With Scream 7 finally in development after some pre-production issues, franchise veterans have shared their opinion on the reboot movies, among them Matthew Lillard, and though he’s right about them, he’s missing one big point. Although Scream 4 gave Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette) a proper ending in 2011, the franchise came back to life in 2022 thanks to the trend of reboots and legacy sequels. Scream (2022) brought together the original trio of survivors and a new generation of characters, led by Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega).

The plan was for Scream (2022) to be the start of a new trilogy with Sam and Tara as the new Final Girls accompanied by some legacy characters. However, Scream 7 will now have Campbell back, leading other franchise veterans to share their thoughts on the new movies. Among them is Matthew Lillard, and though he’s right about Scream 6, he’s missing the most important point of the franchise.

Matthew Lillard Found Scream 6 To Be Too Violent – But That's The Point

Scream 6 Had To Make Things Differently

Speaking to the Scream franchise and its reboot movies. Lillard shared that he thinks the franchise is in “a good place” and loved what directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin did with the new movies, saying they were taking “a really exciting way”. However, Lillard found Scream 6 to be too violent and feels the new movies are trying to repeat what he and the rest of the original cast did in the first Scream movie in many ways.

Matthew Lillard had an uncredited voice role in 2022’s Scream as Flamethrower Ghostface.

Lillard used the “maniacal monologue” at the end of the movie as an example of what the Scream movies have tried to replicate from the original, but hopes that Kevin Williamson will take the franchise in a “new, brave, and exciting direction.” Lillard is right that Scream 6 went for a more violent Ghostface murder spree, but that’s also part of what makes the franchise what it is. The essence of the Scream saga is how it addresses, uses, and satirizes the clichés of the slasher genre, with each movie covering different ones.

It makes sense, then, that Scream 6 was more violent, as it fits with the modern clichés of the genre.

Scream 4, for example, was all about horror remakes, while Scream (2022) covered the trend of “requels” and Scream 6 was about horror franchises. The slasher genre has changed a lot since the first three Scream movies came out, and it has seen more graphic and violent movies, such as Terrifier and Pearl, among many others. It makes sense, then, that Scream 6 was more violent, as it fits with the modern clichés of the genre that the franchise has to address, as it has always done.

Scream 7's Director Doesn't Guarantee The Reboot Trilogy Will Be Saved

Scream 7 Has The Franchise’s Creator As Director

After Barrera’s firing, Ortega’s departure, and director Christopher Landon also leaving the project, Scream 7 is now back on its feet with a new script, new director, and new/old main character. Scream 7 is being directed by franchise creator Kevin Williamson, who also wrote the first two Scream movies and Scream 4. As mentioned above, Scream 7 will have Neve Campbell back as Sidney Prescott, and it’s likely it will bring other legacy characters back, namely Sidney’s husband Mark Kincaid (Patrick Dempsey), and Gale.

Having Williamson and Campbell back is good for Scream 7 after the many problems it has already gone through, but their presence doesn’t immediately guarantee the reboot trilogy will be saved. The biggest criticism the Scream reboot movies have received (which fits with Lillard’s words) is that they have recycled the stories of the first movies in the franchise. Scream (2022) is pretty much a modern remake of the first movie, and Scream 6 copied the family connection in the identity of the Ghostface killers that Scream 2 did back in 1997.

At this point, Scream 7 is expected to take inspiration from Scream 3 and have a big twist reveal in the identity of the new Ghostface killer(s).

Williamson directing Scream 7 can bring a familiar style to the movie, but it’s still at risk of being more of the same and not something new. At this point, Scream 7 is expected to take inspiration from Scream 3 and have a big twist reveal in the identity of the new Ghostface killer(s), which, if it ends up happening, would be a disappointing ending to the franchise.

Scream 7 Still Has To Avoid The Nostalgia Trap

Scream 7 Has Big Challenges To Overcome

In addition to the above problem of recycling the stories and tricks of the first movies, Scream 7 still has to avoid the infamous nostalgia trap. Unlike other recently revived horror franchises, the Scream reboot movies haven’t had a big nostalgia problem – their problem is the lack of originality in their stories and the identities of the killers. However, Scream 7 is at a bigger risk of falling into the nostalgia trap with Williamson and Campbell back, and even more so if Gale and Kincaid also return.

The key to avoiding this is to move Sidney, Kincaid, and Gale’s stories forward rather than rely on their past stories, and this also means that the new Ghostface killer can’t be someone linked to their past. Scream 7 has big challenges ahead, such as keeping up with the essence of the franchise while bringing something new and exciting with old characters.

Source: GamesRadar+.