Scream 7 Reviews Split as Early Scores Put Franchise on the Brink

scream 7 opens this weekend as the franchise approaches its 30th anniversary, and early reviews are sharply divided — many praise Neve Campbell’s return while others call the film overfamiliar and disappointing.

Scream 7 heads to theaters this weekend

The new installment, co-written and directed by Kevin Williamson, arrives with Campbell back as Sidney Prescott and a plot that centers on a new Ghostface killer terrorizing her family. The film’s release comes with the franchise’s 30th anniversary approaching and critic review embargoes lifted early Thursday morning.

Mixed reactions: Campbell and fresh kills draw praise

Some reviewers felt the sequel is a comeback. Kristy Puchko of Mashable wrote, “The Scream franchise just got fun again… Scream 7 is a return to form, ” and added that “This sequel makes terrific departures from the franchise’s weakest points” and that “Scream 7 may not be the best of the bunch, but it’s damn close. ” Peter Gray at The AU Review called it “sturdier than expected… enough to justify its existence, ” praised the film’s “intergenerational dynamic” and wrote that “The mother-daughter relationship provides emotional grounding amid the bloodshed, ” also noting it is “one of the campier entries in the franchise. ” Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood Daily wrote, “It may have taken 30 years for Williamson to finally get to steer his own ship, but with Scream 7, it proves well worth the wait. Fans will approve. ” Anthony O’Connor of FILMINK called it “far more engaging than any seventh film in a horror franchise has any right to be… a solid entry. ” Grant Watson of Fiction Machine judged it “an entertaining movie, but it isn’t unmissable. ”

Rotten Tomatoes low score and sharp criticism

Other critics were far less forgiving. The film currently sits at 42 percent positive across 50 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the lowest-rated entry in the series so far; it sits just below 2000’s Scream 3, which has 45 percent. The Hollywood Reporter’s take called the movie “one of the more negative takes, ” writing, “The overfamiliarity would be more palatable if the dialogue were as fresh and funny as it was in the early installments, or if the kills were more creatively staged. But there’s a rote quality to the proceedings that makes Scream 7 feel like a slog despite its high body count and copious gore. ” The Daily Beast wrote that it is “The worst Scream movie yet… Sluggish, unscary, and plagiaristic in not-ingenious ways, ” adding that “Williamson has no tricks up his sleeve” and noting visual clichés such as “three separate shots in which autumn leaves blow across lawns” and repeated garage showdowns. A SlashFilm critique included in the sampling ends abruptly in the provided context and is truncated in the source materials; what is present calls the movie “emblematic of a film that suffers from self-inflicted wounds at practically every turn. ”

Sidney, Tatum and the film’s generational thread

Discussion of Sidney Prescott’s role and the film’s younger leads factored heavily into reviews. William Bibbiani of TheWrap wrote, “It’s one heck of an apology to Neve Campbell. Almost every scene is about how important Sidney Prescott is, ” and elsewhere in the sampling TheWrap argued that the film frames Sidney’s daughter, Tatum (Isabel May), in relation to Campbell’s legacy, noting questions about why Sidney didn’t appear in New York in Scream VI to confront the killers. Peter Gray’s praise for the mother-daughter relationship ties directly to that intergenerational focus, which several reviewers flagged as one of the film’s stronger elements.

Box office outlook and what’s next

Despite the split critical reaction, the film is expected to be largely review-proof at the box office: it is projected to open around $60 million globally, which would be the second-best start in the franchise. Critics and fans will continue to add reviews in the days after the embargo lifted early Thursday, and the Rotten Tomatoes average could change as more critics post their takes. Scream 7 is scheduled to open in theaters this weekend; box office tallies and additional reviews are the immediate items to watch next.