Ghostface is back, and this time the killer is taking on a whole new city in Scream VI. Following an advance screening of the new slasher film, critics took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the latest installment in the long-running horror franchise.Scream VI continues to follow the cast from the fifth film Scream (2022), including Tara (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and twins Mindy (Jasmine Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), who all leave Woosboro and head to New York looking for a fresh start. The film will also star franchise veterans Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers and Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed. They are joined by franchise newcomers Devyn Nekoda, Josh Segarra, Liana Liberato, Jack Champion, Tony Revolori and Samara Weaving.As the film prepares to hit theaters on March 10, it does so on the heels of a distinctive, viral marketing campaign that has featured everything from Ghostface taking over the New York subway map, to the killer popping up in very real locations around the world, to Scream-themed Stabby Meals. But what did critics think?
Collider's own Steve Weintraub, Perri Nemiroff, and Ross Bonaime all had high praise for the film, with Weintraub celebrating the choice to move the film away from Woosbroro and into NYC. Nemiroff cites the increased tension in the film as a highlight, and praised directors Radio Silence, while Bonaime called it his favourite of the franchise since the second film.
Gizmodo's Germain Lussier also praised both the new location and the film's tension, while also highlighting the film's "smart, timely hook." Meanwhile Daily Dead News' Heather Wixson called the film "slashtastic," and like Nemiroff, felt that Radio Silence were the perfect choice to continue a story with a long-time devoted fanbase.
Many critics highlighted how intense, yet fun, the sixth installment was, with Bloody Disgusting's Meagan Navarro calling it "thrilling, heartfelt and smart," while writer Ashley Martinez called it "super gory and intense."
Some critics singled out the "core four" among the young, talented cast, with CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell saying they "make the series their own," with film critic Ricky Vàlero singling out Savoy Brown and Gooding in particular.
With a franchise as storied as Scream, there also comes the question of legacy, and paying homage to what came before. Fortunately for fans, it seems the new film both examines the idea of legacy, according to Pop Culture Planet's Kristen Maldonado. Full Circle Cinema's James Preston Poole calls the film a return to form, while film critic Nate Adams says the film packs in plenty of Easter eggs for fans to enjoy.
Scream VI hits theaters on March 10.