'Scream 7' Is the Dullest Movie in the Franchise, and Its 32% Score on RT Proves It

In 2026, Scream turned 30. To mark the anniversary, Kevin Williamson, the original screenwriter, decided to take the director's chair himself.

Judging by the result, he would have been better off sticking with the screenplay. Scream 7 has plenty of flaws: it's derivative, sloppily edited, lacking in suspense, and relies solely on nostalgia.

Here's why the seventh installment is the dullest in the Scream franchise and what went wrong.

What Is 'Scream 7' About?

Sidney Prescott has finally found peace. She's happily married to police officer Mark Evans, raising a large family, and running a cafeteria.

However, the past lingers. The house has an expensive security system and emergency escape bags, and Sidney's relationship with her eldest daughter, Tatum, is strained because of her reluctance to share details about her violent past.

A new Ghostface is hunting Tatum, methodically cutting a path through corpses to reach her. Sidney and Gale Weathers take up the case again to prevent a repeat of the events from 30 years ago.

Despite Being One of Its Creators, Kevin Williamson Directed the Weakest Movie in the Franchise

Kevin Williamson, the writer of the first Scream, should understand this universe better than anyone. However, his directorial style is lifeless.

Scream 7 is visually stylish but narratively unsteady – the scenes are mechanically stitched together, the jump scares are predictable, and the twists are banal. This is especially frustrating considering Williamson one of those who reinvented the slasher genre.

Instead of natural vibrancy, we see the fatigue of a franchise that has become a parody of itself. The killer's motives and plan largely repeat those of the fourth and fifth installments. Only the backstory adds something new, forcing us to rethink the impact of Sidney's trauma on society.

However, these interesting ideas are delivered so carelessly that they fail to make an impression. Clearly, the firing of Melissa Barrera and the hasty rewrites of the script have taken a toll on the movie's quality.

'Scream 7' Has Absolutely No Suspense, and the Murders Aren't Scary

The murders in Scream 7 are spectacular and inventive, providing a visual feast for fans of the genre – Ghostface toys with his victims by setting them on torturous quests.

However, this action is scattered throughout the movie without tension – it occurs in isolated episodes between the characters' conversations, which follow classic slasher patterns.

Consequently, viewers don't care about the "doomed," even when Sidney herself is in danger. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett reinvigorated the franchise with their Scream flicks, delicately expanding the story.

However, Williamson delivered a superficial mystery rooted in nothing but nostalgia. And nostalgia is a poor vehicle for horror.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Scream 7'?

• Scream 7 has 32% from critics and 77% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.0/10.

• On Letterboxd, Scream 7 scored 2.4/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Scream 7'?

Scream 7 is currently playing in theaters.