The Ultimate Ranking of the "Scream" Franchise

By: Christopher James

What is the best Scream movie? Who is the best Ghostface? What movie has the best opening? Read to find out!

The Scream franchise isn’t just a top-notch series of slasher films. It’s a chronicle of the changing tropes within the horror genre. Over 26 years, the five Scream films have expertly scared the pants off audiences, while also commenting on sequel, trilogy and reboot culture. The fifth film, confusingly or pointedly just titled Scream, opens this week in theaters. Glenn Dunks already gave us his full review. Like him, I’m also a huge fan of the series and excitedly binged the franchise again this week with friends.

With every new film, I fell more and more in love with the saga of scrupulous reporter Gail Weathers (Courtney Cox), the dopey yet charming Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and the ultimate “final girl” at the center of it all, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). In the background of all the movies is the "Stab" franchise-within-a-franchise, a slasher series that's always about the previous film and continues to mythologize Sidney Prescott and the rest of the Woodsboro gang. All of the films, do a great job introducing new characters, new kills and new tricks for the shifty, gumby-esque Ghostface.

So what’s the ranking of the five Scream movies? SPOILERS ahead for the first four films (we’ll refrain from spoilers for the 2022 film, but if you want to go in super cold, don’t read yet!).

 

5. Scream (2022)

Even the worst of the Scream franchise is a damn fun slasher movie. In the opening scene, Ghostface badgers unsuspecting teen Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) about her taste in “elevated horror.” She prefers movies like The Babadook, It Follows or Hereditary that “say something” rather than the slashers like the “Stab” franchise. This could be fertile ground for exactly what the Scream franchise loves to do - mock and subvert the horror tropes of today. Tara's sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) returns home to find a very suspicious cadre of Woodsboro teens, all wondering who could be ghostface. Our new characters are smarter and more media savvy than the original group of teens from twenty-five years ago. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re more fun. While we eventually bring back the central trio - Sydney, Dewey and Gail - they’re not asked to do much more than remind us of previous chapters. While those may be the rules of a “re-quel,” there’s one cardinal rule that this Scream misses. A Scream movie can’t just follow the beats of new trends in horror, it has to out-do those movies that came before it.

My feelings are more disappointment than distaste. A lot of the mentioned ideas are really interesting and exactly what a 2022 Scream should be like. One of the brightest spots is Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays Randy Meeks’ (Jamie Kennedy) similarly horror-obsessed niece. She acts as a great “too-cool-for-school” Gen-Z aficionado, which blends well with Sam’s wisecracking boyfriend, Richie (Jack Quaid), who is experiencing the “Stab” lore for the first time. It’s not damning that this new movie focuses on the new generation much more than the older stalwarts. Unfortunately, Melissa Barrera doesn’t carry the film enough to justify taking center stage. Sam is neither fun enough to be a “scream queen” or badass enough to be the “final girl crusader.” She’s defined by a dark secret that always manages to be the least interesting thread in a movie aiming to pull off many different tricks.

The movie winds around to an astute critique of toxic fan culture and online communities. The Scream franchise sinks or swims based on how it adapts for the current moment. As we see with Star Wars, Marvel, Ghostbusters and so many other franchises, people can be so protective of their fandoms. In fact, the “Stab” characters are ultimately the main character of this new installment, a smart choice as the Scream franchise is about lore taking on a life of its own. Perhaps the movie will settle elsewhere in the hierarchy in my own mind. Even as the movie critiques fandoms, I have to admit that I had my own high expectations for this fifth chapter. Still, the laughs could have poured out as much as the blood did, but there are many ways this new chapter delivered for the franchise. B-

4. Scream 3 (2000)

The gang goes to Hollywood! Starting in Scream 2, the Ghostface Woodsboro murders resulted in a slasher series called “Stab” that becomes an instant hit. This third chapter directly questions whether these horror movies inspire violence or merely capitalize on it. A new set of murders start happening on the set of the latest “Stab” movie, with all of the actors getting picked off one-by-one. Gail and Dewey get involved with solving the mystery of Ghostface, while Sydney has to be coaxed out of her hermit existence as a crisis counselor. 

There are three types of important characters in any Scream sequel - the central trio, the new players (aka body bags) and Ghostface. Of all the movies, Scream 3 excels at bringing hilarious and engaging new characters to life, mostly due to the zany spoof of Hollywood culture. Parker Posey is easily best in show as Jennifer Jolie, the haughty actress who plays Gail in the Stab films. Unfortunately, in all the jokes, the movie struggles to involve our main characters in the proceedings. I would watch hours of ugly bangs Courtney Cox and Parker Posey solve mysteries. Still, Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott feels like an afterthought, rather than the franchise lead.

