Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott returns in Scream 7, a darker, bloodier sequel with strong 4K visuals but a thin plot and a groan-worthy ending.
It's been 30 years since another horror franchise was born, and this year the seventh film in the series was released nationwide at the end of February. Although a critical failure, the movie has become the highest-grossing film in the franchise to date. Perhaps the success of the movie had something to do with the return of Sidney Prescott Evans (Neve Campbell; Wild Things), who was the heroine in the first five films but then left for number six only. Sidney's highly anticipated return drew audiences to theaters, even with a lackluster plot, and on June 16th the 4K and Blu-ray combo packs arrive.
Writer Kevin Williamson (I Know What You Did Last Summer) returns to the franchise, after a two-film hiatus, to not only pen the latest version of the Scream 7 series but also direct the movie. For these reasons, this latest installment doesn't quite have the same look and feel as the others. This one is much bloodier and has a darker quality to it that makes it more of a Scream-adjacent entry rather than a continuation of the series.
As Scream 7 begins, Stu Macher's (Matthew Lillard; Five Nights at Freddy's) house has been turned into a bed-and-breakfast "experience," but when a young couple is murdered and the house is set on fire, it triggers another cycle of the Woodsboro killer. Now living in Indiana with her family, Sidney then receives a FaceTime from someone claiming to be Stu, who died years ago. However, when Sidney's daughter, Tatum (Isabel May; Alexa and Katie) friends start dying, Sidney must face the reality that a new killer is on the loose and out to get her.
Besides Campbell, Courteney Cox (Friends) returns as investigative reporter Gale Weathers. Also, from Scream VI, Mason Gooding (Heart Eyes) and Jasmin Savoy Brown (Yellowjackets) join the veterans Campbell and Cox. Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) portrays Sidney's neighbor, Jessica, and Joel McHale (Community) replaces Patrick Dempsey as Mark Evans. The cast also includes some younger Hollywood talent who all do a good job.
The 2160p resolution and 2.39:1 aspect ratio offer the viewer bright and layered colors throughout and incredibly sharp details. Black levels are pristine, which helps to elevate the entire picture quality.
The Dolby Atmos audio is clean and robust, playing the all-too-familiar theme of the Scream franchise. The audio layers allow for sound effects, such as gunshots, to be heard fully and with varying tones.
The combo pack includes the 4K disc, Blu-ray disc, and a digital download. Also included are approximately 45 minutes extras including Scar Tissue: The Making of Scream 7, Building Tension: Production Design, Dance of Death: Stunts, Ice Nine Kills Presents "Twisting the Knife" Music Video, and Deleted Scenes (Scott is Ghostface, Chloe and Lucas Connect, Tatum and Ben Say Goodbye, Jessica and Sidney Chat, Tatum and Ben Leave Bar, Chad and Mindy).
Scream 7 isn't the best in the franchise but also isn't the worst either. It is more violent, less humorous and has a thinner plot than previous entries. However, it has some great, but brief, cameos that will serve up some franchise nostalgia for fans of the series. The ending is groan-worthy, diluting the movie and the series.
For collectors who have the other six films, this 4K is a must-purchase, and from a technical perspective, it has great audio tracks and visuals. For the casual buyer, I'm not sure Scream 7 is worth adding to one's home entertainment library.
Throughout the years, audiences have gotten lots of entertainment from the franchise, so why not watch one more when it comes to retailers on June 16, 2026.
Grade: C+
