This article contains spoilers for Scream VIscream (2022) attempted to take the franchise to the next level by becoming a requel or a sequel, as a soft reboot of the franchise. In just over a year, the franchise continues to branch out into new territory, looking for ways to keep the slasher genre active while Ghostface goes on a rampage. Here we discuss points for how Scream VI (2023) continued to make the franchise one of the most exciting entries in horror – with aspects such as what made the film different from its predecessors, as well as the nods to previous entries.
All new setting
The Ghostface murders happened in several locations. The first took place in Woodsboro scream (1996) and again in Scream 4 (2011). In between those events there were also killing spree in Ohio Scream 2 (1997) and Hollywood in Scream 3 (2000). The events of the requel would bring the horror back to Woodsboro again scream (2022).
Now the series ventures into New York City for the first time. As Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) move to the city that never sleeps, they are shocked to discover that Ghostface’s legacy continues to haunt them. This time, Ghostface is more prone to violence, and doesn’t even care if some of the bodega customers witness his attack. With much more ground to cover, this setting also features unique scenes that were impossible in previous entries, such as the subway scene where Ghostface’s movements were obscured by the moments of darkness during the journey.
Increase the violence
Over the course of the franchise, Ghostface has been known for its levels of personal violence. From the very first kill, where he chased Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) and hung her from a tree to display when her parents got home, most of Ghostface’s kills followed a certain modus operandi. Usually he stalks his victims and taunts them over the phone with a voice changer, but this time Ghostface seems to be much more aggressive in his hunt.
At the beginning of the film, it is revealed that Ghostface went to great lengths to kill a person and leave the dismembered remains in a refrigerator for his next victim to discover. As mentioned earlier, there’s a scene in a bodega where Ghostface seems to drop all sense of stealth and enters the store, chasing Sam and Tara despite the multiple witnesses in the store. There had always been high intensity when it came to the kills in the franchise, but most of them were done in a one-on-one scenario, where there was a low risk of getting caught. In this film, the killer(s) seem to care less about witnessing and take extra pleasure in causing as much pain as possible.
Empowering the heroes
Something the franchise doesn’t shy away from is empowering the franchise’s heroes. In the first film, Dewey Riley (David Arquette) had no authority despite being a police officer and would often brutally attacked and overpowered throughout the franchise. Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) is said to be an obnoxious news reporter who served as a red herring for the killer’s identity. And Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), though ultimately the final girl of the franchise, would take time to mature into the ultimate badass we see in Scream (2022).
In Scream VI, Gale has completely grown into herself, has begun a new relationship and is preparing for the day the killer would go after her, owns a firearm and is well-practiced in using it. Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) takes on the role of legal authority when she reveals she is an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). After surviving the events of Scream 4, Kirby proves that the traumatic events in Woodsboro pushed her to take control of her life and help others. Sam & Tara are the franchise’s new final girls, and they’re both empowered in exciting ways. Sam is constantly haunted by the fear she could be more like her father, original Ghostface, Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) than she’d like to admit. Tara works to be better than the victims before her, and she doesn’t want to let the rest of her life be affected by an event that unfolded over three days. Sam would find her power over Ghostface by giving in to her darkest desires and stalking the killer in a reverse game of cat and mouse. Tara finally finds her strength when Sam trusts that Tara will take care of herself, and for a moment we see that Tara may have more in common with Sam than originally thought.
Recognize the past
After scream (2022), it had been determined that the rules of a requel involve recognizing the past events and including legacy characters who may also die. In the film, it was agreed that Sidney deserved her happy ending and didn’t have to participate, but that didn’t stop Gale and Kirby from participating. More than that, however, is the theme the Ghostface killer(s) follow as they flee their latest crime scene. When committing their fatal act, the killer leaves behind a mask. After the mask goes through DNA processing, it is revealed that the masks previously belonged to previous Ghostface killers. Before this film, nine individuals were recognized as Ghostface killers, leading to quite a legacy to live up to.
Killers with a twist
With the exception of Scream 3, in each film, two people have teamed up as Ghostface. In the opening moments of Scream VI, viewers witness the murder of Laura Crane (Samara Weaving) by Ghostface, then the killer is immediately revealed to be one of her students, Jason Carvey (Tony Revolori). Jason would be brutally murdered soon after, proving that all is not as it seems to the public. Many red herrings are laid throughout the movie regarding the identity of the killer or killers, but it is eventually revealed that for the first time in franchise history, Ghostface is actually three people working together to take the others down. Working together, the audience would be tricked into believing that each character had an alibi, whether they were there to watch Ghostface attack their friends or whether they were “killed” themselves.