Summary
Wes Craven’sScreamfranchise is one of the most iconic series in the horror genre. It hasconsistently revolutionized slasher films. According to thechronological order of theScreammovies, the first four follow the story of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). The two recent movies, however, focus on two sisters, Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera). Nevertheless, the seriesmaintains its charm throughout by includingboth new and returning characters inScream2022. All the stories and characters make this one of the best slasher franchises ever created.
Part of what makesScreamstand out so much is its uniqueness. The series contains meta-commentaries on horror movies and often kills off famous actors in opening scenes that the audience usually expects to survive. No other horror franchise has these features. Thus, the series diverts from famous horror movies' standard plot beats and themes. Despite theScreamfilms changing the trajectory of slashers, there are some shifts within the franchise, particularly inScream 2. Ultimately, thissequel establishes new and bold standardsfor the rest of the sequels within theScreamfranchise.
Scream 2 Ending Explained: Who The Killer Was & Why
The Scream franchise’s second installment is just as murderous and twisty as the original, but its chaotic ending requires some unpacking.
Scream 2 Showed That The Franchise Wouldn’t Hesitate To Kill Survivors In Sequels
Just Because These Characters Survived Once Does Not Mean They Will Again
At the end of the first movie, audiences are given false hope that the returning survivors inScream 2will live again. However, when Randy (Jamie Kennedy) is shockingly murdered, this occurrence establishes that any main character can die. For the franchise to maintain its reputation in the horror genre, characters likeRandy had to dierather than always letting them survive. Ultimately,Scream 2prompts the horror in the franchise to grow with each film by killing off the main survivors.
1996
1997
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2011
2022
2023
Scream 7
TBA
Screamfurther establishes its essence as a commentary on horror movies by killing survivors in the sequels. Other slashers are arguably scarier than this series. However, with a long-running series, audiences develop a deep care for the characters over time. Therefore, when they are killed off after seeing them in several films,the audience experiences a new horror.It is a fear they do not experience with other slashers. Ultimately,Scream 2comments on terror in horror movies by showing other slashers that they must let go of some of their most beloved characters to invoke fear in their audiences.
Scream 2 Established That The Franchise’s Killers Would Be New Side Characters
“Everybody [New] Is A Suspect!” - Randy (Scream)
This sequel diverts from the first film by revealingat the end ofScream 2who the killer was: two side characters. It was quite a shocking turn for most audience members. Once revealed, the franchise signifies a plot beat that will follow for the rest of the series. This establishment causes theaudienceto never trust any side characters again. Since supporting players in the story are constantly introduced in each sequel, the audience can expect at least one to be the killer while still being surprised when discovering who it is.
Mrs. Loomis and Mickey
Jill and Charlie
Amber and Richie
Scream 6
Quinn, Ethan, and Detective Bailey
Having the killer(s) be side characters is a commentary on how most horror franchises have the same killer in each film. However, if slashers want to increase their spook factor, introducing new side characters and having some of them be the killer is the way to go. Then, the primary survivors cannot trust anyone new. The horror they experience just continuously increases as they are furtherisolated by new people in their lives, which is true horror, as demonstrated by the formula followed byScream 2. This commentary ultimately adds to theScreammovie’s best meta moments.
To Create New Main Characters That Can Be Killed Off In Upcoming Sequels, Some Of The New Side Characters Survive
Surviving A Scream Movie May Only Prolong A Character’s Grisly Fate
Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) was a side character in the firstScreamwho developed a main character status inScream 2. Unfortunately for him, he is killed off inScream 3. After establishing this trope inScream 2, the series follows through during several of its sequels. Not all side characters that live return as main characters. Some just never come back to the series. For the ones that do,they can turn into Ghostface victims instantly. This trend is one of the reasons theScreammovies are a part of theslasher movies that broke the biggest slasher movie rules.
Allowing side characters to become main characters and then be killed off is another way the franchise comments on horror movie tropes. Side characters have the potential to be even more important to the storyline. However, just because they are part of the main characters now does not mean they have a superpower to outlivethese top slasher villainsin every movie. Several other slashers promote this idea. TheScreammovies, on the other hand, highlight that they should not. For a slasher tomaintain its horror film status, it needs to be willing to kill off anyone.
Side characters have the potential to be even more important to the storyline. However, just because they are part of the main characters now does not mean they have a superpower to outlive these top slasher villains in every movie.
Working with supporting character Ghostfaces, allowing some minor figures to live, and killing off primary survivors for meta purposes displays theScreamfranchise’s significance. Thus, it stands out among other horror movies. No other slasher series constantly follows these plot beats or even uses their own narratives to comment on the horror genre. This franchise would not be able to stand out, however, without its second film.WithScream 7confirmed to be in development, it will be interesting to see if the franchise will change its trajectory asScream 2did.
Scream 2
Cast
Scream 2 continues the saga of Sidney Prescott, who faces a new series of murders while adjusting to college life. Released in 1997, the film follows her as a masked killer, donning the infamous Ghostface costume, resurfaces, reigniting fear and chaos among her and her friends.
