The horror genre, once a powerhouse of 1970s and 80s cinema, had hit a slump until the arrival of the groundbreaking film “Scream” in 1996. Crafted by the visionary Wes Craven and penned by newcomer Kevin Williamson, the movie breathed new life into the genre while also poking fun at it. The film revolves around Sidney Prescott, a high school student portrayed by Neve Campbell, and her friends who find themselves targeted by Ghostface, a menacing serial killer.
What set “Scream” apart was its self-awareness; the characters in the movie were conscious of horror movie tropes, often discussing them in a meta-commentary style. This ingenuity subverted audience expectations, offering both thrills and a fresh perspective on well-worn clichés. The franchise continues to blend this clever self-reference with its signature cocktail of dark comedy and suspense, maintaining its relevance and popularity today.
How to watch the Scream Movies in order
If you’re thinking about watching The Scream Movies and don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right spot. In this Blog, we’ll give you a simple guide to watching the Scream movies in the order. We’ll start by listing the films in their right sequence.
Here is the list of Scream Movies in order (Release date)
Scream – December 20, 1996
Scream 2 – December 12, 1997
Scream 3 – February 4, 2000
Scream 4 – April 15, 2011
Scream 5 – January 14, 2022
Scream 6 – March 10, 2023
1. Scream – December 20, 1996
Director: Wes Craven
writer: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Neve Campbell, Wes Craven, Courteney Cox
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Earlier, we touched on the debut of the Scream series with its 1996 film. Taking place in the make-believe town of Woodsboro, California, the story focuses on high school student Sidney Prescott. She becomes the prime target of a mysterious killer known as Ghostface. As the cops start looking into it, Sidney needs to figure out who she can rely on and unmask the true identity of Ghostface.
In addition to Neve Campbell’s memorable portrayal of Sidney, the film also brought us other characters that fans have come to love. These include TV journalist Gale Weathers, played by Courtney Cox; the town’s young deputy, Dewey Riley, acted by David Arquette; and Randy Meeks, the horror movie geek, performed by Jamie Kennedy.
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2. Scream 2 – December 12, 1997
Director: Wes Craven
writer: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
Two years after the original film, Scream 2 picks up with Sidney heading off to college. Despite her attempts to leave her horrifying past behind, she finds that she’s still in danger. A new killer, also dressing up as Ghostface, has followed her to campus and started attacking students.
Many familiar faces return in this sequel, including Cotton Weary, played by Liev Schreiber, who gets more screen time. The movie also introduces us to the fictional “Stab” films, which are horror movies within the Scream universe that are loosely based on Sidney’s own experiences. Like the first film, Scream 2 was a hit with both critics and audiences and did well at the box office, almost matching the success of the original.
3. Scream 3 – February 4, 2000
Director: Wes Craven
writer: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, David Arquette as Dewey Riley
IMDB Rating: 5.6/10
Three years after the events of Scream 2, the story continues with Scream 3. Sidney has been living in hiding to escape both a potential new killer and the relentless media attention. But when a fresh Ghostface begins attacking actors on the set of “Stab 3” after finding out where Sidney is, she is drawn to Hollywood. There, she tries to put an end to the endless cycle of murders and finally uncovers the backstory of the original Woodsboro incident.
Scream 3 has divided fans more than the other films in the original trilogy, although it does have its highlights. The movie also had its share of production hiccups, including multiple script rewrites that led to several reshoots both during and after the filming was supposed to be completed.
4. Scream 4 – April 15, 2011
Director: Wes Craven
writer: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Emma Roberts as Jill Roberts, Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed
IMDB Rating: 6.2
A decade and a half after the first Ghostface murders in Woodsboro, Sidney returns to her hometown. To her horror, a new Ghostface is on a killing spree, and she even finds herself as one of the suspects. Forced to remain in town during the police investigation, she’s once again caught up in a series of terrifying events.
In the real world, it took 11 years after the original trilogy ended for Scream 4 to hit theatres. The film uses this time gap to revisit old characters and see how they’ve changed. It also introduces a new generation familiar with Ghostface through the in-series “Stab” movies. Important newcomers in this film are Jill Roberts, played by Emma Roberts, and Kirby Reed, acted by Hayden Panettiere.
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5. Scream 5 – January 14, 2022
Director: Wes Craven
Writer: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter, Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter, Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott
IMDB Rating: 6.3
A quarter of a century after the original murders in Woodsboro, the Scream series returns with a new Ghostface. This time, the first person who attacked Tara Carpenter survives. Played by Jenna Ortega, Tara joins her sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) and their friends to figure out the identity of this new killer. Along the way, they bump into Sidney and some other characters from earlier in the series, uncovering some surprising connections.
While the new film picks up the existing story, it also serves as a reboot for the franchise. Even though characters from the past do make appearances, the movie mainly centres on the new faces, suggesting they’ll be at the heart of future instalments.
6. Scream 6 – March 10, 2023
Director: Wes Craven
writer: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Lucy Hale
IMDB Rating: 6.5
After the hit revival of the Scream series last year, a follow-up movie was quickly approved and is now in theatres. Scream VI continues the story of Tara and Sam as they move to New York City hoping for a new beginning. They’re joined by their friends Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin in this next chapter. However, much like Sidney in the past, they learn that leaving behind their troubled history isn’t simple when a new Ghostface killer comes after them.
In an unexpected development, Neve Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott, won’t be in this new movie, marking the first time she’s absent from the series. The film received a B+ review from Ross Bonaime at Collider, who said it’s a movie that brings back a lot of fond memories.
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Wrap up
The Scream series is a popular American entertainment collection that features six movies, a TV show, and even games and merchandise. The famous director Wes Craven was behind the camera, while Kevin Williamson came up with the original idea and wrote the scripts.
In this Blog, we have explored all the important details about how you can watch scream movies in order. So, discover this amazing world as soon as you can.