The third act of the film goes full Scooby Doo, as the remaining cast members are chased around a mansion with secret passageways. At this point, it has stopped becoming a comment on “trilogies” and just become a theme park ride. Still, it’s hard not to have fun watching Scream 3. This franchise is truly one with no skips. Bonus points for an incredible Carrie Fisher cameo. B+

3. Scream 4 (2011)

Coming back after an 11 year absence is never easy. Leave it to the Scream franchise to know how to return in full force. Like all “reboots” do, the series returns to the scene of the first crime, Woodsboro. Now, Sidney is the author of a best selling self-help book, returning to Woodsboro on a book tour. The shoe is on the other foot for Gail, her marriage is crumbling and she’s got a nasty case of writer’s block. Meanwhile, Dewey has been promoted to town sheriff. None of them were wishing for Ghostface to reappear, but all feel that it’s their duty to unmask the latest killer. 

There’s something comic about the level of desensitization of the new teens. Our new movie nerds - Charlie (Rory Culkin) and Robbie (Erik Knudson) - couldn’t be more excited that their lives have become a Stab movie. Even as bodies drop, this new crew of teens - led by Sidney’s cousin, Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts) - are excited to just be characters. That is, until Ghostface eventually comes for them. It’s a fun throwback to relive the intergenerational tensions between millennial teens looking to up the ante and an older generation looking to put the past to bed. One of the best set pieces in the movie takes place at a Stab marathon, in honor of the fifteenth anniversary of the original Ghostface killings. These characters aren’t honoring the deaths or the survivors, they’re honoring the content that this tragedy brought. 

It all builds to a shocking and satisfying reveal that bridges the fifteen year gap between the generations in the film. Sidney Prescott is the original viral celebrity, famous for nothing more than her trauma. She has what everyone else wants, fame and notoriety for simply surviving and being a bad luck charm for Ghostface terror. In lesser hands, this could be didactic. Under director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson, it’s acid-tongued, bloody fun. A-

2. Scream 2 (1997)

It’s like making a choice between The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. Do you choose the film that laid the perfect foundation or the sequel that took it to new heights. Arriving barely a year after the first was a smash hit, Scream 2 hits theaters and immediately has a biting, well formed take on how the original changed the horror genre forever. Sidney is in college, but can’t escape the events of the first film. That’s not just because her darkest memories have been memorialized in a slasher hit named “Stab.” The Ghostface murders have started again in the wake of the new movie and they are following her around college.

All of the traditional sequel rules are in play. The kills are grander, the twists are bigger and the stakes are higher. The casting department has always been key in the Scream franchise, and Scream 2 is a perfect example. Laurie Metcalf brings a level of gravitas to her role as a Gail Weathers wannabe that’s perfectly calculated for the world. Meanwhile, the young cast includes up and comers like Timothy Olyphant, Jerry O’Connell and Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Geller. The second act drags a little. Still, it gives us a great sequence where Sydney joins the theater troupe and gives an incredible portrayal of Cassandra. This is a pivotal point in Sydney's full arc from a girl running from her fears to facing them down. She knows the future is bleak ahead of her, but she’s also the only key to changing it. This leads us into one of the sharpest, most surprising and incredibly fun third acts of the 1990s. A

1. Scream (1996)

Quite simply, Scream is miraculous. It manages an incredibly tricky balance - satirizing twenty years of horror cliches, while also crafting a genuinely thrilling, scary tale. There’s a reason the events of this original can propel a fourth sequel 26 years later. It's a timeless blend of comedy and horror, while still crafting some of the most indelible characters of the past fifty years. Horror, and cinema, were not the same.

While the town of Woodsboro is rocked by the murder of teen Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore, iconic), Sidney Prescott is bracing for her own nightmare, facing the year anniversary of her mother’s rape and murder. The Ghostface killer of Casey soon turns his attention to Sidney, herself a local legend thanks to newswoman Gail Weathers’ coverage and conspiracy theories around her mother’s death. Neve Campbell’s incredible performance as Sidney serves as the nexus for this sharp, wild film. Every part of her life is at an inflection point. While navigating her own grief over her mother’s death and the spotlight it placed on her, she’s also feeling pressured to sleep with her dreamy boyfriend, Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich). Sidney is living in a drama, while the world around her is in a bloody comedy. No one can save her, especially not her best friend Tatum (Rose McGowan) and her Deputy Sheriff older brother, Dewey. The only person she can rely on is herself in the face of this crusading killer. This isolationist mentality born in this film helps dictate Sidney’s journey through the rest of the franchise.

