Scream 1: Scream 7 Charges to Franchise-Best $59M Debut as Reviews Divide
Scream 7 opened with a franchise-best $59 million after a $28 million Friday that included previews, a performance driven in part by Neve Campbell’s return and Kevin Williamson taking the director’s chair. The box-office surge arrives as critics publish mixed first reviews and the franchise nears its 30th anniversary, making the film’s early commercial strength a key marker for its immediate cultural impact and weekend hold.
David Ellison and the $59M Opening
David Ellison’s new Scream 7 is headed to a franchise-opening record of $59 million following a $28 million Friday that included previews. Some rival estimates push the weekend well over $60 million, but industry caution centers on the possibility of heavy front-loading typical of recent horror releases. The previous franchise opening record was Scream VI, which debuted domestically at $44. 4 million in 2023; this weekend’s start also positions Scream 7 well ahead of the comparable frame a year ago, which did $54. 4 million per Box Office Mojo.
The financial beat has rippled into markets: PSKY stock traded at $13. 51 and was up roughly 21% at the time of the update tied to studio deal news referenced alongside the picture’s performance.
Neve Campbell and Kevin Williamson
Neve Campbell returns to a lead role in Scream 7, which is co-written and directed by Kevin Williamson, the original film’s scribe. The new installment places a fresh Ghostface killer in the orbit of Campbell’s character and her family, and RelishMix and early commentators credit Campbell’s central presence with strengthened word of mouth. That casting and Williamson’s creative return are widely cited as drivers of fan enthusiasm and the film’s brisk preview sales.
Previews and Franchise Records: $7. 8M and $7. 5M Figures
Preview activity set franchise benchmarks ahead of the weekend: Thursday‑into‑Friday preview tallies reached $7. 8 million in one update, a franchise record. Earlier coverage cited $7. 5 million in previews for the Spyglass co‑production on Thursday, which likewise would represent a franchise preview record. The 2022 Spyglass/Paramount revival Scream previously did $13. 3 million in previews/first Friday, which was 44% of its three‑day total ($30 million) and fell inside a four‑day Martin Luther King weekend that finished at $33. 8 million. Scream VI posted a combined previews/first‑Friday figure of $19. 2 million, representing 43% of its $44. 4 million three‑day opening; that film earlier set a previews record at $5. 7 million and a global debut of $66. 4 million.
Production and studio context is part of the picture: the Spyglass co‑production was initiated under the previous Paramount administration led by Brian Robbins, while the current studio leadership and marketing czar Josh Goldstine inherit the franchise opening record. After becoming the lead bidder for Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount is capping off a great Thursday with $7. 5 million in previews for the Spyglass co‑production Scream 7. Paramount didn't return request for unclear in the provided context.
Scream 1 and the Social Conversation
Pre‑release social metrics tracked by RelishMix put Scream 7’s prerelease universe at about 264. 5 million across TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram — roughly 11% above horror‑franchise norms but 27% behind Scream VI’s 360. 5 million reach. RelishMix highlighted that Campbell’s active social presence, measured at 672, 000 fans, and Courteney Cox’s larger pre‑activation footprint of 20. 7 million, shaped online buzz. The firm described the hype as “nostalgia‑with‑teeth, ” noting fans treating Sidney Prescott like horror royalty and praising the trailer for reaffirming franchise rules. Fan reactions sampled in the coverage included: “So glad Neve Campbell is back. It’s not really a Scream movie if she isn’t in it!, ” “I love how Sidney and Ghostface are becoming the new generation of Laurie and Michael Myers, ” and “This trailer has absolutely sold me… I’m going opening night. ”
Critical Reception as the 30th Anniversary Approaches
Early reviews, collected and posted as critics’ first reactions surfaced, present a divided picture. Christopher Campbell, writing on February 26, 2026, noted that reviews landed with mixed appreciation as the franchise’s 30th anniversary approaches. Kristy Puchko of Mashable called Scream 7 “a return to form, ” praised its departures from weak points in the series and judged it “damn close” to the best of the bunch. Peter Gray at The AU Review found the film sturdier than expected, highlighted an intergenerational mother‑daughter dynamic as emotional grounding, and described the tone as one of the campier entries.
Other critics offered tempered or negative takes: Pete Hammond said Williamson’s direction made it worth the wait; Anthony O’Connor called it far more engaging than most seventh entries; Grant Watson labeled it entertaining but not unmissable; William Bibbiani said viewers skipping Scream 7 would not be missing the franchise’s best and called much of the film an apology to Neve Campbell and Sidney Prescott; Owen Gleiberman described it as a back‑to‑basics sequel that ultimately felt basic; Manuel São Bento called it a disappointing sequel; Gregory Nussen dismissed it as a waste of time for fans; and Taylor Williams argued the film served as an exercise in fundamentals the franchise has lacked. Taken together, the critical chorus helps explain the split between strong early commercial receipts and more cautious long‑term prospects for the weekend and beyond.
What makes this notable is the alignment of creative reunion, measurable social momentum and preview sales translating into a record franchise start — even as critics disagree on whether the film represents meaningful creative resurgence or a familiar retread. The timing matters because the picture’s early box‑office performance will shape momentum as the franchise marks three decades in the cultural conversation.
