The sixth installment of the Scream franchise was released on March 10. According to the filmmaker, the film takes Scream where it has never gone before, both in story and location. The film takes place in New York rather than Woodsboro, and the cast from the fifth installment will be returning for the film. 

     The film once again follows the Carpenter sisters, Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) and their fellow survivors of Scream V twins Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown). The film follows the four as they move to New York for college, while Sam moves to keep watch of her sister. The college setting is similar to that of Scream II, as the main cast in the original franchise also had their second meeting with Ghostface in university. 

     The film has received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 76% with an IMDB score of 7.3/10. For reference, the original Scream had a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80%. Audiences have flocked to see the movie, and have enjoyed it overall with an audience score of 94%. The film set franchise records on its opening weekend, with domestic earnings of $44.5 million and $22.6 million from international markets. In total, opening weekend resulted in $67.1 million in box office revenue. 

    The film is able to stay true to the feel of the franchise, while also allowing for its new characters to shine. While it had some similarities in pacing to Scream V, the film as a whole is able to stand on its own. The higher stakes and more aggressive Ghostface added to the suspense, and the twist on the classic opening scene added to the change in direction of the film compared to others in the franchise. 

     The critic consensus of the film as seen on Rotten Tomatoes states, “Certain aspects of the horror’s most murderous meta franchise may be going stale, but a change of setting and some inactive set pieces help keep Scream IV reasonably sharp.”

    While the film isn’t groundbreaking, it is enjoyable and entertaining. Its new characters have grown, and are appealing for the audience to root for. 

    Jenna Ortega, who plays Tara, committed to her character’s growth from the last film. When discussing her new romantic interests shown in Scream IV, she stated “I think because we’ve only ever seen her [Tara] in distress for four hours now, I think it’s really wonderful for her to have some sort of relief.”

    Overall, Scream IV is able to stand on its own in terms of character and story, while also continuing to pay homage and respect to the franchise’s beginnings. Fans seem to agree, with the movie’s proven success, which seems to confirm a seventh installment.