Review: Scream 7 (2026)

Scream 7 was my most anticipated film of the year. With Kevin Williamson back in the director's chair and Neve Campbell finally returning to the spotlight, I couldn't hide my excitement. Having now sat through the final cut, I have to say the reality didn't quite match the hype. The film feels less like a true legacy sequel and more like a high-budget piece of fan fiction that treats its own history like a comfort blanket.

The opening sequence, while well-shot and effective at establishing a truly unhinged Ghostface, plays exactly by the rulebook we’ve seen dozens of times before. There are no surprises here, just the mechanical satisfaction of watching a familiar formula unfold.

The characters themselves are a mixed bag. Seeing Sidney back is a genuine highlight—this is easily my favorite version of the character—but the way the film treats Gale Weathers is cynical. She is reduced to a hollow plot device, dropping the occasional swear word to remind us she exists, with any fleeting attempt at genuine vulnerability discarded as quickly as it arrives. The newer additions, specifically the twins, fare no better; their dialogue is strictly meta-comedy, existing solely for the fans of the fifth and sixth films rather than serving the actual narrative.

The kills follow a similar pattern. While there are a couple of inventive moments, the majority feel stagnant and "samey." There is one particular kill involving a character being hoisted into the air and left helpless; it’s a striking image that I know will stick with me. From now on, whenever I’m reaching up to put the star on top of my Christmas tree, I’ll be thinking of this film.

That sense of fatigue carries over to the atmosphere. The film is neither scary nor tense, and while it manages to be fun in sporadic bursts, the tone never stays consistent. The big reveal, which I won't spoil here, left me cold, as I was waiting for a daring turn that simply never arrived. Furthermore, there is a certain heaviness in the casting. Seeing certain people pop up again after I’d recently revisited the series really hit home - I’ve never felt my own mortality more than I did while watching the passage of time reflected on screen.

Ultimately, Scream 7 is a safe, comfortable rehash of everything we have seen before. There were good parts, certainly, but the plot lacks the bite and unpredictability that defined the series at its peak.

Rating: 3/5