An informal review of the first five 'Scream' movies

 

pc: @screammovies / Instagram 

"Scream VI" is in theaters Friday. There's been a variety of killers with different motives, and there's so much history to recount. Here's a recap of the previous five "Scream" movies for all you Ghostface fans. 

For those who haven't watched the films, but are planning on watching it with a Ghostface fan, here's a brief overview of the drama. Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, is the center of it all. Her mother, Maureen Prescott, was raped and brutally murdered. Cotton Weary, played by Leiv Schreiber, was found guilty and put behind bars. Another key character who helps push forward the investigations behind the ongoing murders is Gale Weathers, a reporter played by Courteney Cox, who pretty much has bad blood with Sidney because she wrote a book called "The Woodsboro Murders" about Maureen. She theorized that Cotton, who was jailed because Sidney testified that she saw him leaving her house the night of the murder, is innocent and that Sidney misidentified him. She also mentioned how Maureen slept around, which wasn't false. 

Maureen may be dead...OR IS SHE? No, I'm kidding. She has to be dead because, I mean, her body was found. If there's eventually a future "Scream" where she's alive, that plot just doesn't cut it. See what I did there? Anyways, Maureen may be dead, but her actions serve as a catalyst for all the movies and the murderers' motives. There's also a bit of romance that blossoms between Gale and Dewey Riley, the dorky deputy, who, in my opinion, has the best lines. All the films open up with someone being murdered or attacked after getting a phone call from Ghostface and this is what brings the OG crew together. As the "Scream" series unfolds, audiences will also see how a "Stab" film series is made by Hollywood, which essentially seems to be a critique on the entertainment industry on how they exploit traumatic events, and in this case, Sidney's past. 

1.) "Scream" (1996)

pc: IMDb

Brief overview:

Audiences are first introduced to the characters, half of which do not live. At this point, assuming you've watched "Scream" (2022) and saw the trailer for "Scream VI" (2023), you can identify which characters are the OG crew. Sidney is in high school and is dating her creepy boyfriend, Billy Loomis. The Woodsboro community is on high alert after a Woodsboro High couple is murdered. Sidney is also dealing with trauma from her mother's death, not to mention being known as the Woodsboro High girl with the murdered mother. Gale, as in all the other films, is trying to solve the case.

🌟 = OG

Characters: 

Casey Becker, a classmate of Sidney and Stu Macher's ex-girlfriend

Kenny, the cameraman for Gale Weathers

Steve, Casey's boyfriend 

🌟Billy Loomis, Sidney's boyfriend

🌟Stu Macher, Billy's best friend

🌟 Randy Meeks, horror movie fanatic who has a crush on Sidney

🌟Sidney Prescott, the protagonist and daughter of Maureen Prescott

🌟Neill Prescott, Sidney's father

🌟Dewey Riley, deputy, good friend of Sidney and Tatum's brother

🌟Tatum Riley, Sidney's best friend

🌟Cotton Weary, found guilty of killing Sidney's mother

🌟Gale Weathers, driven reporter who craves to be the first to solve the mysteries 

Murders: 

Casey Becker (opening scene) 

Steve (opening scene)

Principal Himbry 

Kenny

Tatum Riley

Cause of Death:

Casey Becker: stabbed and hung like a witch from a tree outside of her house

Kenny: stabbed outside of van outside of Stu Macher's house

Principal Himbry: stabbed in office

Steve: gutted in backyard of Casey's house 

Tatum Riley: crushed by garage of Stu Macher's house

Killer(s):

Billy Loomis and Stu Macher

Motive:

Maureen Prescott was having an affair with Billy's father, which led to his parents' divorce, and his mother's abandonment. As for Stu, well, he was just dumb enough to go along with it. They also killed Maureen, Sidney's mother.

Killers' cause of death:

Billy Loomis: shot by Sidney

Stu Macher: electrocuted by television to the head

2.) "Scream 2" (1997)

pc: IMDb

Brief overview:

Sidney is in college majoring in theater and is dating a new man named Derek, who aspires to be a doctor. The crew is brought back together again after a couple was murdered in a movie theater during the premiere of "Stab," a film, starring Tori Spelling as Sidney and Luke Wilson as Billy, about the events of the previous "Scream" movie itself. It's crazy, right? A movie within a movie? Gale discovers that they've got a copycat on their hands since the victims' names matched victims of the prior "Scream" film. 

