Get spooky before it’s too late. On that note, if you’re planning a Halloween movie marathon, there’s no better way to wrap up the Halloween season than diving into one of horror’s most enduring and self-aware franchises: Scream. Since Wes Craven’s 1996 original reinvented the slasher genre, Scream has evolved into a cinematic legacy spanning nearly three decades, six films, and a seventh on the way. With Scream 7 officially set for release on February 27, 2026, this weekend is the perfect time to revisit the saga with all the knife twists, jump scares, and all.
Scream (1996)
The film that started it all. Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, Scream introduced audiences to Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), a high school student whose quiet California town becomes the hunting ground of Ghostface, a masked killer obsessed with horror movie rules. Featuring Courteney Cox as ambitious reporter Gale Weathers, David Arquette as small-town cop Dewey Riley, and an unforgettable opening with Drew Barrymore, the first Scream is still a masterclass in meta-horror.
Scream 2 (1997)
Just a year later, Craven and Williamson reunited for a sequel that moved the terror to college. Sidney tries to rebuild her life as a new Ghostface copycat strikes amid the release of Stab, the film-within-a-film inspired by the original Woodsboro murders. The sequel balanced sharp humor with shocking deaths and cemented Scream as more than a one-hit wonder.
Scream 3 (2000)
The trilogy wrapped (for a while) with Scream 3, written by Ehren Kruger and set in Hollywood, where a movie about the murders becomes the scene of new killings. It’s more comedic and satirical than the previous entries, poking fun at the industry itself while giving Sidney a sense of closure, at least temporarily.
Scream 4 (2011)
Over a decade later, Craven returned for one last time behind the camera. Scream 4 reunited the original cast and introduced a new generation of characters, including Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed. The film explored social media fame and the obsession with going viral long before “clout chasing” became mainstream. Though its box office run was modest, it’s since been praised as a smart, underappreciated sequel.
Scream (2022)
After Craven’s passing, directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (of Ready or Not fame) revived the franchise for a new era. The fifth installment passed the torch to a younger cast, led by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega as sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter, while honoring the legacy of Sidney, Gale, and Dewey. With sharp commentary on “requels” — films that mix reboot and sequel — this chapter reignited the Ghostface legacy.
Scream VI (2023)
The action moved from Woodsboro to New York City, where the survivors of Scream 5 find themselves stalked by a deadlier and more unpredictable Ghostface. Neve Campbell stepped back for this installment, but Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere returned. The result was a slick, brutal, and crowd-pleasing thriller that earned critical and commercial success, even taking home Best Movie at the MTV Awards.
Scream 7 (2026)
The next chapter is already in motion. Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original, will make his directorial debut for the series, with Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette all returning. New cast members include Isabel May as Sidney’s daughter, plus Anna Camp, Mckenna Grace, and Celeste O’Connor. With production underway, Scream 7 promises to bring the saga full circle just in time for its 30th anniversary.
So, if you’re queuing up a Halloween watchlist, this is the perfect order: start in Woodsboro in 1996 and slice your way through each sequel. By the time you reach Scream VI, you’ll be primed for the seventh chapter of Ghostface’s bloody reign where no one ever truly hangs up the mask.