Scream 7 Crashes to Franchise-Low Rotten Tomatoes Score

Scream 7 hits U.S. theaters this weekend, and the early word is... rough. The review embargo just lifted, the Rotten Tomatoes score is in, and it is the lowest the franchise has ever pulled.

The score, in context

As of now, Scream 7 sits at 43% on the Tomatometer from 40 reviews. That puts it at the bottom of the stack, nudging past Scream 3 for the series low. For perspective:

• Scream (1996): 78%
• Scream 2: 83%
• Scream 3: 45%
• Scream 4: 61%
• Scream (2022): 76%
• Scream VI: 77%

One early critic pegged it as a 6/10 — basically, a middling entry that still does the expected Scream moves — which lines up with that Tomatometer read.

Who is back (and who is new)

Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott, and that alone will pull a lot of fans back into theaters. Courteney Cox is back as Gale Weathers. Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding return as Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin. New additions include Isabel May as Tatum Evans and Joel McHale as Mark Evans.

The story this time

Sidney has built a quiet life far from the chaos — until a fresh Ghostface starts hunting in her new town and sets sights on her daughter. That drags Sidney back into the fight, forcing her to confront old scars and do what she does best: survive, and end it.

What changed behind the scenes

Kevin Williamson is in the director's chair this time. After the last two films pivoted to Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega), a very public round of departures — including those leads and previously attached director Christopher Landon — led to a rewrite that brings Sidney back to the center of the franchise. It is a big swing toward legacy, and the reviews suggest the results are mixed.

We will see where the audience score lands once the weekend rush hits, but for now, Scream 7 is opening under a cloud it probably did not want: the series' worst Rotten Tomatoes debut.