The beginning of the year is all about award season, black tie and hard-hitting films that stand actors in good stead for an Oscar nomination. But as horror isn’t a regular contestant for awards (although, shout out Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys in Weapons), the genre fanatics have had their minds stuck on the upcoming return of Ghostface, if legacy character Stu Macher (played by Matthew Lillard) could be alive and whether or not they will even watch the movie.
Scream 7, set to be released on February 27 2026, marks 30 years of Sidney Prescott being targeted by several killers, all hiding behind the iconic Ghostface mask. The first official trailer was released in October 2025 and was followed by the legacy trailer in January 2026. It has been three years since the last instalment in the series, but there has been a lot of mask switching behind the scenes since then, so here’s what we know so far.
After original director and horror royalty Wes Craven’s passing in 2015, fans were unsure what to expect when it was announced that another trilogy was in the works. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (who together make part of Radio Silence Productions) took over for the fifth and sixth instalments, which were both well received by fans, but they hung up their caps after number six, now remaining only as Executive Producers on Scream 7.
Originally intended to be the third part of the ‘Core Four’ storyline set up in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), the script for the upcoming sequel had to be cut down to its bare bones after off-screen decisions saw the departure of leads Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. Barrera who played the role of Sam Carpenter was dismissed from the project in November 2023 by production company Spyglass after posting on Instagram in support of Palestine in the Israel-Hamas war. Ortega who played Tara Carpenter left the franchise 24 hours later and has since revealed it was due to the lack of Barrera, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillet.
Director of Happy Death Day and Freaky Christopher Landon was set to direct the next instalment but after controversy slashed through the franchise, Landon stepped down and took to X and said: “It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on. I have nothing more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created was something amazing and I was honoured to have even the briefest moment basking in the glow.”
A few months later it was announced that original writer and creator Kevin Williamson would not only be returning to help Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt pen the film, but also direct it, marking his first time at the helm.
To add to the return of OG Screamers, the spotlight is once again on Sidney Prescott (Hello, Sidney) after actress Neve Campbell’s notable absence from the last film following a payment dispute. Although now married and going by Sidney Evans, die-hard fans are still excited for Sid’s homecoming to Woodsboro, while others feel that it is not enough to make up for Barerra’s departure from the franchise.
This movie will follow Sidney and her daughter Tatum Evans, played by actress Isabel May. The name Tatum of course throws us back to the first Scream movie which featured character Tatum Riley – Sidney’s best friend and Dewey’s younger sister who was brutally killed in Macher’s house. While Riley didn’t get her wish of being in the sequel, her name lives on.
Original actor Roger L. Jackson will again lend his voice to Ghostface and the beloved Courteney Cox will return as Gale Weathers. Cox delivers a classic true-to-style one liner in the first trailer, coming in strong with “Let’s unmask this f**ker.”
The trailer’s opening shot lures us back to 1996 with Stu Macher’s house, which has now been turned into a psycho killer themed B&B. There’s an eerie animatronic Ghostface (a thrill seeker’s dream merch) and a brutal first kill – a clever move by Williamson to gain the trust of both old and new fans.
Wild theories have been circling since the release of the first trailer, with none raising more hairs than the surprise audio of Matthew Lillard’s unmistakable voice saying “This is gonna be fun.” The Macher actor’s voice has left fans split on whether the original killer might have survived a telly to the face, possibly since been residing in the Fallbrook Psychiatric Hospital shown in the recent legacy trailer. Some call that unrealistic, however, he did always have a thing for you, Sid…
The Scream films have always been a time capsule for the year they were made, specifically adhering to the pop culture of the time. To comment on 2026, it wouldn’t be a suspension of belief for the killer to be using AI to bring back the voices of past masked villains.
The trailer closes with an epic shot of Ghostface in the Macher house with a match, saying “I’m gonna burn it all down.” Going through with his word we see him exiting the burning building with his infamous cloak trailing behind him.
With fans disappointed in the incomplete Carpenter trilogy, it’s interesting that out of the four main characters, two are remaining in the series for number seven. Both Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding will be returning as the Meeks-Martin siblings despite the controversy, leaving fans unsure as to how the Carpenter departure will be addressed. Although it would not be outside of Scream’s realm of meta possibility for Barrera to return.. possibly even behind the mask?!
All in all, the fans who plan to watch the upcoming movie can expect a nostalgic next instalment of the horror franchise with director Williamson and some very familiar faces. For the fans who are boycotting the movie, their Scream journey ended with Scream VI and its three killers, but they can look out for new thriller Black Tides starring Barrera and John Travolta battling orcas.
The cult classic will proceed this month with a new chapter for Sidney and the question of whether Ghostface really will burn it all down to end 30 years of masks, and if he’ll bring the whole franchise with him?
Whatever twists Scream 7 may hold, if Stu really is back, his mom and dad are gonna be so mad at him.
Featured image of Scream 7 poster, credit: Finley Adams
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