Ghostface has stalked the big screen for nearly three decades, slicing through pop culture with a wink and a blade. But with Scream 7, the scream feels different. This time, it is not the victims who are shocked but the franchise itself. The seventh chapter has landed with the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in series history, sinking into the low percent range, below even Scream 3.

For a saga once celebrated for slicing through horror clichés with wicked precision, the drop hits hard. Has Ghostface finally lost his sharp edge, or just a case of critics refusing to play along with Ghostface one more time?

As media outlets began refreshing the numbers on Rotten Tomatoes, the shock felt like a horror twist of its own. Scream 7 currently stands at 42 percent positive across 50 reviews, officially marking it as the worst-reviewed installment in the franchise. That places it just below 2000’s Scream 3, which holds 45 percent, and well behind the rest of the series. Even the divisive Scream 4 landed at 61 percent, while 1997’s Scream 2 remains the high-water mark with a commanding 83 percent. More reviews could still shift the average, but for now, Ghostface is staring at his lowest critical score yet.

Some critics have hailed the film as a bold, nostalgic return, others have bluntly labeled it the weakest entry yet, and many fall somewhere in between, calling it watchable but far from the franchise’s sharpest cut. For example, The Daily Beast did not hold back in its criticism. Meanwhile, The Wrap took a more measured approach, describing the sequel as competent but largely unremarkable.

"The worst Scream movie yet is shockingly terrible … Sluggish, unscary, and plagiaristic in not-ingenious ways, it’s definitive proof that it’s time to retire Ghostface and his gravely hackneyed games" - The Daily Beast.

“Scream 7 may be a competent, albeit unremarkable Scream sequel, but it’s one heck of an apology to Neve Campbell". - The Wrap. 

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Thus, social media erupted as headlines flashed a number no one expected to see beside a Scream title, jolting a franchise that has long outsmarted critics as slickly as it dodges its victims. But while the reviews cut deep, the box office may tell a very different story.

Even with the harsh reviews, the Ghostface mask is not falling off so easily. Just with the Scream 7 release date announced, the movie storms in with familiar blood in its veins, steered by original mastermind Kevin Williamson and scripted by Guy Busick, keeping the franchise’s killer instincts firmly intact and ready to test its pull at the box office. Made on an approx $45 million budget and running 114 minutes, the sequel leans fully into its legacy, stacking nostalgia, returning icons, and high-stakes family drama in a bid to turn curiosity into ticket sales.

Fans are once again about to witness Neve Campbell reclaiming her final girl crown as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox returns to sharpen Gale Weathers’ edge, and Isabel May steps in as Sidney’s daughter, pushing the terror into a new generation. New faces like Joel McHale and Asa Germann have also joined the chaos, while Roger L. Jackson slips back into the chilling voice of Ghostface.

Scream 7 may be staring at its lowest Rotten Tomatoes score yet, but Ghostface has never played by the rules. Critics may have delivered the sharpest cut, yet the franchise still commands curiosity, nostalgia, and a fiercely loyal fanbase. Whether this chapter becomes a misstep or a comeback story, one thing is clear: the scream is far from silent.

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What are your thoughts on Scream 7 and its shocking Rotten Tomatoes debut? Let us know in the comments.