Early Reactions Say Scream VI Raises The Bloody Bar For The Franchise

If early reactions are anything to go by, it looks like "Scream VI" is set to be another franchise high for the slasher series. 

After Wes Craven wrapped up his original "Scream" trilogy in 2000, it was difficult for fans of the horror-comedy franchise to imagine a future. After all, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette) all received a fairy tale ending after defeating another Ghostface. A decade later, Craven returned to the franchise, tackling society's fascination with internet fame and virality with the infinitely underrated "Scream 4," bringing the iconic trio back to the quaint town of Woodsboro.

And then... radio silence from the franchise.

Craven died in 2015, 4 years after "Scream 4" spooked its way into cinemas, with fans ultimately acknowledging that their meta slasher-fest was over with. But then came Hollywood's obsession with legacy sequels, a trend which compelled Paramount Pictures to rope in "Ready or Not" directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett for a fifth entry that tackled "requel" tropes and toxic fandoms. With a new batch of intriguing characters, and cameo appearances from the original trio, 2022's "Scream" emerged as a commercial success, bringing home over $135 million worldwide per The Numbers, proving that Ghostface still had some bite left in him.

Now, all eyes are on "Scream VI," which notably won't feature series lead Neve Campbell. Despite the Prescott star not returning to the series, early reactions to "Scream VI" are touting the film as one of the best franchise's best efforts.

"I don't know how they do it but the 'Scream' team did it again," tweeted Germain Lussier, describing the sixth entry as "maybe the most twisty turny installment yet," before questioning how the franchise is still able to sustain momentum and consistency after three decades. Similar sentiments were echoed by user @mattrorabeck, who called the sequel "[t]he perfect blend of violence, commentary comedy & camp." They continued by saying the film's opening might be their favorite in the franchise. Tall words! Twitter user @shayhbaz also endlessly praised the film, pointing out the sequel's riveting twists and tight action. As for the film's standouts? The user continued by highlighting Jenna Ortega and Jasmin Savoy their favorites, both of whom were introduced in 2022's "Scream."

"It's a love letter to the #SCREAM franchise featuring a fantastic cast and heart-pounding suspense," shared user @dbapz. "Jenna Ortega SLAYS and Ghostface has never been more terrifying." Want to get even more hyped? @Danimalish casually called "Scream VI" the "the best SCREAM film since the original." "From its opening scene to the bloody ending it was everything I wanted," wrote @shannon_mcgrew. "That's how you reinvent an old classic for today!" Perhaps one of the most anticipated aspects of the sequel was how it would move the franchise to New York City. Luckily, @FilmOptix says the location change works well in the film's favor. "Stepping into New York City provides the ideal atmosphere for new and creative kills," they wrote, before calling Ghostface "deadlier than ever..."

"Scream VI" slashes its way into cinemas on March 10.