Ghostface is back, and the box office numbers are brutal.
‘Scream 7’ has torn through cinemas with a $64.1 million U.S. opening and $97.2 million globally, marking the biggest debut in the franchise’s history, it’s also the largest horror launch ever in February and the strongest opening of 2026 so far.
Not bad for a slasher flick critics weren’t exactly kind to.
Despite sitting at 33 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences showed up anyway, the audience score currently sits at 78 percent, and the film landed a B- CinemaScore, which is solid territory for horror, if anything, it proves once again that this franchise runs on fan loyalty, not critical approval (per Hollywood Reporter).
Neve Campbell’s Return Pays Off
The biggest draw was obvious, Neve Campbell’s return as Sidney Prescott pulled long time fans back into theatres after she sat out the previous instalment.
Directed by original franchise writer Kevin Williamson, ‘Scream 7’ sees Sidney retreat to a small town with her daughter Tatum, only to find a new Ghostface circling. Yes, that name is intentional, if you know, you know.
Courteney Cox is back as Gale Weathers, and David Arquette returns as Dewey Riley, reuniting the core trio, Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley also resurface in ways that lean heavily into legacy territory.
Premium formats helped push the film over the edge, it’s the first ‘Scream’ to screen in IMAX, with premium screens accounting for 40 percent of the opening weekend gross.
Franchise Drama Still Lingers
Melissa Barrera was fired from the sequel following social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war, while Jenna Ortega had already exited prior, director Christopher Landon also stepped away amid backlash.
Still, the controversy didn’t dent ticket sales, ‘Scream 7’ comfortably outperformed ‘Scream VI’, which opened to $44.4 million domestically in 2023.
Love it or hate it, Ghostface still sells, and in a horror landscape constantly chasing the next viral scare, that kind of staying power is rare.
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