The 2022 return to the influential horror film franchise Scream 2, the original sequel.
Because of its often debated status as one of the best entries in the franchise, several timeless elements of Scream 2 could be seamlessly integrated into Scream 6 in order to elevate its intensity.
The Return of Kirby Reed
Something that made Scream drastically more interesting than the average slasher title was the fact that its sequel directly followed its protagonist, with some unexpected upgrades. In Scream 2, Sidney may appear to be much tougher than her first initial serial killer encounter, but the second installment still takes time to explore the ramifications of being a survivor.
In the new film, fans are getting the second chapter for both Sam and Tara (the two leading characters of Scream's next-gen cast) but also Kirby's first update since the Scream 4 massacre. If Sidney takes a film off, this could be a great way to give others that same spotlight without risking the reigning scream queen's safety. While the new cast still has a lot of potential character growth to explore, the mind-blowing return of Kirby might just be one of the most unique and electrifying scream queen revivals that the slasher genre has ever seen.
Newfound Fame
When Scream 2 began, the events of Scream had become a worldwide phenomenon, causing Sidney to get targeted by prank callers, serial killers, and paparazzi. Now that the murders have picked back up, it offers a similar platform for its younger cast.
To see characters like Tara, Sam, Mindy, and Chad attempt to navigate that in both positive and negative ways could offer fans a self-aware, modernized take on the Windsor College slasher-spree. Plus, after Jill's cunning Scream 4 reveal and prophecy about fame, there has to be a chance that one of them could take it a little too far.
Bonded Survivors
With whodunnit films, it can be hard to establish a solid group worth rooting for, and the trio from Scream 1-5 became an obvious, lovable unit during the events of the second entry. Because of the idea that Scream 6 will have the biggest number of survivors returning to date, it's clear that the common denominator amongst the cast is strictly survival.
There could easily be a survivor behind the mask in the next film, but even if that's the case, bringing this particular group together should offer clear insight into any similar trio dynamics with Kirby, Sam, Tara, Mindy, and Chad moving forward. As wonderful as it would be for all five to make it out alive, any Scream character that does live should participate in the formation of something new.
Enhanced Chase Sequences
There very likely isn't a Scream fan out there who doesn't hope to experience the epic chase scenes the franchise is known for delivering. Even now, the second entry to the franchise arguably offers some of the most top-tier chases in horror from Gale Weathers to Casey "Cici" Cooper.
If Scream 6 can learn from anything in Scream (2022), it's that fans really wanted to see more Ghostface pursuits due to that incomparable intensity. Now that viewers know these characters more thoroughly and the stakes ultimately feel higher, why not take a beat to increase the suspense?
A Randy Re-Do
Randy's death in Scream 2 was a necessary, yet grim moment that helped make the franchise painfully sting when it needs to despite leaving movie lovers who connected with Randy feeling heartbroken. Fortunately, things could be changing for the in-film genre fans in the next cinematic event.
As of now, it has been confirmed that we now have two Randy-esque characters in the next movie, one of which is fan-favorite Kirby, who narrowly escaped death and became the most viral response to casting since Neve Campbell's confirmation in the fifth film. Bringing back Kirby and connecting her with Randy's semi-like-minded niece Mindy, could be the only opportunity to finally alter the fate of the horror aficionados once and for all.
Bloodline Expansion
The killer's unmasking in the second film brought a rollercoaster reveal and surprise revelation, as Billy's mother became the second Loomis to wield a knife. As of now, Scream 6 already confirmed the return of two important pairs of siblings with their own legacy connections, causing the stars to align for something more familial.
Sure, Scream did recently introduce fans to Billy's daughter, but perhaps some of these legacy characters can dive a little deeper into some family secrets or shared resentments. For example, the Meeks-Martin siblings have plenty of reasons to be triggered by the events of a sequel that could lead them to be possible killers, but regardless, there's still the mystery of Sam and Tara's mom to be further explored.
A Successful Stab Revival
Aside from the characters gaining notoriety for surviving the Woodsboro 3.0 massacre, one inevitable change is that Hollywood in the Scream universe has to be capitalizing on the horrors.
In Scream 2, the opening death took place in an actual theater during the film's opening weekend, so whoever takes up the psychotic mantle will likely want to attain that familiar attention in some way. After hearing incessant jokes surrounding the hilarity of Stab 8, perhaps the Stab legacy can start to improve the franchise's nearly perfect reputation right on time for more modern mayhem.
