"Thirty years after the original slasher movie opened in theaters, "Scream 7" debuted with a franchise-best $64.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The bigger-than-expected opening is a win for Paramount, which on Friday announced its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. In a so-far sluggish 2026 at the box office, "Scream 7" managed the best debut of the year."
""Scream 7," which cost $45 million to make, got a boost from the return of Neve Campbell, as Sidney Prescott. The actor sat out 2023's "Scream VI," but was drawn back for the seventh film by a reported $7 million payday. Original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard also co-star."
"Kevin Williamson, who wrote the 1996 original and many of the following chapters, stepped into direct, retooling the film around Campbell and company. In the film, Sidney and her 17-year-old daughter are haunted by Ghostface in the suburban community of Pine Grove. Reviews were poor (34% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience scores (a "B-" CinemaScore) also weren't great."
Scream 7 achieved a franchise-record $64.1 million opening domestically, plus $33.1 million internationally, marking the best box office debut of 2026. The film's success was bolstered by the return of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, who sat out the previous installment but was brought back for a reported $7 million. Original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Matthew Lillard also reprised their roles. Director Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original 1996 film, directed this installment, retooling it around the returning cast. The film follows Sidney and her 17-year-old daughter being haunted by Ghostface in Pine Grove. Despite poor critical reviews and mixed audience scores, the film significantly outperformed expectations and surpassed the previous franchise record of $44.4 million set by Scream VI.
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