What's in this guide
Ghostface’s biggest box office outing yet is now streaming. Here’s the plot, cast, and where to watch Scream 7, plus how it actually turned out critically versus with audiences.
Scream 7 Release Date
Scream 7 opened in theaters on February 27, 2026, and began streaming on Paramount+ on May 28, 2026, joining all six previous films in the franchise on the platform.
What’s the Plot?
The story returns focus to Sidney Prescott, now living a quiet life with her family years after the events of the original films. When a new Ghostface killer emerges in her town, Sidney’s worst fears are realized: her daughter has become the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney is forced to face the horrors of her past one more time to end the bloodshed for good.
Cast
- Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott
- Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers
- David Arquette, returning as Dewey Riley
- Isabel May as Sidney’s daughter, Tatum
- Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown, returning from the previous two films
- Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley, reprising their roles as past Ghostface killers
Kevin Williamson, the original screenwriter of the 1996 film, directs for the first time in the franchise, working from a script he co-wrote with Guy Busick.
Box Office vs. Critical Reception
Scream 7 became the highest-grossing film in franchise history, pulling in a franchise-best $64.1 million domestic opening weekend and crossing $213 million worldwide against a $45 million budget. Critics were far less kind, giving it a 31% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest of any Scream film. Audiences landed in the middle, with a 74% Popcornmeter score, notably softer than Scream VI’s 90%, but still well ahead of the critics’ take.
Scream 7 pulled in a franchise-best $64.1 million domestic opening, making it the highest-grossing film in the series’ 30-year history.
Where to Watch Scream 7
Want to watch Scream 7 full movie on Paramount+? It’s streaming there right now, included with a standard subscription alongside all six previous Scream films and behind-the-scenes extras from The Scream Collection.
Should You Watch It?
If you’re a longtime fan invested in Sidney’s story, this is worth watching for Neve Campbell’s return alone, even with a more divisive critical reception than the last two films. Just go in with tempered expectations if you loved the direction Scream (2022) and Scream VI took the franchise.
Scream 7 FAQ
Where can I watch it?
The film is streaming on Paramount+ now, included with a standard subscription alongside all six previous films in the franchise.
Is Scream 7 the last Scream movie?
Nothing has been confirmed. Despite closing out Sidney Prescott’s arc in a fairly final-feeling way, neither Paramount nor Kevin Williamson has announced it as the end of the series.
Do I need to watch the earlier Scream films?
The first film is close to essential, since Scream 7 deliberately returns focus to Sidney and leans on three decades of history. The 2022 and 2023 entries matter less to this particular story.
Why did Scream 7 get poor reviews?
Critics gave it 31% on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest of any Scream film, while audiences landed at 74%. That split suggests it worked better for invested fans than for reviewers judging it as a film on its own terms.
Was it a box office success?
Comfortably. A franchise-best $64.1 million domestic opening and roughly $213 million worldwide against a $45 million budget made it the highest-grossing entry in the series.
Scream 7 is not the only horror release worth tracking this year. Our guides to Insidious: Out of the Further and Clayface cover the rest.
How long is Scream 7 and what is it rated?
It is rated R for strong bloody violence, in keeping with the rest of the series. Kevin Williamson has been open about wanting the kills to feel closer to the 1996 original than the more stylised recent entries.
Is Scream 7 scary or more of a whodunnit?
Both, as usual for the franchise. The sequel leans harder on the mystery structure than the last two films, with the returning legacy cast doubling as suspects, and it dials the meta commentary down noticeably.
