The Best Scream Movie Since The Original Is Now On Netflix (2024)

The best Scream movie since the original 1996 classic is now streaming on Netflix, and it's the perfect time to check out the horror sequel. Wes Craven's slasher franchise is among the best horror franchises of all time, and Ghostface is one of the genre's most recognizable villains. Some additions to the Scream franchise are better than others, and it's doubtful that any of them will ever top the original. However, the best installment since 1996's Scream isn't hard to pick out — and it's available to watch on Netflix just in time for Halloween.

The movie in question is, of course, Scream 5 — the franchise's 2022 reboot that also serves as a sequel. While many horror reboots and legacy sequels struggle to reach the heights of prior films, Scream 5 successfully reminds viewers why the franchise is so popular. It captures everything fans love about the slasher series, and it does so even better than the 1996 film's direct sequels. Needless to say, it's well worth adding to your Netflix watchlist now that it's on the streaming platform.

Scream 5 Is The Only Franchise Movie Available On Netflix

The Other Scream Films Are Streaming On Max & Paramount+

Scream 5 is finally streaming on Netflix, but it's the only movie from the horror franchise that's available on the platform. The other Scream movies are available on Max and Paramount+. The first four additions to the series, which were released from 1996 to 2011, can all be found on Max. As these are direct sequels to one another, it's fitting that they're on the same platform. Meanwhile, the more recent additions to the franchise are currently streaming on Paramount+. This includes Scream 5 and 6.

It's somewhat disappointing that only Scream 5 has been added to Netflix, as viewers will need other services to binge the entire series. Of course, it's not necessary to watch all the prior films before diving into the 2022 "requel." As long as viewers have seen the first film, which introduces the legacy characters, they can enjoy this addition to the series. Those wanting to pick up Scream 5's direct sequel, however, will either need to get Paramount+, rent it, or buy it.

Why 2022's Scream Is The Best Movie Since The Original Movie

Most of Scream's sequels are enjoyable, but the fifth movie is the best one since the original — and that's largely because it feels so much like it. Scream 5 properly pays homage to the 1996 classic, even featuring a modernized take on Drew Barrymore's iconic opening. It also brings back the franchise's legacy characters, reuniting Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, and Dewey Riley for one more stand against Ghostface. The 2022 film is self-aware and darkly comical, just like the original. However, it manages to do something that most legacy sequels don't accomplish.

While Scream 5 impressively honors the original story, it also sets up a new one that's just as compelling. This is why it's leagues ahead of so many other horror remakes. Although the connection to the prior installments is clear, it never overshadows Tara and Samantha's story. And placing Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera in those lead roles just leaves viewers wanting more. That's why Scream 6 is able to build on the previous film's success, though the 2022 installment remains the greatest follow-up to the original.

How Scream 5 Successfully Rebooted Wes Craven's Most Profitable Horror Franchise

It's Both A Reboot & A Legacy Sequel

Another thing that contributes to Scream 5's success is the way that it reboots the horror franchise. The fact that it combines being a reboot and a legacy sequel helps the film stand out, delivering something that's simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. Scream 5 is technically a continuation of the original four movies, but it isn't a direct sequel. It's the first installment that isn't directed by Craven, who died in 2015, years before the film was announced. And although it brings Sidney Prescott back into the picture, it follows new characters and kicks off a new story.

That story continues in Scream 6, which is a direct sequel to the 2022 film. Scream 7 is also in the works, and it should round out this newer series of films — though with Barrera and Ortega departing from the franchise, it's hard to say if it will feel like a complete trilogy. Either way, these three Scream movies are somewhat separated from the first four. Those are all their own series as well, with the later chapters successfully rebooting Craven's profitable horror franchise.

Scream

Created by Kevin Williamson and originally helmed by Wes Craven, the Scream franchise takes a meta approach to the slasher horror franchise, centering on teenagers well-versed in the genre who find themselves hunted and killed by figures donning the Ghostface mask. The first four movies revolved around Neve Campbell's Sydney Prescott as she frequently found herself the target of different Ghostface killers, while the fifth and sixth installments introduced new protagonists, sisters Tara and Sam, with their own dark past connected to the original Ghostface killer.

Movie(s)

Scream , Scream 2 , Scream 3 , Scream 4 , Scream 5 , Scream 6 , Scream 7

Created by

Wes Craven , Kevin Williamson

First Film

Scream

Latest Film

Scream 6

Upcoming Films

Scream 7

Cast

Neve Campbell , David Arquette , Courteney Cox , Skeet Ulrich , Jamie Kennedy , Liev Schreiber , Heather Matarazzo , Hayden Panettiere , Marley Shelton , Melissa Barrera , Jenna Ortega , Jack Quaid , Mason Gooding , Jasmin Savoy Brown , Roger Jackson

TV Show(s)

Scream (2015)

Movie(s)

Scream , Scream 2 , Scream 3 , Scream 4 , Scream 5 , Scream 6 , Scream 7

Character(s)

Sidney Prescott , Gale Weathers , Dewey Riley , Billy Lomis , Randy Meeks , Cotton Weary , Neil Prescott , Hank Loomis , Casey Becker , Martha Meeks , Kirby Reed , Judy Hicks , Sam Carpenter , Tara Carpenter , Chad Meeks-Martin , Mindy Meeks-Martin , Richie Kirsch