No one could have predicted how muchScreamwould change the horror world back in 1996.
In the mid 1990s, slasher films were as dead as Michael Myers at the end ofHalloween Ends.
It went beyond that subgenre though.
Image via Annamaria Ward
The entire horror genre was struggling to make any impact.
Horror needed a new spin.
Instead, that formula was used for a meta wink at the audience.
Image via Dimension Films
It told us, we know you’re sick of this crap, but watch this!
To top it off,Screamnailed it with its phenomenal ending.
With so many other franchises, you know what’s going to happen going in.
Image Via Dimension Films
Even a non-horror fan could watch the movie and enjoy it for its mystery.
Horror was suddenly hot again.Screamhad single-handedly saved the horror genre.
No other franchise can claim to have done anything close to that.
Image via Paramount Pictures
No film could recapture whatScreamdid, however.
With the immense financial success, a sequel was obvious.
It could have been a disaster.
Image via Paramount Pictures
Producers just wanted to repeat previous success and recapture the amount of dollars made before.
It shouldn’t have been a surprise.
TheScreamuniverse, with its meta storytelling, was perfect for the sequel and franchise treatment.
If the first film was a nod to past horror films, then they almost had to do it.
Not every film was great.Scream 3is considered the worst of the bunchfor multiple reasons.
Also, we had the fun of the reveal itself.
The killer thankfully changed every time, but we had a great trio of characters with amazing chemistry.
Over the years, they had become our friends, but they also grew and changed.
We weren’t watching the same characters in the same story each time.
The franchise saw its biggest challenge last year for the fifth film, simply titledScream.
Itbecame the responsibility of the men known asRadio Silenceto carry the weight of a legendary director and franchise.
The film could have fallen flat on its face.
For example, Curtis spends all ofHalloween Killsin a hospital bed.
There seemed to be no direction.
The New ‘Scream’ Films Aren’t Simply Made For Nostalgia
Screamwasn’t lazy.
Audiences now are harder to just.
It takes a lot to impress those who have so many options for entertainment in front of them.
TheScreamfilms are a window into our pop culture zeitgeist.
They are important in a way no other horror franchise is because of that.
But that window is not one that wishes to stay closed and rooted in the past.
There’s little doubt that there will be aScream 7and probably more after that.
Who are we kidding?
Even Ghostface in space would be interesting to see.
Scream VIis currently playing in theaters.
