TV lists writer Tara was raised on Disney classics, vampire media, and 80s movies, discovering a love of filmmaking through Back to the Futureand The Goonies.
Outside of writing, Tara can be found taking part in pub quizzes, enjoying musical theatre, and defending morally grey female characters online.
The following article contains spoilers.Spanning almost three decades, the Screamfranchise has become one of the best and most beloved horror franchises of all time. Following a crop of new and old characters across seven movies, from badass final girls to new horror movie icons, the suspenseful and scary encounters with Ghostface have audiences coming back for more with every new installment.
While the franchise is loved by audiences as a whole, that doesn't stop fans from passionately debating which movie is their favorite, who the best Ghostface killer is, and which scenes and kills are the most terrifying. It is fair to say that every single movie in the Scream franchise has the power to raise the heart rate of audiences, but some definitely come out on top in terms of scare factor.
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'Scream 2' (1997)
Image via Dimension Films
The Scream franchise's opening scenes are some of the most iconic across the horror genre, and Scream 2's opening is undeniably one of the scariest. Depicting Maureen (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Phil (Omar Epps) at a screening of the fictional movie "Stab," based on Gale (Courteney Cox)'s book "The Woodsboro Murders," the movie theater is filled with people in Ghostface costumes, emphasizing the lack of knowing who is behind the mask. When the couple is horrifically killed, stabbed in the bathroom and in the cinema, the audience believes their cries for help to be part of the movie.
This horror sets a great precedent for the movie and its sequels, where the real world of the characters' collective trauma and the fiction of the adaptations struggle to be separated, putting everyone in more danger. However, being set in a college setting, similar to that of the first movie in high school, the scares are arguably less intense due to somewhat replicating those of Scream.
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'Scream 3' (2000)
Image Via Dimension Films
Scream 3 is set up as a parody of the genre and the franchise itself, largely taking place in Hollywood, on the set of "Stab 3." However, in the eyes of many audience members, Scream 3 ends up being something of a mockery itself, being the movie in the franchise that leans on jokes and gags more than any other, and therefore lets major scares take a backseat.
While there are undeniably scary scenes, such as Ghostface using Sidney's dead mother's voice to taunt her, and the attacks/killings on the Stab film set, the new crop of characters in the movie not only take up screen time unnecessarily, but their ignorance and arrogance are more annoying than frightening.
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'Scream 4' (2011)
Image via Dimension Films
While Scream 4 is still a worthy addition to the iconic franchise, the time between this movie and the previous installment, and the growth of the legacy characters, completely change how the audience views the story and the scares. With Dewey (David Arquette) settling into his profession and Sidney no longer being a vulnerable teenager, some of Ghostface's edge is lost.
However, the third-act scene with Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) is on par with the other terrifying scenes in installments such as Scream and Scream V, leaving the audience biting their nails as she sorts through her horror movie knowledge in an attempt to save a peer. Emma Roberts gives what is potentially one of the most terrifying performances of the franchise, going to truly scary lengths to carry out her mission as Ghostface and attempt to murder her cousin, Sidney.
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'Scream 7' (2026)
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Scream 7 promotes a return to Sydney Prescott's world after Neve Campbell's notable absence in the previous installment. This exciting sequel brings the series back to basics with a familiar hometown look, a fresh cast of new and familiar faces, and a ton of guts and gore. But, does it pack some serious fright?
Well, straight off the bat, the film opens with a perfect nailbiter, following the brutal, fiery demise of the doomed couple, Madison (Michelle Randolph) and Scott (Jimmy Tatro), at the old Macher house, and then it keeps the ball rolling, escalating the horror with one bloody and gruesome kill after another. There's also some decent build-up to the kills, which easily makes this one of the most tense, suspenseful entries to date. While arguably not as brutal or shockingly gory as the next few films mentioned below, Scream 7 sure brings the franchise back to its familiar horror roots. —Daniel Boyer
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'Scream VI' (2023)
Image via Paramount Pictures
Despite being set in the vast space of New York City, Scream VIarguably feels more intense and claustrophobic than other installments, as the older generation loses Dewey, and the younger core group (Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown shine alongside Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega), experiencing serious betrayal from loved ones in the previous installment, is still fresh on all their minds. Therefore, when they come face to face with a new Ghostface killer, the big city seems to offer them little protection.
These feelings are only heightened further by the public villainization and threatening of Sam, the gang being easily separated across the city, and the realization that the Ghostface killers have done extensive research about previous murderers, attempting to finish off what they started. Overall, Scream VI's general unease and uncertainty are what make the movie successfully scary.
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'Scream' (2022)
Image via Paramount Pictures
After a decade, the Scream franchise returned with a bang, with 2022's Scream from Radio Silence. Featuring returning characters Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, but focusing on a new group of young people, the fifth installment completely blew open the franchise, leaving room for new surprises and suspense.
Audiences found themselves in a similar situation to the original 1996 movie, not knowing which of the new teens they could trust not be behind that mask. Utilizing this lack of trust, the movie creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere, making almost every character appear guilty or shifty in some capacity. Audiences often name Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison) as one of the best and most terrifying Ghostface killers of the entire franchise, as the harshness with which she snaps out of the 'best friend' character and into someone who wants to kill Tara is incredibly disturbing. Scream also features some of the most terrifying images of the franchise, from Amber's burning, charred body to a close-range gunshot to the head for Tara's friend Liv (Sonia Ammar).
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'Scream' (1996)
Image via Dimension Films
The movie that started it all, horror maestro Wes Craven's Scream, tops many lists of the greatest horror movies of the '90s. Creating a unique storyline and tackling classic horror tropes, Scream is memorable for many reasons, especially the fear and intensity that radiate throughout the entire runtime. In the first movie in the franchise, audiences didn't know what to expect from Ghostface, but it becomes clear just how scary the villain really is from the iconic opening scene starring Drew Barrymore and a very famous phone call.
Introducing an entirely new story to audiences, along with unknown characters and unknown motives, Scream is arguably the most suspenseful of the franchise, as no one really knows whom they can trust. Each kill is over-the-top and terrifying, and the final Ghostface reveal sets a precedent for the movies to follow: it could really be anyone behind that mask.
Image via Spyglass Media
Image via Dimension Films
Image Via Dimension Films
Image via Dimension Films
Image via Paramount
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Dimension Films
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