It appears as though the Scream franchise is, in some ways, as strong as it’s ever been. While it’s hard to argue that any sequel could ever match the heights of Wes Craven’s original 1996 hit, which helped revive the slasher genre in the mid-’90s when it was all but dead, we have every indication that Scream VI is going to be a big ol’ hit. How much of a hit? One that is poised to deliver the best opening weekend at the box office ever for this legendary series. That much of a hit.
As per Deadline, Scream VI is currently tracking for a $37 million debut when it arrives in North American theaters next month. For historical context, the previous record for a Ghostface feature was set in 2000 when Scream 3 debuted to $34.7 million. Granted, this doesn’t take inflation into account, but even still, it’s truly impressive that nearly 30 years after the fact, this series is about to put meat in seats in record numbers. To date, the films have earned $742.1 million collectively. It’s also worth noting that box office tracking has become a bit less reliable in the post-pandemic era and, if word of mouth is good, we could easily see that number climb past $40 million. Horror is alive and well, people.
Plot details largely remain under wraps for the sixth entry, but it will be moving the action to New York City, which was very much evident in the film’s trailer. The brief logline from Paramount Pictures states, “Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter.” Also, for what it’s worth, 2022’s Scream opened to $30 million and ultimately legged it out to $138.8 million globally, all against a $24 million budget. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet have returned to the director’s chair for the latest installment, with James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick returning to pen the screenplay. Paramount opted to largely keep the band together, utilizing the old “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adage.
Returning/surviving cast members include Melissa Barrera (Sam Carpenter), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Mindy Meeks-Martin), Mason Gooding (Chad Meeks-Martin), Jenna Ortega (Tara Carpenter), Hayden Panettiere (Kirby Reed) and Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers). Newcomers include Jack Champion (Avatar: The Way of Water), Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible), Liana Liberato (The Beach House), Dermot Mulroney (Umma), Devyn Nekoda (Utopia Falls), Tony Revolori (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Josh Segarra (Arrow) and Samara Weaving (Ready or Not).
Scream VI is set to hit theaters on March 10.
