Film · in order
Scream Movies in Order
The seven Scream films tell one continuous story, so release order is also chronological order. Start with Wes Craven's 1996 original and end with Scream 7 (2026).
Scream Movies in Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Scream is one of the rare horror franchises where you don't have to think hard about order: the seven films form a single, linear timeline, so release order and chronological order are exactly the same. Watch them as they came out: Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), Scream VI (2023), and Scream 7 (2026). The story unfolds in lockstep with the calendar.
That tidy alignment is the whole point of the "release equals chronological" order below. Each film picks up months or years after the last, references events the survivors actually lived through, and assumes you know who's still alive. The Ghostface killer changes every entry, but the meta-commentary, the "rules" of horror, and Sidney Prescott's ongoing trauma carry straight across the gaps. Skipping around scrambles who knows what and spoils which legacy characters make it out.
The one wrinkle worth flagging is the 2022 film, simply titled Scream. It's a "requel" (a reboot and a sequel at once) that introduces a new generation in Woodsboro while bringing back Sidney, Gale, and Dewey. Despite resetting the marketing, it is a direct continuation, not a remake, which is why we give it its own distinct entry rather than folding it into the original. Treat it as film number five in the timeline, full stop.
Scream 7 (2026) brings Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott back to the center of the story, having sat out Scream VI, as a new Ghostface drags her out of the quiet life she'd built and back toward her past. It's the seventh chapter, and for now the last one, slotting neatly onto the end of the same unbroken timeline.
If you enjoy the genre-savvy, "the call is coming from inside the house" energy, the natural neighbors are Wes Craven's own A Nightmare on Elm Street and the slasher revival of I Know What You Did Last Summer, plus the franchise's spiritual descendants like Halloween. But for Scream itself, there's only one path: press play on 1996 and keep going.
Timeline 1996-2026
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 1996 Scream
- 1997 2
- 2000 3
- 11-year gap
- 2011 4
- 11-year gap
- 2022 (2022)
- 2023 VI
- 2026 7
Where to play it today
- Paramount+
- Amazon Prime Video (rent/buy)
- Apple TV (rent/buy)
- Fandango at Home (rent/buy)
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Scream.
Frequently asked questions
How many Scream movies are there?
There are seven Scream films, released between 1996 and 2026: Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, Scream (2022), Scream VI, and Scream 7. There is also a separate Scream TV series, but it is not part of the film story.
What order should I watch Scream in?
Watch them in release order: Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), Scream VI (2023), and Scream 7 (2026). Release order is also the story's chronological order.
Is the 2022 Scream a remake or a sequel?
It's both: a 'requel.' It introduces new characters while continuing the original timeline, with Sidney, Gale, and Dewey all returning. Watch it after Scream 4.
Do I need to watch the earlier movies before the 2022 film?
You don't strictly need to, but you'll get far more out of it. The 2022 film, Scream VI, and Scream 7 reward viewers who know the legacy characters and past events.
Are all the Scream movies connected?
Yes. Gale Weathers appears in all seven films, Sidney Prescott leads six of them (she sits out Scream VI), Kirby Reed carries from Scream 4 into Scream VI, and the Meeks-Martin twins run from the 2022 film into Scream 7. Every entry traces back to the 1996 Woodsboro killings, so it is one timeline rather than a set of standalone slashers.
Which Scream movie should I start with?
Start with the 1996 original, directed by Wes Craven. It establishes the rules, the characters, and Ghostface, and everything that follows builds on it.
Can I skip any of the Scream movies?
No. The two films people skip most often are the two that cost the most. Scream 3 is where Sidney's mother, Maureen Prescott, and what set the Woodsboro killings in motion get explained. Scream 4 introduces Kirby Reed, who comes back as an FBI agent in Scream VI. Watch all seven, in order.
Do I need to watch Scream (2022) and Scream VI before Scream 7?
You can follow Scream 7 without them, because it puts Sidney Prescott back at the center and the Carpenter sisters, Sam and Tara, do not appear at all after Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega left the franchise. Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin do carry over from those two films, so watching all seven in order still plays best.
Where can I watch the Scream movies?
All seven stream on Paramount+ in the US as of August 2026, including Scream 7, which opened in theaters on February 27, 2026, hit digital on March 31, and landed on Paramount+ on May 28. All seven can also be rented or bought from Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Individual films rotate onto other services (Scream 3, for one, has also turned up on Netflix and Tubi) and availability differs by country, so check your local listings.
Will there be a Scream 8?
The franchise is not finished. Scream 7 is the highest-grossing entry in the series, and on March 31, 2026 Spyglass announced that Scream 8 is in development, with Lilla and Nora Zuckerman writing the script. No director, cast, or release date has been announced, though producer Marianne Maddalena has said she expects filming in the fall of 2026. Kevin Williamson, who directed Scream 7, said in March 2026 that he does not plan to write or direct the next one.
Is the Scream TV series part of the same story?
No. The Scream TV series ran two seasons on MTV from 2015 to 2016 with an all-new cast in Lakewood, Colorado, then rebooted as Scream: Resurrection on VH1 in July 2019. It borrows the premise but shares no characters or continuity with the films, so it does not belong anywhere in this watch order.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, paramountplus.com, Wikidata
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