Just about 30 years after the original premiered, “Scream 7” is set to release on Feb. 27. Not only is the story recentering around the original star, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) but it has also been made by the original director, Kevin Williamson and will have returning cast members like Matthew Lillard, who played Stu Macher in “Scream.” The plot is said to focus on Sidney Prescott’s family, with her daughter emerging as a new character in the franchise.
South film literature teacher Dan DeMarco remembers seeing the original “Scream” in theaters, but didn’t enjoy the franchise as much with the more recent additions. However, as a lover of film, he can appreciate aspects of the franchise that have brought in audiences for several years.
“I’ll just say that when I first went to see it, I kind of thought it would be just kind of a silly, horrible movie and in some ways, it is,” DeMarco said. “But actually, I kind of think it works, the first one.”
DeMarco complemented the franchise’s use of classic horror techniques for creating and relieving suspense for audiences, as well as its other, less common attributes that contribute to more lighthearted scenes.
“I think what I like about it is that it does, at times, take itself very seriously, and there are some great techniques it uses,” DeMarco said. “Other times I think it’s trying to be a comedy horror, which has its place too.”
Sofia Beacham ’28, a newer fan of the “Scream” movies, watched them out of order, seeing “Scream 6” in theaters in 2023, and then watching the rest of the films later. In large franchises, she appreciates movies that can stand on their own.
“I just hope that the plot is able to be original and on its own, versus the past few movies where it’s kind of built off of the last one,” Beacham said. “I feel like if it’s original, then that’ll make it more interesting.”
Beacham would prefer if the franchise quit while it’s ahead and stop producing new films after “Scream 7,” which may be a common trait amongst other fans, like Ella Devlin ’26.
“I think that sometimes you shouldn’t continue the franchise because it gets a little stale, and it has in a lot of the Scream movies, but a lot of the newer ones have been pretty good,” Devlin said.
Devlin claims that, often, large franchises can be unorganized and stray from their original messaging; however, she is looking forward to meeting Sidney’s daughter in the new movie. DeMarco also mentioned that lengthy franchises tend to depreciate over time; however, they still hold significant value in modern film.
“If you’re able to last long enough and build, keep your current audience, and then bring in the new audience, then you’re doing something right,” DeMarco said.
