Scream's Most Shocking Ghostface Reveals From 1996 To Today, Ranked

"Scream" is still the franchise that keeps on giving. Originally the brainchild of horror maverick Wes Craven, the series kicked off in 1996. The first "Scream" quickly became a cultural phenomenon thanks to its ripe social commentary, meta-narrative, and impressive ability to add more fuel to the slasher genre. Naturally, a number of sequels manifested, with Craven finding inventive new ways to advance the overall story. Seeing as the films often mock sequels and franchises, it makes sense that repetition is part of the "Scream" DNA. There are things that happen in every "Scream" movie, including a gleeful third act that peels the layers back on who each film's Ghostface is. 

Arguably the best part of each respective film, it's always fascinating to see who the new Ghostface is. Sometimes it's the boyfriend, or maybe the weird side character you didn't really care for. What makes the reveals even more exciting is not knowing how many Ghostfaces there are. After all, the beauty of wearing a generic mask is that you'll never know how many killers are actually lurking. Following Craven's death, the franchise has continued and surprisingly managed to keep true to the OG director's vision. Starting with 2022's "Scream" reboot, the films have upped the stakes and presented numerous interesting Ghostface reveals.  

Let's look back on the franchise, from the original 1996 "Scream," to today's modern-day entries, to figure out which flick has the best Ghostface reveal. For the purpose of this list, we're going to only stick with third-act Ghostface reveals (sorry, "Scream VI") that fuel the film's core narrative. 

"Scream 3" is frequently considered by many to be a low point in the franchise, with many tearing it down for its overwhelmingly tongue-in-cheek and goofy tone which prioritizes laughs over thrills. It's precisely for this reason that "Scream 3" has also become a cult favorite, with fans appreciating how Wes Craven took the franchise in an interesting direction by switching up the tone. Inventive and filled with social commentary about how corrupt Hollywood can be, "Scream 3" is a fascinating, if inconsistent film. Wherever anyone stands on "Scream 3," it's fair to say that the third-act Ghostface reveal leaves a lot to be desired. 

As the film wraps up and starts its Scooby-Doo-like haunted mansion chase, it's revealed that "Stab 3" director Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) is Ghostface. It wouldn't be surprising if you forgot who that was, considering Roman gets extremely minimal screen time, with his character mostly treated like an afterthought. Roman has very little time to develop, and when he's interacting with the gang, he's quite unassuming and generic, leaving him to be forgettable as a suspect. 

Roman's whole shtick is that he's Sidney's (Neve Campbell) half-brother and that he has beef with their late mom. While his motivations are compelling, the reveal would have had a lot more weight to it if Roman was actually wrapped up in Sidney and the gang's hijinks as opposed to a background character. Overall, Roman has the weakest Ghostface reveal because of how empty it feels. Then again, it was shocking, considering most viewers forgot who Roman was by the time the third act started. 

"Scream 2" is one of the most beloved sequels in the franchise and stands out as one of the most inventive, transporting the Woodsboro kids from high school to college. The premise is compelling enough, playing around with the idea of how a horror franchise's serial killer or villain can never be escaped. With "Scream 2," we see Sidney (Campbell) and the rest of the gang a bit wiser, as they know how to kill or take down a Ghostface. What complicates matters is the unfamiliar environment, as well as the skeletons in their closet. 

In the sequel, it's revealed that Ghostface is Nancy Loomis (Laurie Metcalf), the mother of Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), and Mickey (Timothy Olyphant), one of Sidney's classmates. This reveal is as interesting as it as lukewarm, mostly because of how audiences feel about each respective Ghostface. Nancy Loomis is the perfect choice as a Ghostface successor as her son was the first masked killer, and it would make sense that she'd want to murder those who were responsible for her son's death. Showing how bloodlust is hereditary is awesome stuff, but it sucks that Mickey was involved in this one. 

A mostly background character, Mickey emerging as the Ghostface is a bit awkward considering we don't really get to know him. His reasoning to kill for the sake of fame is interesting and ties into the sequel's whole meta aspect, but it's never really explored. Ultimately, it would have been interesting if Mrs. Loomis teamed up with someone who had a bit more weight to their reasoning. 

As the second film in the "reboot" trilogy, "Scream VI" takes a bunch of cues from "Scream 2." From the university setting to the killer's motives, "Scream VI" is both a tribute to and a quasi-remake of the beloved sequel. What's interesting is that on the surface level, "Scream VI" tries its best to confuse the audience, making them believe that they're not seeing a throwback. Consider the crazy opening to "Scream VI," which deliberately wanted to take fans of the series by surprise. By the end, however, things fall into place, leading to an immensely satisfying Ghostface reveal. 