Characters: 

CiCi (Casey) Cooper, a sorority girl

Derek, Sidney's boyfriend majoring in medicine

Hallie, Sidney's best friend who aspires to be a part of the sorority

Joel, Gale's new cameraman

Mickey, Part of Sidney's group of friends

The two sorority sisters, Lois and Murphy

🌟Martha Meeks, sister of Randy

🌟 Randy Meeks, horror movie fanatic who has a crush on Sidney

🌟Sidney Prescott, the protagonist and daughter of Maureen Prescott

🌟Dewey Riley, deputy, good friend of Sidney and Tatum's brother

Debbie Salt, also known as Mrs. Loomis 

🌟Cotton Weary, found guilty of killing Sidney's mother who is now released since Billy and Stu admitted to the murders of Maureen 

🌟Gale Weathers, driven reporter who craves to be the first to solve the mysteries 

Murders:

CiCi Cooper

Derek 

Hallie

Maureen Evans

Phil Stevens 

Randy

Cause of death:

Maureen Evans: stabbed in movie theater

Phil Stevens: stabbed in ear in movie theater restroom

CiCi Cooper: stabbed, pushed off balcony of sorority house

Derek: shot in theater hall of Windsor College

Randy: stabbed in van in broad daylight at Windsor College

Hallie: stabbed in front of Sidney during escape from Ghostface

Killers:

Debbie Salt 

Mickey

Motive: 

Debbie Salt is not who she says she is. She isn't a news reporter, she's Billy Loomis's mother and is avenging her son. She and Mickey teamed up. Mickey wants fame and is crazy enough to blame it on the horror movies. He's just nuts. 

Killers' cause of death:

Debbie Salt: shot by Cotton Weary

Mickey: shot by Debbie and Sidney

3.) "Scream 3" (2000)

pc: IMDb

Brief overview: 

Sidney is now out of college, working as a women's crisis counselor and helping survivors of domestic abuse. She's doing well after leaving Woodsboro and living a reclusive life. She is forced to return to Woodsboro after Cotton Weary and his girlfriend, Christine, are found stabbed to death at their home in Hollywood Hills. This is the first time that the crew hits the City of Angels, where Maureen's past and hidden life unfold. This, ladies and gentlemen, is where it all began. 

Characters: 

Angelina, casted as Sidney in the next "Stab" film

Roman Bridger, director of the next "Stab" film

Christine, Cotton Weary's girlfriend

Sarah Darling, a stereotypical LA Karen actress who stars in the next Stab 

Tyson Fox, casted in the next "Stab" film as Randy

Jennifer, casted as Gale Weathers in the next "Stab" film

Mark Kincaid, detective

John Milton, director 

🌟Martha Meeks, Randy's sister

Stone, Jennifer's bodyguard

Tom, casted in the next Stab film as Dewey

Wallace, Kincaid's partner

Neill Prescott, Sidney's father

🌟Sidney Prescott, the protagonist and daughter of Maureen Prescott

🌟Dewey Riley, deputy, good friend of Sidney and Tatum's brother

🌟Cotton Weary, initially found guilty of killing Maureen Prescott, he is now released since Billy and Stu admitted to the murders.

🌟Gale Weathers, driven reporter who craves to be the first to solve the mysteries 

Murders:

Cotton Weary

Christine

Angelina

Sarah Darling

Tyson 

Jennifer

John Milton

Stone

Tom

Cause of death:

Cotton Weary: (opening scene) stabbed in home in Hollywood Hills

Christine: (opening scene) stabbed 

Angelina: stabbed in John Milton's mansion

Sarah Darling: stabbed, thrown into mirror

Tyson: stabbed, thrown off balcony of John Milton's mansion

Jennifer: stabbed in John Milton's mansion

John Milton: throat sliced in theater room of his own mansion

Stone: stabbed in trailer

Tom: Jennifer's house blew up in flames

Killer(s):

Roman Bridger

Motive: 

It turns out that Sidney has a half-brother, which is Roman! Maureen was an actress and formerly known by her stage name as Rina Reynolds. Roman did some investigating to find out who his real mother is and discover it was Maureen. There's not much said if he was adopted or raised by his father. It is also implied that John Milton could be his father. Roman began stalking her after being rejected when he said that he's her son. She told him that she had a new name and a new life. He was making a film, which included all of her affairs, one of which was Billy's father. He then contacted Billy and Stu to murder Maureen. 

Killer(s') cause of death:

Stabbed and shot by Sidney

3.) "Scream 4" (2011)

pc: IMDb

Brief overview: 

Sidney is doing well, and she's just published a book called "Out of Darkness," which is on the rise. Gale and Dewey are happily married, but Gale is in a writing slump because there's not much to write about in Woodsboro. That is until, there is yet another murder of two Woodsboro High girls. 

