Many horror franchises have captured audiences’ collective imaginations for decades. From Halloween to A Nightmare on Elm Street to Hellraiser, there are a plethora of franchises for every horror subgenre taste. Some of these franchises have weathered time better than others. Others have come to feel dated. Some have evolved to the point that they no longer stay true to their original roots.
Then there is the Scream franchise. Scream originally came out in 1996, far after franchises like Halloween and Friday the 13th were produced. This already makes it seem like a more modern franchise because it is a newer entry. Scream is a slasher series that still feels fresh after 25 years. This is because it has adapted well to the times, has a rotating cast, features a simple but unique design for its killer, and features mystery and intrigue.
A Rotating Cast
Certain franchises, like Halloween, are reliant on a protagonist and their family to create an emotional bond between characters and the audience. This is not the case for Scream. With Scream, both Ghostface and their victims are a true rotation of actors and characters. This makes each movie feel unique, with different motives and courses of action applied to each film.
There are some core characters from the first Scream film who make repeat appearances. However, this is not true for each of the Scream projects, making these characters’ returns feel special, nostalgic, and rewarding.
Mystery and Intrigue
Franchises like Halloween and Friday the 13th do a lot of telling and less showing with many of their films. Audiences know the killers are Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees. Their reasons for killing are fairly hollow and not well-thought-out.
That is where Scream is fairly unique in the slasher genre. Because Ghostface is a different character in each Scream entry, there is a certain amount of mystery to their motives and actions. The same is true for how Ghostface’s victims will respond. Audiences can do some guesswork while watching a Scream title, making them use their brains more than many other horror franchises require.
Ghostface is Unique for the Slasher Genre
Many other horror franchises have massive, lumbering figures who hunt their victims in slow walks. This is especially true for Halloween’s Michael Myers and Friday the 13th’s Jason Vorhees. This creates a sense of predictability, like the killers are going to find the victims no matter how fast they run or where they go. These killers are also usually dressed in some blue-collar outfit that could be purchased at a number of different stores.
Ghostface once again breaks the mold here. The killer runs when their victim takes off running. Additionally, Ghostface’s costume is sleek, black, and made of Halloween-costume cloth. Furthermore, Ghostface’s mask is absolutely eerie, being loosely based on the famous The Scream painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. All in all, Ghostface’s movement and costume make them a unique slasher killer.
Each Ghostface has a Unique Relationship with Their Victims
In franchises like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leatherface kills his victims because they intrude on his property. For Friday the 13th, the same is true for why Jason Vorhees lays his victims violently to rest. In Halloween… that really depends on which movie, which creates a sense of nebulousness and confusion for that franchise as a whole.
However, Scream is once again the black sheep of the family here. Ghostface has a unique relationship with their victims. This is because Ghostface is usually a peer or family member to at least one of the victims or would-be victims. This creates an emotional on-screen bond between unlikely characters, creating further intrigue for the franchise. It is also quite disturbing because Ghostface is killing people close to them, which creates an uneasy feeling when the killer is revealed towards the end of each film.
Scream Adapts to the Times and Technology
Some things never change. Michael Myers always carries his signature, absurdly-long butcher knife and walks after his victims at a snail's pace. The same is true for Jason Vorhees, clad in a hockey mask and wielding a machete. Neither one speaks, ever, creating an uneasy tension on-screen, but some confusion as well.
Ghostface, however, adapts uses and adapts to technology. They have done so ever since the first Scream entry. In the first Scream film Ghostface called his victims on landlines. However, in the trailer for January 2022’s Scream now the killer implements cell phones and hacks home security systems to create a sense of dread for their victims.
Due to a rotating cast, unique relationships between Ghostface and their victims, a unique look and style for the killer, and much more, Scream feels much fresher than many other horror franchises that came before it. The upcoming Scream film will likely do even more to further this legacy of faithful evolution.
