Scream VI (2023)

The Scream franchise continued in 2023 with Scream VI, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Taking Ghostface to New York City, this installment pushes the survivors of the Woodsboro killings into new territory, raising the stakes with fresh blood, familiar faces, and a finale full of twists.

Detailed Summary

Ghostface in New York

The film opens with the traditional Scream cold kill. This time, film professor Laura Crane (Samara Weaving) is lured into an alley and brutally killed by Ghostface. But in a twist, the killer unmasks immediately after—revealing himself as Jason, a college student. Just as Jason plans his next move with his roommate, a second Ghostface appears and murders him, setting up the idea that multiple killers are once again at play.

Survivors in the Big City

Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and her younger sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) have moved to New York with fellow survivors Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin. Sam struggles with the public believing conspiracy theories that paint her as the mastermind behind the previous Woodsboro murders. Tara, however, wants to live a normal college life and resents Sam’s overprotectiveness.

The Attacks Begin

Ghostface strikes again, killing characters tied to the new friend group and taunting Sam with her connection to her father, Billy Loomis. The killings push the survivors to turn to Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), now an FBI agent, for help. The film mixes intense chases through New York apartments, subway scenes, and brutal stabbings, leaning into the urban setting.

Unmasking the Killers

The investigation leads to a climax at an abandoned movie theater filled with Ghostface memorabilia. Here, the killers are revealed: Detective Wayne Bailey, his daughter Quinn, and his son Ethan. They are the family of Richie Kirsch (the killer from Scream V) and want revenge against Sam for killing him. This revelation explains why the Ghostface killings began again, turning the third act into a violent showdown.

Movie Ending

The final confrontation takes place in the shrine-like theater. Quinn and Ethan assist their father Wayne in cornering Sam, Tara, Chad, and Mindy. Chad bravely fights back but is stabbed multiple times (though he later survives, subverting expectations).

Tara proves her strength when she fights Ethan and kills him by stabbing him in the mouth after saying, “Now die, you son of a bitch.” Quinn is taken out during a struggle when Sam and Tara double-team her. Finally, Sam dons her father Billy Loomis’s Ghostface costume from the shrine and brutally kills Wayne, embracing her dark lineage but also proving she can control it.

In the aftermath, Sam contemplates keeping the Ghostface mask as a symbol of her complicated heritage but drops it on the ground, symbolically rejecting her father’s legacy. The survivors regroup, battered but alive, as the cycle of Ghostface killings seems—temporarily—ended.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

Yes, there is a post-credits scene, but it is played for laughs. Mindy pops up on screen and jokingly says, “Not every movie needs a post-credits scene,” before the screen cuts to black. It’s a meta gag rather than a tease for the next installment.

Type of Movie

Scream VI is a slasher horror film with elements of mystery, black comedy, and meta-commentary. Like its predecessors, it both celebrates and critiques horror tropes while delivering inventive kills.

Cast

• Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter
• Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter
• Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin
• Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin
• Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers
• Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed
• Dermot Mulroney as Detective Wayne Bailey
• Jack Champion as Ethan Landry
• Liana Liberato as Quinn Bailey
• Devyn Nekoda as Anika Kayoko
• Samara Weaving as Laura Crane

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by Brian Tyler, with additional work from Sven Faulconer. The soundtrack blends suspenseful orchestration with high-energy beats fitting the urban New York setting, while still nodding to Marco Beltrami’s iconic themes from earlier films.

Filming Locations

Although set in New York City, the majority of filming took place in Montreal, Canada. The city doubled for New York’s streets and subways, allowing for large-scale set pieces like the subway attack scene and the Ghostface shrine. The use of Montreal was crucial for budgetary reasons while still delivering the authentic “city feel.”

Awards and Nominations

While Scream VI did not land major awards, it was well-received for revitalizing the franchise. It earned nominations at horror-focused ceremonies like the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, particularly for Best Wide-Release Film and Best Actress (Jenna Ortega).

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Jenna Ortega filmed Wednesday and Scream VI back-to-back, balancing two demanding roles.
• Hayden Panettiere personally requested to return as Kirby, reviving her fan-favorite character from Scream 4.
• The subway sequence was inspired by Lucio Fulci-style horror lighting, with eerie red and green tints.
• Directors Matt and Tyler used practical effects whenever possible, ensuring Ghostface kills looked realistic and gritty.

Inspirations and References

The movie continues Wes Craven’s tradition of meta-commentary on horror, referencing films like Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (since Ghostface takes Manhattan here). It also critiques “true crime obsession” and toxic fandom, reflecting real-world internet culture.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Reportedly, early drafts considered revealing only Quinn and Ethan as killers, with Wayne’s involvement hidden until the final scene. Another trimmed sequence featured extended banter between Gale and Kirby.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Unlike some horror franchises, Scream VI is not based on a novel. However, there are novelizations of earlier Scream films, and the comic-like meta storytelling echoes slasher pulp traditions.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• The opening kill with Samara Weaving and the twist reveal of Ghostface.
• The ladder escape scene, where Anika tragically falls to her death.
• The subway Halloween sequence with multiple Ghostfaces lurking.
• Sam wearing Billy Loomis’s Ghostface costume in the finale.

Iconic Quotes

• Mindy: “Welcome to act three, bitches.”
• Sam: “Now it’s your turn to die, you piece of shit.”
• Tara: “You have to let me go.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The Ghostface shrine contains costumes and weapons from every prior killer in the franchise.
• Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) returns as a hallucination guiding Sam, tying back to Scream V.
• A poster for Stab 7 in the background nods to the in-universe slasher movies.
• The film plays with the “franchise rules” concept, directly referencing how horror franchises evolve.

Trivia

• This is the first Scream without Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, due to pay disputes.
• It became the highest-grossing Scream film worldwide.
• Ghostface’s brutality was intentionally increased, making him more violent and physical than ever.

Why Watch?

Because it’s the Scream formula perfected for a new generation—bloody, clever, and self-aware. It blends nostalgia for longtime fans with brutal modern horror thrills.

Director’s Other Movies

• Ready or Not (2019)
• Scream (2022)
• Devil’s Due (2014)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Halloween Kills (2021)
• Ready or Not (2019)
• Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
• Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)