Characters: 

Charlie, film geek 

Chloe, killer in "Stab 7"

Marnie Cooper, Woodsboro High girl

Deputy Judy Hicks, works and flirts with Dewey

Deputy Hoss, assigned to patrol neighborhood 

Deputy Perkins, assigned to patrol Neighborhood

Jill, Sidney's cousin

Kate, mother of Jill

Olivia, friend of Jill

🌟Sidney Prescott, the daughter of Maureen Prescott

Rachel, victim in "Stab 7"

Jenny Randall, friend of Marnie

Kirby Reed, Jill's best friend

Rebecca, Sidney's publicist

🌟Dewey Riley, sheriff

Robbie, film geek and friend of Charlie

Sherrie, victim in "Stab 6"

Trevor, Jill's ex-boyfriend 

Trudie, victim in "Stab 6"

🌟Gale Riley, driven reporter who craves to be the first to solve the mysteries 

Murders:

Marnie Cooper

Deputy Hoss

Deputy Perkins

Kate, mother of Jill

Olivia, best friend of Jill and neighbor

Rachel, victim in "Stab 7"

Jenny Randall, friend of Marnie

Rebecca, Sidney's publicist

Robbie, film geek and friend of Charlie

Sherrie, victim in "Stab 6"

Trevor

Trudie, victim in "Stab 6"

Cause of death:

Marnie Cooper: stabbed (opening scene)

Deputy Hoss: stabbed in Woodsboro neighborhood

Deputy Perkins: stabbed  in Woodsboro neighborhood right before saying "F— Bruce Willis" 

Kate: stabbed in back through door

Olivia: stabbed in bedroom and hung out window, across the street from Jill's house

Rachel: stabbed by Chloe

Jenny Randall: stabbed after trying to escape through garage door (opening scene)

Rebecca: stabbed and thrown off stories above the hospital paring garage

Robbie: stabbed 

Sherrie: sliced throat 

Trudie: stabbed

Trevor: shot

Killer(s):

Jill and Charlie

Motive: 

Jill was jealous of Sidney's attention. She craved the fame and wouldn't let anyone stop her from getting it.  She was dating Charlie, who was manipulated by Jill to help her murder Sidney and all of their friends.

Killers' cause of death:

Jill: Electrocuted by defribilator pads and then shot by Sidney

Charlie: stabbed by Jill

3.) "Scream" (2022)

pc: IMDb

Brief overview: 

Ghostface fans are introduced to a new set of characters, who will hold the new lead roles. Tara Carpenter, a Woodsboro High girl, is attacked and nearly killed by someone in a Ghostface costume. Her estranged sister, Sam, returns after hearing about her sister's attack. Why introduce new characters? It turns out that Billy Loomis, one of the two original killers, had a daughter with another Woodsboro High girl. Part of Tara's circle are the niece and nephew of a favorable OG character who sadly didn't make it, Randy Meeks. Gale is no longer known as Gale Riley as she and Dewey separated. 

Characters: 

Amber, friend of Tara 

Sam Carpenter, daughter of Billy Loomis and half-sister of Tara

Tara Carpenter, the first to survive an opening scene in the Scream series

Chad, son of Martha; twin of Mindy; nephew of Randy and friend of Tara

Deputy Farney

Sheriff Judy Hicks, formerly worked under Dewey 

Deputy Vinson

Liv, Chad's girlfriend, ex of Vince

🌟Martha Meeks, sister of Randy

Mindy, daughter of Martha; twin of Chad; niece of Randy and friend of Tara

Richie, Sam's boyfriend

Wes, Sheriff Judy Hicks's son and friend of Tara

Vince, Stu Macher's nephew

🌟Sidney Prescott, daughter of Maureen Prescott 

🌟Dewey Riley, former Woodsboro sheriff

🌟Gale Weathers, driven New York reporter

Murders:

Sheriff Judy Hicks

Liv

Wes

Vince

🌟Dewey Riley

Cause of death:

Sheriff Judy Hicks: stabbed in front of house

Liv: shot in the head at Amber's house

Wes: knife to throat in house

Vince: stabbed outside of bar

🌟Dewey Riley: stabbed brutally in hospital 

Killer(s):

Amber and Richie

Motive: 

After Amber's parents bought Stu Macher's house, she became obsessed with the 'Stab' franchise and Richie joined her.

Killers' cause of death:

Amber: burned by stove and shot by Sidney Prescott

Richie: knife to throat by Sam 

That was a lot to unravel, but there's still more to come. In "Scream VI," the killer(s) is hitting the Big Apple! 

Follow @cait_malilay_writes, for updates on my next article, "Ranking the first five Scream films and my Scream VI theories."