The Scream franchise is one of the most successful in the history of horror cinema and is the reason why a lot of horror fans fell in love with the genre in the first place.
The original catalysed a comeback for the slasher movie genre, which had lost appeal after too many flops in 1980s and early 1990s.
Scream told the story of Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, a teenager who is targeted by a masked, knife-wielding killer in a ghost mask near the anniversary of her mother's murder.
The subsequent Scream movies all follow this plot device somewhat, with deviations in casts, murderer motives etc.
There have been six movies produced so far that have made over $900 million at the box office which is hugely impressive for an R-rated horror franchise.
Within our MovieMeter community, there are Scream movies that have received hugely positive responses. By subscribing to become a member of the MovieMeter community HERE, you can rate all of your favourite movies - and some of your least favourite ones.
According to our community, the best Scream movie is, of course, the original released in 1996. Directed by Wes Craven and starring Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy, Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard, Scream became a watershed moment for horror and inspired an entirely new generation of genre fans. It is recognised as one of the greatest horror movies of all time.
The meta commentary, humour, death scenes and the loveable (and hateable) characters spawned an iconic franchise.
The second-highest-rated movie in the franchise is the latest feature, Scream VI. It continued the story of the new batch of characters led by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, with Cox featuring as a 'legacy character'. It's the only movie in the series in which Campbell did not play Sidney, as she sat out the project over a pay dispute.
Our community believes that the much-maligned Scream 3 is the worst of the series. The production on that movie was impacted by script leaks as well as the Columbine Massacre, which led to a significant decrease in violence from the previous two instalments.
What is the best Scream movie?
1. Scream (1996)
Sidney Prescott is targeted by a killer who has already killed one of her classmates. Determined to uncover the truth, a journalist and TV show host believes that the man who killed Sidney's mother is the same one who is now chasing her. However, Sidney's boyfriend becomes the prime suspect.
Directed by: Wes Craven
Scream (1996)
Stars:
Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox
2. Scream VI
Sam, along with her three friends, Tara, Mindy and Chad, managed to survive Ghostface's attacks. They therefore decide to leave Woodsboro to make a whole new start. However, arriving in New York City, Ghostface appears again.
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Scream VI (2023)
Stars:
Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega and Jasmin Savoy Brown
3. Scream 4
Ten years have passed since Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) had her last confrontation with the masked killer Ghostface. She now lives in isolation and she has written them a book that has received much critical acclaim. However, she is pulled from her daily routine when Ghostface reappears in Michigan, with the result that Sidney is reunited with Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox).
Directed by: Wes Craven
Scream 4 (2011)
Stars:
Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox
4. Scream (2022)
It's been twenty years since the quiet town of Woodsboro was rocked by a number of violent murders. Meanwhile, the residents are again ravaged by a killer targeting a group of teenagers. The question is who is hiding behind the Ghostface mask this time and terrorizing the town.
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Scream (2022)
Stars:
Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding and Jenna Ortega
5. Scream 2
Two years after the tragic events of Part 1, Sidney Prescott and Randy Meeks try to move on with their lives. Gale Weathers has written a book about the events, which is being made into a movie called "Stab", starring Tori Spelling. However, as the premiere date gets closer, the murders begin again.
Directed by: Wes Craven
Scream 2 (1997)
Stars:
Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox
6. Scream 3
After the events of recent years, Sidney has withdrawn. She now lives all alone in a secluded house, far away from Woodsboro. But even in her new hometown there seems to be no end to her nightmare. During the shooting of the horror film Stab 3, a series of murders are committed. One by one, the actors from the cast are brutally killed. The perpetrator leaves a photo of Sidney's mother with each victim. After a phone call from the killer, Sidney realizes she is nowhere safe.
Directed by: Wes Craven
Scream 3 (2000)
Stars:
David Arquette, Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox
Comments (0)