Scream

Mandatory Movie Battles: ‘Scream’ vs. ‘Scream’

Scream is arguably the most important horror franchise of the past 25+ years. So when a new entry arrives in the series, it’s almost always a big deal. The 1996 original was a groundbreaking masterpiece was directed by the late great Wes Craven, who sadly passed away in 2015. Since then, various attempts have been made to revive the franchise. Luckily for us, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) were inspired to continue the franchise.

Whether we appreciate them or not, the majority of the Scream sequels have showcased varying degrees of success. From the interesting-but flawed Scream 2, to the awfulness of Scream 3, to the ahead-of-its-time Scream 4, each entry has presented a new element to the franchise lore. So when it comes to Scream (5), the question must be addressed — How does the latest film stack up to the original?

In the latest edition of Mandatory Movie Battles, we pit Scream (1996) against Scream (2022). This is about to get confusing. Thanks, Paramount.

Cover Photo: Paramount Pictures

At the end of the day, there is probably never going to be a sequel to Scream that will top the 1996 version. That said, the 2022 iteration feels like a sequel that Wes Craven would be proud of. Whereas something like Matrix: Resurrections is highly ambitious (sometimes to a fault), the new Scream manages to find a natural balance between old and new. Even though Scream manages to justify its existence in numerous ways, Scream can’t help but remain the blueprint for the franchise. But will the franchise break its own mold in the future? Time will tell.

Overall Winner: Scream (1996)

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