Scream 6 (or Scream VI) is a 2023 American slasher film directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. It is the sequel to Scream (2022) and the sixth installment in the Scream film series. The film stars Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere, and Courteney Cox, all reprising their roles from previous installments, alongside Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving. Film series star Neve Campbell announced she would not be returning as Sidney Prescott due to not being pleased with the offer presented to her, making this the first film in the series not to feature the character. Also the first film in the franchise without David Arquette as Dewey Riley[1].
Like its predecessors, the film combines the violence of the slasher genre with elements of black comedy and a "whodunit" mystery, and satirizes the trends of film franchises and subversion of audience expectations. Film series star Neve Campbell announced she would not be returning as Sidney Prescott because she felt the offer presented to her was unacceptable, making this the first film in the series not to feature the character.
Scream VI premiered at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater in Manhattan on March 6, 2023, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 10, by Paramount Pictures. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the kills and performances.
The survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City.
Plot[]
One year after the Woodsboro killings orchestrated by Richie Kirsch and Amber Freeman, Blackmore University film professor Laura Crane is catfished by her student Jason Carvey, who lures her outside a bar in New York City and then kills her while wearing a Ghostface costume. Jason has been plotting with his roommate Greg to kill sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter, survivors of the killings, in order to "finish Richie's film". However, Jason receives a call from a different Ghostface, who has murdered Greg and subsequently stabs Jason to death.
Sam and Tara now live in New York City with fellow survivors Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin, and roommate Quinn Bailey, along with Mindy's girlfriend Anika and Chad's roommate Ethan, all of whom attend Blackmore University. Sam attends therapy with Dr. Stone, and is ostracized in public due to an online conspiracy theory that she orchestrated the Woodsboro killings and framed Richie for it. Quinn's father, Detective Wayne Bailey, calls Sam in for questioning as her ID was found at the scene of Jason's murder, along with the Ghostface mask used by Richie and Amber. On the way to the station, Sam is called by Ghostface from Richie's phone, who then attacks Tara and pursues them into a bodega, killing multiple bystanders, and leaving another Ghostface mask used by Jill Roberts and Charlie Walker in the 2011 Woodsboro killings.
At the station, the sisters meet with FBI special agent Kirby Reed, a survivor of the 2011 killings, and then reporter Gale Weathers, who reveals that Sidney Prescott and her family have gone into hiding in response to the recent attacks. Dr. Stone is murdered by Ghostface, who steals Sam's file and leaves the mask used by Roman Bridger, the killer from the Hollywood attacks. Ghostface then attacks the group in Sam and Tara's apartment, killing Quinn and Anika, and leaves the mask used by Mickey Altieri. Wayne is officially taken off the case following Quinn's death, but vows to avenge his daughter. Gale takes the group to an abandoned cinema she found while investigating, which has been set up as a shrine to the Ghostface killers, including weapons and outfits from each set of attacks. Ghostface later calls Gale at her apartment and torments her about the death of Dewey Riley, before killing her boyfriend and attacking her. Sam and Tara arrive in time to stop Ghostface from killing Gale.
The group agree to meet Kirby at the theater to trap Ghostface. On the subway platform, they are separated, and Mindy is stabbed by Ghostface. At the theater, Sam sees a vision of her father, original Ghostface killer Billy Loomis, who reminds her to defend herself and not trust anyone. Taking Billy's knife from the original murders, Sam realizes they have been locked inside. Wayne calls Sam and says he found out Kirby was fired from the FBI months prior for being mentally unstable. Two Ghostfaces appear and attack Chad. As Tara and Sam try to escape, Kirby and Wayne both arrive with guns drawn. Wayne shoots Kirby, revealing himself as a third Ghostface. He admits to orchestrating the killings with his children, revealed to be Ethan and a still-alive Quinn, to avenge Richie's death, who was his eldest son. They reveal their plan to kill Sam and frame her as Ghostface, making her the final piece of the shrine to honor Richie. Sam and Tara fight off the Bailey family, with Tara stabbing Ethan and Sam killing Quinn. Sam then dons her father's Ghostface costume and stabs Wayne to death. Ethan resurfaces, but Kirby smashes the television set that killed Stu Macher over his head, killing him.
Sam agrees to let Tara live her life more independently, and Tara agrees to go to therapy. As the still-alive Mindy, Chad, and Kirby are taken to the hospital, Sam stares at her father's Ghostface mask, before discarding it and following Tara into the city.
