As Scream 7 is in production, more details and teases are being revealed, and the latest one is all about how brutal the new Ghostface is, but this is a huge franchise risk after Scream 6. The Scream franchise has successfully seized the ongoing trend of reboots and legacy sequels, through which it came back to life over a decade after the release of Scream 4. The success of Scream 2022 has led to a reboot trilogy that continued with Scream 6 in 2023, but the upcoming closing chapter in the reboot timeline has been facing a couple of obstacles.
The Scream reboot movies were led by sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), but after Barrera’s firing and Ortega dropping out due to scheduling conflicts, Scream 7 will no longer continue their stories. Scream 7 had to go through a creative rework, and now, with franchise creator Kevin Williamson as director, it’s bringing Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) back. Now, the latest tease about Scream 7 is that it has the most brutal Ghostface in the saga, which not only brings bigger challenges, but it’s also a huge risk after what Scream 6 did.
Scream 6 Had The Most Brutal Ghostface Killers & Deaths To Date (& It Was Controversial)
Scream 6 Went Above & Beyond With Its Killers
Scream 6 takes the audience to New York City after Sam, Tara, and their friends Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) move there for a fresh start. However, they are haunted by a new Ghostface killer, who takes the violence and gore to higher levels than previous killers. Scream 6 stands out from the rest of the movies in the Scream saga for different reasons, including its Ghostface killers and their kill count. Scream 6 is the movie with the highest kill count in the saga, with a total of 14 deaths.
Not only that, but the murders themselves were quite brutal, and Scream 6 didn’t wait long to show this. After Professor Crane’s (Samara Weaving) murder, Jason’s (Tony Revolori) accomplice is found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in the fridge of their dorm, and it’s a scene like no other in the whole Scream saga. Scream 6 was very graphic with its kills, as seen with Anika’s (Devyn Nekoda) horrible death. Now, Mason Gooding told the I’ve Never Said This Before podcast that Scream 7 has the most brutal Ghostface and there’s “a lot of blood and viscera” (via Bloody Disgusting).
An even more brutal Ghostface in Scream 7 might not be the best idea, and it risks falling into completely different territory that might not really fit the franchise.
The Scream movies have never stood out for being gory or showing large amounts of blood, which is why the brutality of Scream 6’s kills took many by surprise and wasn’t well received by everyone. An even more brutal Ghostface in Scream 7 might not be the best idea, and it risks falling into completely different territory that might not really fit the franchise, on top of many other challenges the movie already has.
Scream 7 Already Has Many Challenges Unrelated To Ghostface
A Brutal Ghostface Isn’t Scream 7’s Only Challenge
As mentioned above, Scream 7 is now without its main characters with Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega no longer on board, and Scream 6 didn’t exactly give their stories a proper ending. Scream 7’s biggest challenge is addressing Sam and Tara’s absence and giving a believable and suitable explanation and, hopefully, closure. Another big challenge Scream 7 is facing is the return of Sidney, who had already gotten her happy ending with her family, but she’s back and a new Ghostface killer is going after her (again) and her family.
Recent cast updates are giving even more challenges to Scream 7, as Scott Foley has been confirmed to return (though whether he’s playing the deceased Roman Bridger or not is unclear) as is Matthew Lillard, who played original Ghostface killer Stu Macher. With two ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Ghostfaces back, Sam and Tara gone, and Sidney, her husband Mark (Joel McHale), and their kids being targeted by a new killer, Scream 7 will be risking a lot by being even more brutal than Scream 6.
Source: I’ve Never Said This Before, Bloody Disgusting.
