The first Scream 6 teaser trailer has been released by Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group, giving fans a first look at Ghostface as he hunts down Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera in New York City.
Scream VI is a direct sequel to its predecessor, which acted as a fresh start for the Scream franchise. Scream 5 was well received by fans, as it went all in on its meta-contextual analysis that pokes fun at the horror genre, which was incorporated into the motivations of its characters. Earlier this year, one of those surviving characters from the previous film, played by Ortega, teased that Ghostface will be more violent in Scream VI. Now, fans may have a better understanding of this thanks to the recently released Scream VI teaser trailer.
The trailer opens with a title card for Scream VI that pays homage to Scream 4 and then establishes its New York City setting on Halloween night, showcasing civilians in costumes referencing other horror movies like The Babadook and Ready or Not. According to an exclusive interview between Entertainment Weekly and the director, the returning characters are said to be in NYC for school, and they are seen in the trailer on a subway being stared down by multiple individuals dressed as Ghostface. The back of a blonde woman is also seen on the same subway that resembles a returning fan favorite Scream character, Hayden Panettiere's Kirby Reed. When the subway lights turn off, a familiar face that fans know as Mindy is attacked by one of the Ghostface figures.
The Scream VI trailer establishes the characters and setting but doesn’t give away anything else. The teaser takes place entirely in this subway, relying on its atmosphere to leave fans wanting more. The iconic Ghostface mask returns, looking more cracked and weathered than before, and co-director Tyler Gillett teases a “meta” reason for this that will make sense within the context of the film.
Perhaps what is most exciting is what’s been said about Scream VI by its cast members, which is that the film may be “100 times gorier” than any other Scream movie, and NYC seems to be the perfect setting for it. If Scream VI holds to this while delivering a screenplay that keeps things fresh and exciting by avoiding the cliches of prior Scream films that fans have come to expect, then the upcoming film could be the best iteration yet.
Scream VI will release in theaters on March 10, 2023.