Cast[]
- Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers
- Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter
- Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter
- Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed
- Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin
- Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin
- Dermot Mulroney as Detective Bailey
- Henry Czerny as Dr. Christopher Stone
- Samara Weaving as Laura Crane
- Tony Revolori as Jason Carvey
- Jack Champion as Ethan Landry
- Devyn Nekoda as Anika Kayoko
- Liana Liberato as Quinn Bailey
- Josh Segarra as Danny Brackett
- Thomas Cadrot as Brooks
- Thom Newell as Greg Bruckner
- Skeet Ulrich as Billy Loomis (hallucination)
- Jack Quaid as Richie Kirsch (uncredited cameo)
- Roger L. Jackson as the voice of Ghostface
In addition, archival photos with David Arquette as Dewey Riley were used as an homage to the character in the shrine scene. Photos of Matthew Lillard, Timothy Olyphant, Laurie Metcalf, Scott Foley, Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin and Mikey Madison are also shown in the investigating committee at the police station.
Production[]
Development[]
Prior to the release of Scream 4, series creator Kevin Williamson claimed he had already "mapped out" Scream 5 and Scream 6, but would wait to see the box office success of the fourth installment before signing on for any more films. In July 2014, Williamson revealed that Scream 4 was intended to kick off a new trilogy of films, but the film "never took off in a way they hoped". Williamson also said that he would likely not be involved in any further entries, as the series director Wes Craven and his team were "done" with him. In Williamson's initial pitch, Scream 5 saw Jill Roberts being stalked by a killer at her college campus, while Scream 6 would feature Gale Weathers as the main character and deal with her relationship with Dewey Riley.
In January 2022, Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, and Tyler Gillett expressed interest in making future films in the series. Courteney Cox would later express an interest in a sequel while doing publicity for Shining Vale. A sixth film was officially green-lit on February 3, 2022, by Spyglass Media Group. Olpin and Gillett of Radio Silence would return to direct while James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick would write the script once again. By the end of the month, Campbell was approached to return for the film. The following month, Cox had received the script and was courted to reprise her role. Also in March 2022, the sixth film's release date was set for March 31, 2023. By May, plot details emerged, setting the film outside of Woodsboro. Instead, the film will take place in New York City. In June, Ortega said the film would feature a more "aggressive and violent" Ghostface than in previous entries.
Casting[]
In May 2022, it was announced that Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, and Jenna Ortega would also return for the sixth film. The following day, it was announced that Hayden Panettiere would reprise her role of Kirby Reed from the fourth film. When asked about her involvement in the film, Cox claimed that her contract was not yet completed. Also in June, it was announced that Dermot Mulroney had joined the cast, playing a police officer, and Cox officially confirmed her involvement with the film. On June 16, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda and Josh Segarra joined the cast, followed by Henry Czerny on June 23. Samara Weaving and Tony Revolori were both announced as cast members on July 14.
Campbell's involvement[]
On June 6, 2022, it was announced Campbell would not be returning as Sidney Prescott for the sixth film. The actress made a statement about how her contract and salary negotiations had stalled with Paramount Pictures:
"As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream. I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise. It's been a very difficult decision to move on. To all my Scream fans, I love you. You've always been so incredibly supportive to me. I'm forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years."
IndieWire noted Campbell had spent 26 years acting in the franchise and announced it was "the end of an era". David Arquette stated, "I'd love for her to be a part of it. A Scream movie without Sidney is kind of unfortunate, but I understand her decision. It's all a business in a way, they have to balance all these elements to fit a budget and produce a film." Jasmin Savoy Brown, Melissa Barrera as well as former Scream co-stars Emma Roberts, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard and Jamie Kennedy, also expressed their support for Campbell's decision and praised her contributions to the series.
Campbell expanded on her statement a few weeks later, saying she could not bear "walking on set and feeling undervalued" and that the offer would have been different had she been a man.
Even though she will not be in the film, the script still contains references to the Sidney character and is "protective" of her.
In December 2022, Radio Silence commented on Campbell's absence, saying her absence affected the script "greatly". They decided to use the change as an opportunity to focus more on other characters, particularly the four young survivors from the previous film. They also mentioned how much they love both Campbell and the Sidney character and that she could return in future installments.
Filming[]
On a production budget of $35 million, principal photography began on June 9, 2022, in Montreal, Canada. Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein and William Sherak produced under Project X Entertainment, while Chad Villella, Cathy Konrad, Marianne Maddalena and Williamson will serve as executive producers. While in July 2022, the film was still untitled officially, production documents revealed the working title to be "Blackmore", while set photos showed Scream !! as a working title. Hayden Panettiere posed for a set photo on August 6, along with Jasmin Savoy Brown, that was picked up by various media outlets given her return to the franchise. Courteney Cox revealed she had finished filming her part as of August 14. Filming ended in late August.
