects including Sidney's loyal cop husband played by Joel McHale, a creepy true crime obsessive portrayed by Asa Germann, a hot but bland boyfriend played by Sam Rechner, and a girl defined solely by her "cute hair" portrayed by Celeste O'Connor. Even the popular girl character played by McKenna Grace seems unlikely as a suspect given the killer's preference for targeting nubile blondes in distress.
The famous "Rules" that defined earlier Scream films have become so tangled through seven meta-laden installments that even resident slasher-nerd Mindy, played by Jasmin Savoy Brown, has nearly given up on declaring them. Instead, Mindy tells audiences that "This time it's all about the nostalgia," though the execution fails to deliver meaningful callbacks.
Missed Opportunities and Problematic Elements
While the interaction between veteran frenemies Sidney and Gale Weathers, played by Courteney Cox, provides moments where the film springs to life, these are too few and far between. A scene where Sidney and Gale visit a psychiatric institute proves particularly groanworthy, and the film occasionally veers into misogynistic territory.
The end reveal delivers a massive anticlimax that fails to satisfy, while a topical A.I. element feels slapped on by someone with little understanding of the technology. Even by horror movie standards, characters behave inexplicably foolishly, ignoring basic survival instincts that have become franchise staples.
Final Verdict: A Franchise Running Out of Steam
Scream 7 represents a definite case of "Could Try Harder" for a franchise that once made the horror genre cleverer, funnier, and more self-aware. While there are a couple of genuine "eek" moments and the veteran cast brings some energy, the film ultimately feels like a step backward. The 114-minute runtime drags through stock characters and seen-it-all-before situations, culminating in an ending that fails to justify the buildup.
Not a total horror show, but certainly a disappointing entry that suggests the franchise might need to consider whether it's time to put Ghostface to rest for good. Scream 7 is now playing in UK cinemas and releases in US theaters on February 27, 2026.
