Scream Is My Favorite Movie Franchise, And Here’s How I’d Rank the Films
What’s your favorite scary movie franchise? If you clicked on this article, you can already guess mine. And, truly, what better franchise to be a diehard fan of than the Scream series? Created by Kevin Williamson and the late filmmaker Wes Craven, this brilliant, terrifying, and so darkly hilarious slasher series is one of the most acclaimed and profitable slasher series in horror history. It came out at the perfect time to save slasher movies’ popularity in the late ’90s, and its success still keeps rolling as fans wait for the upcoming Scream 7 in 2026.
This is the best time to be proud to be a Scream fan! Looking back, the six compelling installments in this series are truly spectacular. They’re all the right mix of horror and humor, wonderfully written with that same self-aware metaness this series has become so well known for. Each film brings excitement and the joy of watching a horror film. But some are clearly better than others. Admittedly, though I love each one of the Scream films, a few are better than the others, and they’re often more fun to experience. The following is how I’d rank the Scream franchise, from worst to best. This is such a beloved franchise, and each installment has its fans, that it was honestly difficult to rank from top to bottom, but there are just some that shine brighter.
6
‘Scream 4’ (2011)
Starting off with, in my opinion, the weakest installment, is Scream 4, the long-awaited sequel to the initial trilogy, and the last sequel Wes Craven directed prior to his death in 2015. Taking a stab at the ideas of remakes, reboots, and internet fame that were prevalent in the industry at the time, Scream 4 is honestly just as funny and meta as the rest of the franchise. It also gave fans arguably one of the greatest killers in the series with Jill Roberts. Played perfectly by Emma Roberts, Jill is ruthless, cunning, and surely one of the deadliest. And her plans and motives in this movie are far more compelling than those of some other Ghostface killers in the past. This really has a lot of great things going for it, but it also has flaws that ultimately factored into why I placed this last.
First off, when I mentioned that Jill was one of the best Ghostface killers in the franchise, her sidekick, Charlie Walker, is perhaps one of the worst. No disrespect to Rory Culkin, as he does bring a sort of menace to the role, but Charlie is just bland, forgettable, has a very weak motive, and is abruptly killed off in the third act. He’s not the main reason why this film is lower, but he is a considerable factor. The few major reasons, though, are that the story is kind of forgettable and rushed, and the meta-commentary is too much at times. And, of course, there’s no looking past the awful camera filter this film has. It’s frustrating, and almost makes me want to wipe my screen, because it’s so blurry. Overall, Scream 4 is not really a bad film. I would watch more than some other sequels in other franchises. But, compared to the rest of the series, this is the one I’m least a fan of and can’t get past its annoying issues.
5
‘Scream 3’ (2000)
Next, it is arguably many fans’ least favorite, but it’s the one I’ve come around on the most in recent years. Released in 2000, Scream 3 was the intended final chapter in Craven’s Scream trilogy. It was supposed to be the one with the biggest stakes, the most shocking twists, and the highest body count. Well, that last one came true for a while at least, but audiences were generally disappointed with this film, as there weren’t too many stakes and the reveals were a bit of a letdown to say the least.
It’s also been criticized for its far more comedic tone and absurd characters. Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) from the Clerks franchise even make cameos at one point. A lot of fans can’t get behind some of these issues, and for a while, I couldn’t either. But nowadays, I see Scream 3 more as the underappreciated gem that it is. The comedy is a lot more fun in this and doesn’t feel forced. The trio of heroes is still fun to watch as they defeat another Ghostface. And although some hate the reveal that film director Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) was the killer this time around and was responsible for Billy and Stu’s rampage in the first film, It’s gown on me and actually serves as a nice touch that closes Craven’s original vision for this trilogy. Yes, Scream 3 is a bit of a mess, but it’s honestly gotten more enjoyable with every rewatch. Who knows, maybe giving it more of a chance, it might not be other people’s least favorite too.
4
‘Scream VI’ (2023)
The most recent film, Scream VI, continued the series’ momentum in the 21st century, bringing with it a much darker tone and bloodshed. I heavily praise this film for going darker. The kills are beefed up, and there’s not a lot of forced humor put in to cut the tension. There’s more suspense, tension, and stakes for the characters to overcome. Personally, the apartment escape scene is one of the most nail-biting and intense moments in this franchise’s history. It’s a pretty solid sixth installment that’s mostly good, mostly.
While it’s a worthwhile sequel that keeps this franchise relevant, it’s not without its issues, as it has some annoying plot holes, character moments that make no sense, and doesn’t exactly elevate the series in any way. There are some really frustrating moments that were created to intentionally mislead the audience, especially in the moments where the story desperately tries to make the obvious killer, Ethan Landry (Jack Champion), not seem like a suspect, but then pulls the rug right from under us when he actually is. There are other moments like that, and it hinders the enjoyment sometimes. However, at the end of it all, Scream VI is a flawed but decent follow-up that doesn’t really hurt this series’ legacy.
3
‘Scream’ (2022)
Now, we’re at the point where we’re reaching nothing but the highest points of this franchise. Next up is Scream 2022, the fifth installment in the franchise, which acts as a slight reboot after an eleven-year hiatus. While some might have worried about how the franchise could pick back up after a long wait, and not to mention the passing of one of its creators, Wes Craven, this fifth entry is a surprisingly solid hit that helped rejuvenate the audience’s interest in the series.
While some of the plot and humor don’t always work at certain points, Scream 2022 is a welcome return to basics for this series after such a long time. It perfectly captured the original style and tone, and was mostly decently written with some clever humor and meta references. Not to mention it had a standout cast of newcomers like Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, and future Best Actress Oscar winner Mickey Madison, all of whom bring something fun and unique to their characters. Is it as good as the original? No, but it feels fresh, mostly funny, and full of thrills and chills that this series is known best for.
2
‘Scream 2’ (1997)
Just shy of first place, the runner-up is Scream 2 from 1997. It takes the honors in my book for being the best Scream film outside the original. Thrilling, dark, and featuring some of the most tense and suspenseful moments of the series, this incredible second entry is a blast that gets better with every watch. From the exciting return of the main characters and even a few memorable new ones, to its unique college campus setting and more emphasis on terror and tension building, it keeps viewers invested right from start to finish.
Now, is it all perfect? Of course not, as the story is a bit repetitive from the first, the way that the twist killer, Mickey Altieri (Timothy Olyphant), is barely in the second half of the film is frustrating, and, most controversially, this story killed off fan-favorite character Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy) in a pretty unceremonious way. But, besides the notable issues, the good still far outweighs the bad in Scream 2. It more than makes up for its flaws with tense chase sequences, decent characters who have some development, bloody kills, and some great, shocking jumpscares. Overall, while the first one has this beat, Scream 2 is solid and greatly helped elevate this franchise.
1
‘Scream’ (1996)
At the end of the day, nothing will ever top Wes Craven’s 1996 masterpiece. Scream returned slashers back from the brink of extension. It brings with it the right tone and story to propel this compelling subgenre back into the spotlight. Wes Craven’s direction, coupled with Kevin Williamson’s brilliantly fun story, created horror history with a film that’s widely seen as a benchmark.
It’s funny, scary, quotable as can be, and full of iconic moments that defined 1990s horror. It launched this magnificent franchise, and it’s still going strong today. It’s one where there’s hardly any flaw to it. The acting is stellar and engaging, the pacing is tight, the suspense and terror are next level, and, of course, the jokes and humorous characters are always a delight to enjoy. Honestly, it’s one of the most essential horror films in history, and doesn’t show any signs of dwindling in popularity as years go by. As a dedicated Scream fan, the first will always represent the peak of the franchise.
