Scream 7 is the blandest sequel of the series and wastes Neve Campbell’s return

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Late in Scream 7, a character bluntly tells Sidney Prescott she’s past her prime—a shocking thing to say to a horror legend, though perhaps not entirely wrong. The last two Scream films successfully introduced new characters while still honoring the series’ history, but this latest installment abandons that approach.

After Melissa Barrera was fired from Scream 7 and Jenna Ortega left the project, the planned storyline for the movie had to be completely changed. Neve Campbell, who had previously turned down a role in Scream VI due to a disagreement over salary, joined the cast. She also brought along Kevin Williamson, the creator of the Scream series, who then became the film’s director, replacing Christopher Landon.

Everything seemed to be in place for Scream 7 to be a great addition to the Scream franchise, focusing on Sidney Prescott and moving past the confusing reboot situation. Sadly, the final result is a sequel that feels predictable, uninspired, and ultimately, just another generic horror film – which is the worst possible outcome for a Scream movie.

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The movie begins with a promising and playful setup: a fan of the in-universe horror film Stab arrives at Stu Macher’s house with his girlfriend. The house has been transformed into a fully immersive Stab experience, complete with a motion-activated Ghostface robot. It’s a nostalgic and referential recap of the Scream series’ history, playfully acknowledging past killers, before the couple meets a predictable fate, setting the stage for the events of Scream 7.

While previous Scream films centered around Woodsboro, the seventh installment moves to the peaceful town of Pine Grove. Here, Sidney Prescott has started a new life with her husband, Mark (played by Joel McHale – a different Mark than the one from earlier films), and their three daughters, including a teenage daughter named Tatum (Isabel May). But, predictably, Sidney’s quiet life doesn’t last for long.

After a quick video call from Ghostface – yes, he’s updated with the times – Sidney jumps back into action to try and save Tatum. It starts like a typical Scream movie, but it quickly becomes clear that Scream 7 doesn’t offer anything fresh, despite a few impressively violent moments.

The screenplay, penned by Williamson and Guy Busick – the team behind the previous two films – doesn’t offer Neve Campbell much compelling material. She largely revisits the idea of inherited trauma, a common theme in recent horror revivals, particularly the 2018 Halloween film, which the movie explicitly references to emphasize the connection.

While the marketing suggests this moment is the natural result of everything that came before, that doesn’t quite feel true. Instead of feeling like a satisfying conclusion, it comes across as a forced connection to previous efforts.

It’s strange that the movie acknowledges the events of Scream VI. While New York is mentioned and Sidney’s absence impacts the plot, Sam and Tara Carpenter – who were key to the New York attacks – are completely ignored. There’s not even a brief mention of where they are, despite a single reference to Billy Loomis’s son.

Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin (played by Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding) appear alongside Gale (Courteney Cox) in Pine Grove, but their roles feel small and unimportant. They mostly provide comic relief, and while Mindy delivers the typical scene explaining the ‘rules’ of surviving Ghostface, it feels forced and relies too heavily on familiar ideas from previous Scream movies. Ultimately, the twins aren’t given much to do and are quickly sidelined.

For much of Scream 7, including the reveal of who’s behind the Ghostface mask, the movie feels underwhelming. It goes through the motions of a typical Scream film, hitting all the expected plot points, but without any of the surprising twists or innovative moments the series is known for. There are a few bright spots – the action sequences are well-shot, with one particularly gruesome kill and a suspenseful chase in Sidney Prescott’s house – though some plot choices feel illogical.

Honestly, the biggest problem with this movie is that if you stripped away all the Ghostface and Sidney stuff, it could have been any generic slasher flick. We’re talking a bunch of characters who didn’t get enough development – it’s a real shame because the cast included talented actors like McKenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor, and others – just getting picked off in pretty gruesome ways. And then the killer’s reveal? Totally anticlimactic. It felt like a shrug, you know?

You’ll likely be left shrugging by the end of Scream 7, especially when the identity of Ghostface is revealed – it’s one of the weakest in the entire series. Revealing why would spoil things, though. The movie does deliver a fun, short fight scene with a strong final moment, but the poorly constructed central mystery makes it unlikely you’ll want to rewatch it.

If Scream 7 is a big success, Ghostface might return in future movies, and Tatum could potentially become the new main character. However, if that happens, it’s important that her storyline feels fresh and original, rather than just repeating familiar themes.

Scream 7 is out now in UK cinemas, and is released in US cinemas on 27 February.

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2026-02-26 12:20