Warning: This article contains potential SPOILERS for Heart Eyes.The 2025 horror movie, Heart Eyes, has proven itself to be a hit with viewers and is the perfect watch for those who enjoy being terrified by the Scream franchise. Directed by Josh Ruben, the slasher movie follows two workmates who are mistaken for a couple by a serial killer, who is recognizable for their mask with eyes in the shape of hearts. The cast of Heart Eyes includes Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding as Ally and Jay, respectively, who do whatever they can to survive, but eventually discover there is more to the killer than what they originally believed.

Heart Eyes received positive reviews upon its release, for its casting, directing, and screenplay, which was co-written by Christopher Landon, the director and screenwriter of other notably successful horror movies, including Happy Death Day, Freaky, and the Paranormal Activity franchise. Heart Eyes became the first horror 2025 movie to pᴀss the $25 million box office milestone and has an impressive score of 82% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Heart Eyes has been described as a self-aware thriller that pays homage to many previous horror movies, and has been positively compared to the critical success of the Scream franchise.

Heart Eyes Is A Romantic Horror Movie With Lots Of Scream Similarities & It’s Still Playing In Theaters

Heart Eyes & Scream Both Contain Terrifying Masked Serial Killers

Heart Eyes stands out among other horror movies in recent by blending both horror and romantic genres together in its plot. Throughout the movie, Heart Eyes references many successful romance movies and has several connections to the Scream franchise through its gory killings and humorous approach to the horror genre. Similar to Scream, Heart Eyes is not afraid to be self-aware in its portrayal of the slasher genre, while also containing many twists and false clues to the idenтιтy of the Heart Eyes serial killer, eerily similar to how the Ghostface killer’s idenтιтy was revealed in the Scream franchise.

The biggest aspect of Heart Eyes that is similar to Scream is its depiction of its serial killer character. The Heart Eyes serial killer stands out throughout the movie due to its iconic mask with heart-shaped eyes, similar to how Ghostface stood out with their elongated white masks in Scream. Just like Ghostface, the Heart Eyes killer taunts their victims through phone calls and inspires a fanboy killer who meets a gruesome demise. Its clever similarities to Scream give Heart Eyes the potential to be ranked as one of the best romantic horror movies, and can still be enjoyed in theaters for those who enjoy an epic slasher.

Heart Eyes Can Hold You Over Until Scream 7 & Mason Gooding’s Return

Mason Gooding Will Reprise His Role Of Chad Meeks-Martin In Scream 7

Another inadvertent connection between Hearts Eyes and Scream is the appearance of Mason Gooding. Gooding rose to international attention for his performance in Scream (2022) as Chad Meeks-Martin, a student and athlete at Woodsboro High and Mindy’s twin brother. He later returns in Scream VI (2023) and, alongside his friends, Sam, Mindy, and Tara, fights against Ghostface. Scream VI‘s ending sees Chad surviving a vicious attack from Ghostface and being taken to hospital, setting up a future return to the franchise. In December 2024, it was confirmed that Gooding would return as Chad Meeks-Martin in the upcoming Scream 7 (via Variety).

While viewers wait for Scream 7 to arrive in theaters in February 2026, they can enjoy Mason Gooding’s performance as Jay Simmons in Heart Eyes. In the Scream franchise, Chad serves as more of a background character alongside his twin sister, Mindy, while in Heart Eyes, Jay is given a better opportunity to fight and, through his eventual romance with Ally, is able to showcase his strength and humor. Jay also manages to take down two of the Heart Eyes killers, something that Gooding’s Scream character failed to accomplish. Gooding’s performance throughout Heart Eyes proves his skills as a leading actor and can keep viewers on edge until the release of Scream 7 in 2026.

Source: Variety