This time, there's three Ghostfaces, and it's a whole family ordeal! The killers in question are Detective Wayne Bailey (Dermot Mulroney), and his two kids, Quinn (Liana Liberato) and Ethan (Jack Champion). The twist is that they're all related to Richie (Jack Quaid), one of the Ghostfaces from the "Scream" reboot. This reveal is obviously a nod to "Scream 2" and feels a lot more air-tight, considering there's no Mickey-type character involved. 

This reveal is particularly powerful because Quinn is rather successfully "killed off" early on in the film, with Detective Bailey setting himself up as a solid protector for the gang. Meanwhile, Ethan is seen as a goofy but weird roommate who frequently tries his best to avoid suspicion. Revealing that all three are related and want to avenge Richie is great stuff, retroactively making 2022's "Scream" all the more powerful. Plus, the chaos and violence that follows the reveal make the family's death incredibly satisfying. 

2022's "Scream" is one of the best examples of a horror reboot done right. It successfully introduces new characters to lead the series forward while also giving old players enough to make their appearances feel warranted. The stakes were high for the reboot/sequel, but directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett knocked the pic out of the park, especially when it came to the film's ending. Seeing as the sequel pokes fun at the repetitive nature of reboots, and features tons of horror movie references, it makes sense that the 2022 flick's Ghostface reveal pays homage to the 1996 original's ending. 

"Scream" 2022 wraps up by revealing that, surprise, the killer is the boyfriend! Richie (Jack Quaid) debuts as the killer, standing in as the film's Billy Loomis-type (Skeet Ulrich). His accomplice is none other than the overprotective Amber (Mikey Madison), who is pretty much an evolved and more reserved version of Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard). What makes this reveal great is that unlike Billy, we never suspect Richie because of how average and boring he is. He's a supportive boyfriend, but also reasonable, making him the least obvious suspect. 

On the other hand, we do suspect Amber because of how protective she is of Tara (Jenna Ortega), but the film presents a number of more interesting suspects. What's also cool is how we rarely see Amber and Richie interact, making their partnership feel all the more surprising. However, the reboot's reveal is no match for the OG. 

The first Ghostface reveal is so important because it sets the "Scream" franchise up for success by creating a trope that everyone looks forward to. It also helps that the reveal itself is just plain brilliant. In the OG film, it's revealed that the killers are Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), two people you sort-of expect to be Ghostface. That sort-of feeling is very important as both characters do a great job of charming and wooing audiences before the third act, making us ignore all their red flags. Once they reveal themselves, however, we see just how great of a job they've done in masking their ... love for death. 

Lillard's Ghostface is one of the most ruthless in the entire "Scream" franchise, and his performance in the film's final act is legitimately one of the best, proving just how maniacal and deranged a boring life in suburbia can make you. Unlike Billy, who has a pretty genuine motive (Sidney's mom was having an affair with his dad), Stu's along for the ride because, as he says, "Peer pressure, I'm far too sensitive." 

What makes this reveal so great is how it unfolds from a serious act of anger and rage to just two kids in over their heads, bumbling and stumbling themselves to their own deaths. They've drunk from the same Kool-aid and are completely off the deep end. The tone of their reveal would go on to influence the next few reveals and while it created a precedent, it's not the best the franchise has done. 

1996's "Scream" may have set the tone for future Ghostface reveals, but 2011's "Scream IV" perfected the formula by throwing audiences for a loop. Before "legacy sequels" were really a thing, "Scream 4" attempted to be one, forcing Sidney (Neve Campbell) to confront her past and work with a new batch of heroes. The film, the last to be directed by franchise steward Wes Craven, positions Sidney's cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) as the pic's supporting player. Jill appears to be someone who wants nothing to do with her family's legacy, making her the perfect choice as the franchise's lead going forward. 

As the film wraps up, it's revealed that Jill is pretty much responsible for everyone's death and hates Sidney with a passion because of the fame she's received for surviving all these years. Released during the early days of social media clout chasing, Jill becomes Ghostface not to prove a point, but to purely create a scenario where she can come out as the victim. This reveal is pretty shocking considering she has no red flags throughout the film and tries to actively divorce herself from all the chaos. 

As for Charlie (Rory Culkin), his true intentions are cut short and it's perfect. Though he teamed up with Jill as Ghostface, he's swiftly killed by the mastermind, proving that there's really only one Ghostface in charge. In terms of surprises, "Scream 4" knocks it out of the park with its reveal, confirming that Ghostface could literally be your own flesh and blood.