Music[]
The film is scored by Brian Tyler, returning from the previous installment. In January 2023, it was announced that Sven Faulconer would join Tyler to co-score the film. In February 2023, it was revealed by Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda during an interview with KROQ that he would be releasing a solo song as part of the Scream VI soundtrack. American singer Demi Lovato released "Still Alive" on March 3 by Island Records as the lead single of the film's soundtrack. Shinoda's song, called "In My Head", was released on March 10, featuring Kailee Morgue. The film's soundtrack score album was released on March 10, 2023, by Paramount Music resembles Tyler and Faulconer's score.
Release[]
Scream VI had its world premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on March 6, 2023. The film was released in the United States on March 10, 2023, by Paramount Pictures. It was originally set for release on March 31, 2023. The film was released in RealD 3D, 4DX and Dolby Cinema formats.
Marketing[]
In several cities, a viral marketing stunt occurred, as the studio's marketing firm sent individuals wearing a Ghostface costume and mask to stand motionless in front of cameras and walk around the streets, resulting in multiple 911 calls from unsettled residents. The marketing campaign also included the launch of a website that allowed American users to receive personalized phone calls from Ghostface, Scream-themed meals in different Chain pop-up dinners and an immersive walk-through featuring props and reconstructed sets from the franchise in California; the walk-throughs included appearances by directors and producers Radio Silence, along with actors Mason Gooding, Dermot Mulroney and Tony Revolori.
Reception[]
Box office[]
In the United States and Canada, Scream VI was released alongside 65 and Champions, and was projected to gross $35–40 million from 3,670 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $5.7 million from Thursday night previews, besting Scream's $3.5 million the year prior.
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 76% based on 201 reviews, and an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Certain aspects of horror's most murderously meta franchise may be going stale, but a change of setting and some inventive set pieces help keep Scream VI reasonably sharp." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 50 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, the same score as Scream 2 and 2022's Scream.
Chicago Sun-Times's Richard Roeper gave the film three out of four stars, writing "Nevertheless, off we go on another aggressively gruesome, wickedly funny and at times cleverly staged Scream-fest that cheerfully defies logic while hitting all the right notes we've come to expect from the franchise." He praised the performances of Barrera, Ortega and Brown and felt the film's ending was "the most outlandish and spectacularly brutal ending of all". Owen Gleiberman, writing for Variety, gave the film a positive review despite finding it "too long", noting that it "is a pretty good thriller [...] [and] a gory homicidal shell game that's clever in all the right ways, staged and shot more forcefully than the previous film, eager to take advantage of its more sprawling but enclosed cosmopolitan setting".
Benjamin Lee from The Guardian gave the film a four-star rating out of five, describing it as gorier and a smarter follow-up to Scream (2022). Simon Thompson from The Playlist gave the film an A and described Panettiere as "the active ingredient here, the bolt from the blue, and she revels in the role, delivering a real treat for die-hard fans". In a review rated four out of five stars, Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent called the film "bloody, satisfying and ridiculously fun" and similarly praised the performance of Panettiere, who "plays the role with a sly wit".
Olly Richards, reviewing the film for Empire, gave it three out of five stars, opining that it was "still far more inventive and entertaining than most horror franchises of a similar vintage", yet "one of the sillier series entries in terms of plot, but still scary enough and funny enough to leave you hoping Ghostface might yet kill again". Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter gave it a mixed review, believing the film to be a satisfying addition to the franchise by blending nostalgia with a fresh take, but concluded that it was "not exactly cutting-edge anymore".
Future[]
In March 2023, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet were "hopeful" for a seventh film in the series and said they would like to continue to see more movies in the franchise "whether we're involved or not". They also stated that they wanted Campbell to return in future installments, saying "we'd love to be able to make another movie with her, and we’re not giving up".
Trivia[]
- The Ghostfaces in this movie appear with their masks detonated, which resembles the mask of Michael Myers in the Legacy-Sequel trilogy.
References[]
- ↑ Despite this, both Sidney and Dewey are referenced throughout the film.
External links[]
Scream 6 (2023) at the Internet Movie Database- Scream 6 (2023) at AllMovie
- Scream 6 (2023) at Rotten Tomatoes
- Scream VI at Wikipedia
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