gamzer.team · October 20, 2026
The Scream franchise has seven films, from Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher to Scream 7, which came out in cinemas in 2026. There is also a TV series, which we cover at the end. Below are all the films in release order, with the year, director and a short spoiler-free summary. Facts are taken from Wikipedia pages checked on October 17, 2026.
Good news: there is no confusion with the chronology here. Each film continues the previous one, so the release order matches the plot order. The only trap is in the titles: the 2022 film is simply called “Scream,” just like the first one, so look for it by year.
| № | Film | Year | Director | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scream | 1996 | Wes Craven | 111 min |
| 2 | Scream 2 | 1997 | Wes Craven | 120 min |
| 3 | Scream 3 | 2000 | Wes Craven | 117 min |
| 4 | Scream 4 | 2011 | Wes Craven | 111 min |
| 5 | Scream (2022) | 2022 | Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett | 114 min |
| 6 | Scream VI | 2023 | Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett | 122 min |
| 7 | Scream 7 | 2026 | Kevin Williamson | 114 min |
Scream
Official trailer · “Scream” (1996)A slasher that jokes about the clichés of its own genre. In the fictional town of Woodsboro, California, high school student Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends become the targets of a killer in a Ghostface costume on the anniversary of her mother’s murder. The screenplay was written by Kevin Williamson, and the film was originally developed under the title “Scary Movie.” It was released in the US on December 20, 1996. According to Wikipedia, the film combined the slasher with a whodunit mystery, popularized a self-aware approach to the genre, and became one of the most influential horror films of the 1990s.
Scream 2
The sequel came out less than a year later, on December 12, 1997. Sidney and the others who survived Woodsboro are now studying at Windsor College in Ohio, where a copycat killer in a Ghostface mask hunts them. According to Wikipedia, the film combines slasher violence with comedy and mystery, while at the same time mocking the clichés of movie sequels.
Scream 3
This time the screenplay was written by Ehren Kruger: Williamson did not have time to prepare a full version because of other projects. After the first two films, Sidney has voluntarily cut herself off from the world, but she is drawn into new events when a masked killer starts hunting the cast of the film “Stab 3” in Hollywood. Wikipedia notes that this installment has more comedy and less violence and horror, and that it mocks the clichés of film trilogies.
Scream 4
Official trailer · “Scream 4” (2011)The series was originally meant to be a trilogy, but a fourth film came out in 2011. The story takes place on the fifteenth anniversary of the Woodsboro murders: Sidney returns to the town after ten years away, and Ghostface attacks students at the local high school again. The film mocks the clichés of remakes and comments on social media and internet fame. It is Wes Craven’s last directing job.
Scream (2022)
Official trailer · “Scream” (2022)The fifth film has the same title as the first. The screenplay was written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. It is the first film in the series not made by Wes Craven, who died in 2015, and it is dedicated to the director’s memory. It is also the first to be released in cinemas by the Paramount studio. Twenty-five years after the first murders, Ghostface attacks a high school student in Woodsboro, and her older sister returns to the town. In the US the film was released on January 14, 2022.
Scream VI
Official trailer · “Scream VI” (2023)The action moves from Woodsboro to New York: a new killer in a Ghostface mask hunts those who survived the Woodsboro murders. The film was shot in Montreal and was released in US cinemas on March 10, 2023. It is the only installment of the series without Neve Campbell.
Scream 7
Official trailer · “Scream 7” (2026)As of October 17, 2026, this is the latest installment. The director is Kevin Williamson, the screenwriter of the series’ first films; this time he wrote the screenplay together with Guy Busick. Neve Campbell returns as Sidney, who has built a quiet life in Indiana, but her teenage daughter becomes the target of a new Ghostface. The premiere took place on February 25, 2026 at the Paramount studio lot, and the film was released in US cinemas on February 27. It appeared for digital viewing on March 31, and was released on disc on June 16, 2026.
Officially, a new film has not been announced with a release date (as of October 17, 2026).
The Scream TV series: a separate story
Official trailer · “Scream”, TV series (2015)Besides the films, there is the anthology TV series Scream (the first two seasons were officially titled Scream: The TV Series, and the third was called Scream: Resurrection). According to Wikipedia, it follows new characters in a new setting and is not canon for the films, so it can be watched separately. The first two seasons, set in the fictional town of Lakewood, aired on MTV, and the third, relaunched with a new cast and setting, aired on VH1. There is no Ukrainian-language page on Wikipedia, so we keep the original title.
| Season | Year | Channel | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015 | MTV | 10 |
| 2 | 2016 | MTV | 14 |
| 3 (Resurrection) | 2019 | VH1 | 6 |
Where to start
The simplest approach is to watch the films in release order: that is how the story of Sidney Prescott and the town of Woodsboro unfolds. There is also an interesting pattern: according to Wikipedia, the second film mocks sequel clichés, the third mocks trilogies, and the fourth mocks remakes.
Tip. The 2022 film and Scream VI have a new cast of characters, but they are sequels, not standalone stories. Wikipedia calls the fifth film a sequel to Scream 4, and the sixth a sequel to the fifth, so it’s best not to skip them.
For another classic slasher series, read our article on Halloween and Michael Myers, and see our selection of gentler scary films in the article on horror movies for people who are scared of horror.
Frequently asked questions
In what order should I watch Scream?
By release year: 1996, 1997, 2000, 2011, 2022, 2023, 2026. The plot unfolds in the same order, so there is no separate “chronological” list.
How many Scream films are there?
Seven: from Scream (1996) to Scream 7 (2026). The last of them, Scream 7, was released in the US on February 27, 2026.
Should I watch the TV series?
No. It is not canon for the films, and its characters and setting are different. You can watch it separately or skip it.
Can I start with the new films?
You can, but they continue earlier stories: Wikipedia calls the 2022 film a sequel to Scream 4. To recognize the characters who return, it’s better to start with the first film.
Are these films suitable for children?
These are slashers, meaning films about killers in masks. We do not list age ratings, because they vary by country, so check the rating on your service.
Sources
- Scream (franchise, Wikipedia)
- Scream, 1996 (Wikipedia)
- Scream, 2022 (Wikipedia)
- Scream 7 (Wikipedia)
- Scream, TV series (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on October 17, 2026.
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