Again, it can’t be understated how fun the original Scream is. Kevin Williamson’s script is quite smart, particularly in establishing the “rules,” through movie obsessive Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy). Even more than that, it’s exquisitely paced. Every scene adds to the two central mysteries of the film - who is Ghostface and what do they want with Sidney Prescott? There’s not a dead moment or missed beat. It’s a lean, mean, terror machine that never forgets to take time to build character. These aren’t just hot blood bags ready to get stabbed, they’re real teens who often feel like their personal dramas are just as serious as the string of murders going through their town. In retrospect, there’s a sense that these teens realize they are living through something. Thus, they’d rather go to a friend’s house and party rather than sulk at home and wait for the boogeyman to get them. A

Best Opening Scene Deaths

1. Scream (1996)

2. Scream 4 (2011)

3. Scream 2 (1997)

4. Scream 3 (2000)

5. Scream (2022)

Best Ghosface Killer(s)

1. Scream 2 (1997)

2. Scream (1996)

3. Scream 4 (2011)

4. Scream (2022)

5. Scream 3 (2000)

 

Best Supporting Performances (excluding opening scene deaths)

1. Laurie Metcalf as Debbie Salt - Scream 2 (1997)

2. Parker Posey as Jennifer Jolie - Scream 3 (2000)

3. Jamie Kennedy as Randy Meeks - Scream (1996) through Scream 3 (2000)

4. Emma Roberts as Jill Roberts - Scream 4 (2011)

5. Skeet Ulrich as Billy Loomis - Scream (1996)

6. Timothy Olyphant as Mickey Altieri - Scream 2 (1997)

7. Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher - Scream (1996)

8. Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin - Scream (2022)

9. Jenny McCarthy as Sarah Darling - Scream 3 (2000)

10. Liev Schreiber as Cotton Weary - Scream (1996) through Scream 3 (2000)

What are your favorite Scream movies? Have you watched the latest chapter? Please let us know in the comments below.

Comments

[PoliVamp]

I'd rank them 1-2-5-4-3 (Tentatively, need to rewatch 4 still)

I am appalled at the lack of Hayden Panettiere in the Supporting list. I'd probably also add Alison Brie to my list - still, great article and I agree with Jasmin Savoy Brown as the standout new character in 5.

[PoliVamp]

I'd rank them 1-2-5-4-3 (Tentatively, need to rewatch 4 still)

I am appalled at the lack of Hayden Panettiere and Rose McGowan in the Supporting list. I'd probably also add Alison Brie to my rankings - still, great article and I agree with Jasmin Savoy Brown as the standout new character in 5.

[Sad Man]

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5

Favorite supporting characters are obviously Tatum, Jennifer and Kirby.

Best killers:

1. Billy and Stu
2. Mickey and Debbie
3. Roman
4. Jill and Charlie
5. Scream (2022)

The worst all time killer is Charlie.
The best is Debbie.

[ScottC]

Still haven't seen the new one, but I'm always surprised by the relative dislike of Scream 3. Maybe not everyone is into the fun Scooby Doo thing, but I think it's what the series needed at that point - and that one is filled with so many entertaining people in the supporting roles (sure, Parker Posey is always #1, but it's not just her). I'm also often surprised people think 2 is better than 3 or 4 because "ponderous" seems to me more on point than "drags a little". Of course the original is fantastic and pretty much unimpeachable (and has the best killers). Before seeing 5 I'd go 1, 3, 4, (big gap) 2.

[mikenewq09]

Let's be real, people. There are no BAD Scream movies. 3 may have a LOT of issues, but its still a damn entertaining film and does an amazing job with grief/trauma (RE Sidney).

Film Ranking -
3 - issues but Parker Posey, oh Laura, Maureen mystery, 100% Cotton
4 - I personally loved the opening and the third act is one of the best of the series depsite a teleporting Ghostface and rough rules and new supporting characters. The alternate opening is one of the best scenes of the franchise as well.
5 - Loved it. Loved the motive, performances and surprises. There is no fat to this film!
2 - The perfect sequel
1 - A perfect film

(only doing films 1-4 to avoid spoilers)
Fav supporting characters, excluding killers:
Tatum, Kenny, the bathroom girls, Cotton, Hallie, Maureen, Portia/Rebecca, Jennifer J, Angelina, Sherrie/Trudie, Kirby

Killer Ranking:
7. Charlie
6. Roman
5. Stu
4. Mikey
3. Jill
2. Mrs Loomis
1. Billy

Ya'll should check out my Instagram account - @NewqCartoons - I do mostly horror art but there is a LOT of Scream work. Jamie Kennedy even stole one I did of him in 2016 and started selling it on his website. Check them out!

[Dee A.]

I would add Elise Neal to the list of Best Supporting performances, as well as Rose McGowan. My rankings:

Scream 2
Scream (1996)
Scream (2022)
Scream 3
Scream 4

But make no mistake, I LOVE THEM ALL!!!!!!

[Philip H.]

