PopHorror Let's Get Scared
15 Years ago, on April 15th 2011, horror fans were once again thrown face-first into Wes Craven’s dark, creative world when Scream 4 hit theatres. The movie is special because not only did it mark Wes Craven’s final film, it was released 15 years after the original Scream in 1996. The 90’s nostalgia around the Scream franchise is very real.
I remember myself, my early teens, sticking my nose up to the idea of Ghostface. ‘That is not a scary costume!’ I said to whoever would listen. However, I still found a spot up front at my local theatre upon it’s release. I quickly understood what Scream was trying to do, and did well: pay homage to the classic horrors we all love, in a modern, and sometimes comical way. I could see how Scream celebrated camp, and respected the genre, as it should, being born from the mind of one of horror’s kings, Mr. Craven, may he rest in peace. I quickly found myself a fan of Mr. Ghostface with his ‘sexy’ voice, and sad, black eyes.
Watch the official trailer for Scream 4, below.
Just one year later, I remember the audience jeering and cheering at Scream 2, then giggling to themselves when the iconic Laurie Metcalf (Monster: Ed Gein Netflix series, 2025) was unmasked as one of two Ghostface’s. Us 90’s kids had a lovely little franchise all to ourselves! By the time Scream 3 came along, in 2000, I had come to expect a certain thrilling little roller-coaster ride from the series, and couldn’t wait to see who would be unmasked next.
However, with Scream 3, I must say, it didn’t quite resonate with me. Maybe it was because the 90s were over, and we were all moving on in life as adults. That’s the romantic justification, but really I’m sure it had to do with Scream 3 having a different writer, Ehren Kruger, as opposed to the previous installments Kevin Williamson. Maybe I just don’t jive with his turkey? I don’t know.
Anyway, years passed, hair greyed, wrinkles formed and we found ourselves ten years on trying to relive our youth.
Imagine my happiness when 2011 marked Scream 4‘s release and, can I say, my second favorite in the entire franchise, with a Ghostface reveal so sweet I’m not even going to elude to whodunnit here. There is something that is unique to Scream (1996) and Scream 4, and I believe it’s the fact the kids are running the show. When I say ‘kids’, I mean ‘teenagers’, …pardon me, I am old now. A movie within a movie, very Shakespearean indeed, very ‘meta’, and this central idea is displayed during the opening sequence of Scream 4.
The ‘film within a film’ first 11 minutes of the movie drive home the point–we are a society obsessed with fame. Viewers observe some of the more popular names of that time. Anna Paquin (then starring in HBO’s popular True Blood), Shenae Grimes, who had made a name for herself on the Beverly Hill’s 90210 reboot, 90210, and Kristen Bell, who’s career was booming after starring in the popular Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), and the Veronica Mars tv series, embroiled in their own bloody versions of Scream, or, Stab 5, 6 and 7.
In Scream 4, there are plenty of guts, gore, jump scares, cheesy pop music, kissing teenagers, boyfriends sneaking into bedroom windows, movie marathons, Stabathons, and even throwbacks to Scream (Garage doors, anyone?) jam packed into an hour and 51 minutes while Ghostface returns once again to terrorize the unsuspecting residents of Woodsborough.
Scream 4 has all the brilliance of Scream, but it’s a little fresher, a little more hip to the technological times. Neve Campbell (From the Scream movies, duh ..ok, you would have also seen her in The Craft 1996) reprises her role as final girl Sydney Prescott, Courteney Cox (Most recently seen in Scream 7, 2026) returns as ambitious reporter Gayle Weathers, and David Arquette (he sadly bit the dust later in Scream, 2022) returns as the ever so adorable deputy, er, sheriff Dewey Riley.
New faces like Hayden Panettiere (Scream VI 2023) as horror buff and cool girl, Kirby Reed, Rory Culkin (Lords of Chaos 2018) as horror nerd Charlie Walker, Emma Roberts (American Horror Story series 2013, Scream Queens series 2015) as Sydney’s cousin, Jill Roberts. Shout out to Erik Knudsen (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World 2010) as web series host and Charlie’s nerdy friend, Robbie Mercer, who does a fantastic job, as well as the plethora of others that make the movie what it is-so damn fun! Scream 4 is exciting to watch, and a refresher on a 90’s classic. A movie within a movie, this time, the killer is writing, directing and starring in his own film!
By all accounts, Scream 4 was a box office success raking in $57 million dollars over what it had cost to film, however Scream 4 performed the worst out of all in the Scream franchise, including the newest installments. According to many fans, Scream 4 is typically their second favorite, so this just goes to show you, …well, I’m not sure what it shows you, but take it from me, Scream 4 rocks and it’s a must see for any horror fan! Scream 4, still making me scream, 15 years later!
Scream 4 can be streamed on Tubi and Youtube.
