All Six 'Scream' Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

Humor and horror are a match made in Hollywood, and Scream proved it from the very beginning. Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson reinvented the slasher with the original Scream in the 1990s, taking a meta approach to the genre without sacrificing the guts and gore at its core. Ghostface may have removed his mask at the end of the movie, but fans continued to hold their breath for six more sequels, each featuring new villains, old victims, and the same self-aware humor that made the franchise a hit. With the latest installment, Scream 7, joining the legacy, there’s no better time to revisit the previous chapters and find out which ones made viewers scream—in delight or disgust.

As Ghostface’s victims mount, so do the Rotten Tomatoes rankings of the Scream films, though some cut deeper than others. From the razor-sharp suspense of the original to the bloodier kills and thrills of the newer sequels, each entry brings its own mix of satire, scares, and slashings. Let’s lift the mask and take a look at how every Scream movie stacks up on Rotten Tomatoes, from Woodsboro to New York City.

1. Scream 2 (1997): 83%
2. Scream (1996): 78%
3. Scream VI (2023): 77%
4. Scream (2022): 76%
5. Scream 4 (2011): 61%
6. Scream 3 (2000): 45%

Scream 2 (1997): 83%

With some of the same characters, including Sidney and Gale, and all (and then some) of the self-aware humor and production value of the original, Scream 2 successfully struck the slasher iron while it was hot. Set two years after the Woodsboro murders, Sidney is now in college, trying to move on—but Ghostface isn’t finished. The kills are bigger, the body count higher, and the film doesn’t shy away from poking fun at horror sequel conventions.

From a shocking opening sequence in a movie theater to tense classroom and campus scenes, Scream 2 raises the stakes while keeping the clever whodunit twists that made the first film a classic, earning its place as the highest-rated entry in the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes.

Scream (1996): 78%

It would be criminal—though not as much as Ghostface himself—to rank the Scream movies without the original near the top. Luckily, Scream takes second place with a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Wes Craven’s mid-’90s horror hit reignited the slasher genre, blending dark humor with a clever meta twist. From killing off the iconic Drew Barrymore in the first 15 minutes to the whodunit structure that had audiences guessing along with the characters, Craven crafted a film that still feels fresh—and terrifying—today.

Scream VI (2023): 77%

The latest Scream installment takes the terror from the suburbs to the city. Survivors Tara and Sam Carpenter hope to leave their past behind, but a new Ghostface has made New York its hunting ground. With higher stakes, bigger scares, and inventive kills amid the city’s streets and skyscrapers, Scream VI proves that no matter where you run, the nightmare follows. Critics ranked it third on Rotten Tomatoes, noting that while the franchise’s signature meta-horror shows occasional wear, the fresh city setting and clever set pieces keep the suspense sharp.

Scream (2022): 76%

Almost two decades after Scream first hit theaters, the requel of the same name introduces a new cast of victims in Woodsboro. While this self-aware slasher centers on the Carpenter sisters, they join forces with legacy survivors Dewey, Gale, and Sidney to face a new—and even more brutally violent—Ghostface. The first installment to not be directed by Craven, filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett honor his legacy with sharp meta-humor, this time skewering toxic fandom through the film’s fictional Stab series.

Scream 4 (2011): 61%

Not all new characters are embraced by Scream fans and critics, and the fourth installment shows how tricky it can be to balance legacy with reinvention. Teetering just above “Rotten” status, Scream 4 finds Sidney returning to Woodsboro on a book tour—only for another Ghostface to emerge, targeting a tech-savvy younger generation that includes her cousin Jill.

While the film leans into commentary on remakes and online fame, some felt the franchise’s signature satire didn’t cut as deeply this time. Its hazy, overlit visual style and a new crop of final girls, which many found forgettable, didn't help its case. Still, a biting third-act twist and especially gory kill scenes have helped it gain appreciation over time, marking the final Scream entry directed by Wes Craven.

Scream 3 (2000): 45%

The first Scream sequel to officially land in “Rotten” territory, with a Tomatometer score under 60%, it’s safe to say Scream 3 failed to reheat its predecessors' nachos. Set in Hollywood amid the production of the in-universe Stab 3, the film trades much of the franchise’s suspense and brutality for broader comedy, dialing down the violence in favor of punchlines. The result, many critics argued, was a less menacing Ghostface—and a killer reveal that felt more predictable than shocking.

Though it was billed as the trilogy’s grand finale, its lighter tone and mixed reception made it feel more like a temporary curtain call than a definitive ending, leaving the door open for the franchise’s eventual return.