Scream 6 Slices Through The Box-Office Competition With The Franchise's Strongest Debut Yet
"Scream VI" has fans running to and from theaters in a strong opening weekend for the bloody sequel. Despite the fact that the film is the first in the franchise without Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott among the killer's targets, it appears that the movie's solid reviews and chilling trailers have helped deliver fans to theaters. As of the time of writing, "Scream VI" has earned $43.5 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter. With several days of returns still to come, the latest entry already has the distinction of having the highest-grossing opening weekend box office of the franchise.
Despite the lack of Campbell, "Scream VI" does see the return of Courteney Cox's Gale Weathers, as well as the re-emergence of Hayden Panettiere's fan-favorite character from "Scream 4," Kirby Reed. Those nostalgia elements, along with the film's unique New York City setting, were likely contributing factors to the film's strong box-office showing. 2022's "Scream," the first new entry in the franchise in a decade, enjoyed an opening weekend of around $30 million, while "Scream 3" previously held the title for the biggest opening weekend for the franchise with its $34.7 million debut in 2000.
Ghostface slayed Creed III and 65 at the weekend box office
Not only has "Scream VI" already made back its reported production budget of $33 million, but it also topped both "Creed III" and the Adam Driver starring adventure thriller "65" at the weekend box office. The record-breaking opening for "Scream VI" shows that fans are extremely interested in not just the characters introduced in 2022's "Scream," but also the franchise's latest Ghostface. The magic of "Scream VI" may also lie in the filmmaking process as Jenna Ortega revealed the cast was kept in the dark about the killer's identity. This shrouds Ghostface in even more mystery and no doubt sent fans flocking to theaters to find out who's behind the mask.
While there has not been an official announcement regarding "Scream 7," the early success of "Scream VI" certainly shows that despite all the blood spilled on the screen, the franchise is still alive and well. Should the movie continue to slice and dice the competition, we very well may have another new entry in the franchise to look forward to.