Let’s Be Real, The Best Scream Sequel Is Actually Also Its Most Forgotten Entry

The Scream franchise is remarkably consistent, especially for a horror franchise, though its best sequel is the one that received the least amount of notoriety. When the original Scream was released in 1996, it changed the face of the horror genre and brought slashers back to the forefront while also playing up the meta side of things.

The movie was a huge critical and commercial success, spawning two sequels in the next four years before the series went dormant for over a decade. However, it came roaring back with three more installments, including a Scream 7 that’s on the horizon. Picking the best sequel can depend on who you talk to, though.

Every Scream movie has its merits, yet there are those who prefer the original cast of characters in Scream 2 and Scream 3, while others like the new core introduced in 2022’s Scream. However, the best actual sequel lies somewhere in between.

Scream 4 Is Actually The Franchise’s Best Sequel

It Has Everything You Could Want In A Scream Film

Over a decade after Scream 3 seemingly wrapped up the franchise (with a nonsensical plot twist about Sidney having a long-lost brother), Scream 4 was an attempt to revitalize things. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as Scream 4 is the only entry in the series to not crack $100 million at the box office.

That’s why it took another decade before a fifth installment was released. However, a deeper dive shows that Scream 4 is actually pretty great. For one thing, it gathers the original core trio of Sidney, Gale, and Dewey in interesting fashion, while having them mesh well with new characters. Connecting Sidney to the story through her niece Jill, was great.

The film also played up the meta aspects that worked in the original, while featuring an array of kills that horror fans love. Scream 4 was also a step up from Scream 3 from a critical standpoint, going up to 60% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to 43%. Alas, there are plenty of other reasons why it’s the best sequel.

Scream 4 Was Ahead Of Its Time

The Film Focused On An Obsession With Fame

The big twist in Scream 4 centered around Sidney’s niece Jill being the one behind the murders. Interestingly, this wasn’t about revenge or anything along those lines. Jill simply wanted to be famous. She orchestrated everything to redo what her aunt did and turn into a star because of it.

This was a case of the Scream franchise being ahead of its time. In 2011, social media was still growing, yet the film used it and the obsession with fame as the main point for its antagonist. Over a decade later, people everywhere are using social media platforms like TikTok to try and become celebrities.

Obviously, Jill took it too far in her case, but the theme remains a key, well-done one that makes Scream 4 kind of timeless. It also paved the way for concepts in future entries, like the multiple Ghostface copycat killers in Scream VI.

The Cast Of Scream 4 Is Fantastic

It’s Filled With Future Stars

One of the best things about 1996’s Scream is the now-iconic cast. Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard, and more, are all memorable. The sequels have always had talented actors involved, but Scream 4 is actually kind of a cut above the rest.

On top of the returning cast from the original films, Scream 4 is anchored by the talented Emma Roberts as Jill and Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby, who returned in Scream VI. That’s just the beginning, though, as their classmates include Rory Culkin, Erik Knudsen, and more.

Scream 4 also boasts a slew of impressive performers in smaller roles. Anthony Anderson and Adam Brody have a ridiculous cameo as two police officers, Marley Shelton plays another cop (who shows up in sequels), and Alison Brie shows up as Gale’s publicist. That’s a lot of talent without even mentioning the opening scene.

Scream 4 Has The Best Opening Scene Since The Original

It Takes What The First Film Did & Ups The Ante

The opening scene of 1996’s Scream is iconic and one of the best in cinematic history. The sequels have kept up with creative openings but have never been able to fully capture the magic of that first time. However, Scream 4 found a fun way to deliver the best opening since the 1996 installment.

Playing off the idea of having a recognizable face involved like Drew Barrymore, Scream 4 took things to the next level. The opening featured several notable faces from popular TV shows, all ending up as victims of a killer. The twist was that each scene was from a Stab movie (based on the killing sprees that Sidney survived).

The string of scenes-within-a-scene is great but when you consider the cast involved, it gets even better. Britt Robertson, Lucy Hale, Shenae Grimes, and Aimee Teegarden were all part of it. The true highlight was the Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin scene though, which puts a twist on the killer formula by having Bell stab Paquin for being annoying.

Nobody Talks About Scream 4 Because Of When It Was Released

Scream 4 Came Out At An Unfortunate Time

In a lot of ways, Scream 4 is the forgotten entry in the franchise. Everyone remembers the original and there are fond memories of the second and third installments that partially stem from that. Then there are the new films that came out in 2022 and 2023, which are relevant among current fans. Scream 4 sits right in the middle.

Scream 4 came out in 2011, over a decade after the original trilogy, meaning the hype from it had died down. Then, there were no follow-up entries for another 11 years. That means it’s the only film in the franchise that is kind of on an island, separate from everything else.

On top of Scream 4 being so separated from the rest of the franchise in terms of release dates, it also only featured two characters who have returned in later films. That makes it really something that kind of stands on its own, meaning the greatness of Scream 4 gets overlooked all too often.

Scream 4

7/10

Release Date

April 15, 2011

Runtime

111 minutes