Ranking the Best Killer Reveals of the Scream Franchise
In anticipation of the newest film in the series (which releases to theaters on February 27th), I’ve been watching through all the film’s of the Scream franchise. There are so many great elements but I’d argue there is nothing more important to a Scream movie than the moment that we finally get to see who’s under the Ghostface mask. The best ones work because you can feel the actor’s glee in getting to deliver a villain monologue, soaking in the shock of the moment. While that glee can sometimes translate to a bit of overacting, it always helps create a high-energy moment. With all the mystery built up over the prior 90 minutes, it always hits hard to see who’s orchestrating these murders and what their ultimate goal is. I strongly believe it’s why this franchise has lasted as long as it has and always manages to reel people in.
So, before we finally get another entry (and here’s hoping the 7th ranks highly on our list when it comes out), let’s rank the killer reveals in the Scream Franchise.
And, obviously, there will be spoilers here, so do yourself a favor and watch the movies before finding out who’s behind all the bloodshed.
Honorable Mention: Jason Carvey – Scream VI
As a lifelong Scream fan, whenever a new entry comes out, I find myself breaking down every single element possible, trying to figure out the killer before the full-blown reveal. So my mind was blown when, not five minutes into this sixth entry, Ghostface unmasks himself. Now, I couldn’t include this in the official list since he’s technically not the film’s main Ghostface, but he is still one and even performs the film’s opening kill (an all-time favorite of mine involving Samara Weaving).
6. Roman Bridger – Scream 3
Easily the weakest of the series, the previously thought dead Roman Bridger reveals himself to be the one tormenting Sidney. It’s hard to take Roman seriously as he’s whining about how his mommy didn’t care about him as much as his half-sister Sidney. Scott Foley’s squeaky voice isn’t intimidating and he just comes across like a petulant child. And to make matters worse, making him the mastermind behind it all, influencing Billy and Stu has always been stupid. There’s a reason that this one is hardly referenced in the later films and is something that most of us would rather forget.
5. Detective Bailey, Quinn Bailey, and Ethan Landry – Scream VI
Taking a bit of inspiration from Part 2, this is all about revenge as the family of Scream 5’s Richie Kirsch are out to make Sam and Tara Carpenter’s life a living hell. They want to torment Sam in particular since she’s the one that landed the killing blow on Richie, and introduce the audience to a ton of objects from the franchise’s past. That element is great but there’s something that doesn’t quite work about the reveal and it lands with a bit of a thumb. While the overacting element can be a bit of a staple of the Ghostface reveal, Dermot Mulroney takes it a bit far as it’s more humorous than anything. Liana Liberato actually seems in her element but she’s featured the least of the three killers.
4. Jill Roberts and Charlie Walker – Scream 4
The concept of recreating the first film and taking all the attention as the lone survivor has a ton of potential. It’s intriguing to see what everyone would think is the final girl, is actually the killer. Had the film ended as Jill’s being wheeled out, this would have actually been higher on the list. Instead, they chickened out and just had the same ole, same ole with Sidney, Dewey and Gale fighting back and vanquishing Jill once and for all. Even still, it’s fun to see the recreation of elements of the original. Kind of like our previous two entries on this list, Emma Roberts struggles a bit with actually trying to be intimidating. Thankfully, Rory Kulkin is phenomenal and the moment he stabs Kirby is shocking, allowing us for two great killer reveals in one film.
3. Mickey and Mrs. Loomis – Scream 2
This is a bit of a strange one as there were originally different killers (though Mrs. Loomis was always behind it all). So we lost Derek and Hallie and instead got the film-obsessed Mickey as Loomis’ partner. Mickey’s insanity is palpable through the screen as he can’t wait to go to trial, practically starring in his own movie. Revenge is always a strong motivator so it’s just icing on the cake that Mrs. Loomis is orchestrating this all, trying to get some payback for her son Billy’s death. Laurie Metcalf makes an impact despite not having much screentime and it immediately makes sense: of course someone would do this for the death of their son. Especially someone who raised a son like Billy Loomis.
2. Richie Kirsch and Amber Freeman – Scream 5
I love the concept of fans taking things into their own stands and trying to create the film they’ve always wanted. The meta element of the Scream franchise allows it to go layers deep, with Richie’s final words “But what about my ending?” meaning so much more to fan culture than simple words in a film. We often see fans getting upset that a series doesn’t go the way they envisioned, and it’s a beautiful breakdown of expectations versus reality. It’s this fandom that helps enhance the performances of Jack Quaid and Mikey Madison, who seem to be bursting at the seams at being able to interact with these characters and tell everyone their plan. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that the scene takes place in the same location as the greatest killer reveal…
1. Billy Loomis and Stu Macher – Scream
This is really the scene that all the other reveals are chasing after, isn’t it? Everyone remembers their first time seeing Billy turn to camera, shooting Randy Meeks, and proclaiming “We all go a little mad sometimes.” There are so many classic moments within this one reveal and you can feel the electricity between both Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich as they revel in getting to be the masterminds behind it all. They’re like comic book villains so giddy about the brilliance of their plan that they have to tell the hero. Getting revenge on Sidney’s mother (and subsequently Sidney) for breaking up Billy’s family, this is the exact kind of twisted killer logic that always lies at the center of this franchise. And there are few that got off to a better start.
What are some of your favorite Ghostface reveals? Let us know your ranking in the comments below!
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