I was really onboard in the first half, loved how the continued the story, introduced the meta element for this era, incorporated music from the original films - I was impressed initially! And even tho the hyper realism was bleak, it makes sense for the times.

I mean, I believed these characters would be fucked up from what they've gone through - but at a certain point, it was just way too bleak. The first four are FUN despite the drama / terror, this one never captured the energy of the original(s).

Where was the fun??? Even the original trio seemed to have lost their personalities.

I was especially lost in the second half. It seemed like they were going in a new direction, but then just delivered the same kind of killers we ALWAYS get. We've seen this exact archetype done before.

I'm a millennial who grew up on the Scream trilogy, I was a HUGE Scream fanboy growing up. I was a senior in high school when the fourth came out, but at a certain point, we can only do the same things over and over before it gets REALLY tired. And how am I supposed to believe these small people are that man in the Ghostface costume? I get it, it's a movie, but...

And where are the parents?? These girls are getting brutally attacked and their mother NEVER shows up and I'm supposed to buy that?

OR take Randy's sister for instance - if I was RANDY MEEKS' sister and this shit started up again, there's no way in hell I'd be letting my kids hang out with the targets of these new attacks! Girl...

[Philip H.]

You can tell when Wes and Kevin Williamson are together... that's where the magic happens.

RANK
5. Scream 5
4. Scream 3
3. Scream 4
2. Scream 2
1. Scream

OPENING SCENE
5. Scream 3
4. Scream 5
3. Scream 4
2. Scream 2
1. Scream

BEST KILLERS
5. Scream 5
4. Scream 3
3. Scream 4
2. Scream 2
1. Scream

SUPPORTING STARS
• Drew Barrymore
• Jada Pinkett
• Rose McGowan
• Laurie Metcalf
• Parker Posey
• Emma Roberts
• Matthew Lillard
• Jasmin Savoy Brown
• Marley Shelton
• Hayden Panettiere

And I wish Sarah Michelle Gellar had more to do in Scream 2! But I know her schedule was extremely rigid w Buffy at the time.

[eurocheese]

Love all the Screams! I get why some will have this as their least favorite, but much as I love the campy 3, it takes last place for me. My ranking: 1, 4, 2, 5, 3. That's how I'd rank the killers, too, though I'm basically ignoring Charlie. (For the movie rankings, 2 and 4 are very close for me.)

Opening Death Scenes: 1, 2, 4, 5, 3

Supporting Performances: (so I'm not counting the trio)
1. Jamie Kennedy
2. Matthew Lillard
3. Emma Roberts
4. Laurie Metcalf
5. Rose McGowan
6. Drew Barrymore
7. Hayden Panettiere
8. Jasmin Savoy Brown
9. Skeet Ulrich
10. Parker Posey

[Robert G]

It's like, I know Scream 3 isn't a great film, but it has that Parker Posey performance in it. Everyone was hoping to see x y or z somehow survived their previous film in the new Scream. I was hoping they brought Parker Posey in to film more Stab scenes to play in the background.

My ranking:
1. Scream (original)
2. Scream 4
3. Scream 2
4. Scream 3
5. Scream (2022)

I don't typically score films, but the worst of the Scream series for me is still a solid B. This is one of the most consistent slasher series. That's especially impressive considering it's meta-horror and legitimate slasher in each entry.

My only issue with Scream (2022) is that I didn't really connect to the new main character, but I like how she interacted with that massive ensemble cast. The whole thing was still a lot of fun and the opening night audience ate it up.

[Keelay!]

Scream is one of my absolute favorite movies (and a huge reason why I got into film at all). I need to see the newest one again, but right now I think my ranking is:

1. Scream (1996)
2. Scream 2
3. Scream (2022)
4. Scream 3
5. Scream 4

The first is a masterpiece and the second is the perfect sequel. While I honestly love the entire series, 4 is the one I have the most issues with (definitely the worst killers AND I unfortunately find Emma Roberts to be super unwatchable in most things — here especially — but I know I’m probably in the minority there).

Great top ten supporting cast (Laurie Metcalf and Parker Posey as the top two feels correct), but I would throw Rose McGowan, Elise Neal, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Hayden Panetierre in there for consideration. I wish SMG had more to do in Scream 2, but man, does she deliver in that scene! If we’re including openers, Drew Barrymore would be near the top and there’s an argument for (blank) from the new film to make the top 10.

[thevoid99]

For me so far,

1. Scream
2. Scream 2
3. Scream 3
4. Scream 4

I haven't seen the new one and I'm not really interested in it as I really hated the fourth film and the reveal in the third act really soured the whole thing for me as that is a shitty way for Wes Craven to go out.

[Philip H.]

Anyone else feel like Drew Barrymore is totally Oscar-nom worthy in Scream?

If the Oscars were actually interesting like that, I mean…