Scream 7 Receives Lowest Reviews in Franchise History

The latest installment in the Scream franchise, Scream 7, has debuted to the lowest critical reception in the series’ 30-year history. Review aggregation sites Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic both indicate the film is receiving the poorest scores of all seven films.

Critical Reception

As of February 27, 2026, Scream 7 holds a 37% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 83 reviews. The Metacritic score is 39, based on 28 critic reviews, classifying the film as “Generally Unfavorable.”

Critics have noted the film feels rushed, and shallow. Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave the film a 1.5/4 rating, stating it feels visually atrocious and is cut together with halting rhythms. Jonathan Romney of the Financial Times noted the film retreads familiar ground. Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting acknowledged the performances of Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, but described the film as a “corporate rush job” lacking identity.

Despite the largely negative reviews, EJ Moreno of Flickering Myth maintains that there has never been a bad Scream movie, even with this seventh entry.

Plot and Cast

Scream 7 centers on Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) as she faces a new Ghostface killer in the town where she has built a new life. Her daughter, played by Isabel May, becomes the next target. The film features returning cast members Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin, and Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin. New additions to the cast include Anna Camp, Joel McHale, Mckenna Grace, Michelle Randolph, and others.

Production Challenges

The production of Scream 7 faced significant challenges, including the departure of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, as well as the directing duo Radio Silence. Director Christopher Landon also left the project following these events.

Box Office and Audience Reception

Scream 7 is currently playing in theaters. Although critical reception has been poor, it remains to be seen whether audience scores will diverge from the consensus. The film runs for 1 hour and 54 minutes and is rated R.