We’ve got a brand new episode of Collider Ladies Night with Alison Brie coming your way soon in celebration of Happiest Season’s November 26th release on Hulu, but I just couldn’t wait to share the opening of this episode because it focuses on one of my all-time favorite franchises, Scream. When one of Brie’s cats made a cameo at the start of the record, there was no way I could hold back; I had to show off my own cat, Deputy Dewey, which kicked off a little Scream series debate.

Of course, Brie appeared in 2011’s Scream 4 as Rebecca Walters, Sidney’s (Neve Campbell) publicist. In addition to being part of the franchise, Brie is also a huge fan of it and actually just completed a full series re-watch with husband Dave Franco. As someone who recently revealed a soft spot for the franchise outcast, Scream 3, in my official rankings right here, I asked Brie where she stands on that installment and, admittedly, her answer caught me off guard:

“To me, Scream 3 is better than Scream 2. I mean, I’m a little bias, I would rank them like this - original Scream and then a significant drop-off and then I would go Scream 4, Scream 3, Scream 2.”

As someone who prefers the Scream, Scream 2, Scream 4, Scream 3 ranking, I’ll fully admit that Scream 2’s edge on Scream 4 might have a little something to do with nostalgia. After all, teeny tiny me did insist on having her grandparents take her to see the movie in theaters more times than I’m willing to admit. But, even beyond the nostalgia of it all, I’m still a big believer that both movies nudge the franchise forward quite well in their own ways.

In Scream 2’s case, it’s about further exploring the idea of scary movies creating killers through multiple angles. You’ve got Mickey (Timothy Olyphant) who’s trying to prove the concept true, Debbie Salt/Mrs. Loomis (Laurie Metcalf) who’s driven by the real life loss of her son, and then Sidney putting a stop to them by essentially creating a movie of her own on a theater stage. In Scream 4, you’ve got Charlie’s (Rory Culkin) approach to the murders keeping the film well rooted in the original film’s rules, but then in comes Jill (Emma Roberts) to turn genre formula on its head. She may appear to be your classic final girl, but really, Jill’s just manipulating the system in an effort to get her own 15 seconds of fame.

So yes, both are quite good and add to the franchise, but why might Brie rank Scream 2 so low? While this doesn’t necessarily change how I feel about the films myself, a recent conversation with a friend did highlight where a strong preference for Scream 4 could come from. Scream 2 came out a year after Scream debuted in theaters whereas Scream 4 had about 15 years of genre and technology evolution to play with. Scream 4 very much uses all of that to its benefit, resulting in an installment that honors the original while feeling uniquely fresh and forward thinking. So, if you’re looking for something that takes a bold leap, Scream 4 may be the one you prefer whereas Scream 2 very much comes across as a next step for Sidney and the concepts the franchise is exploring.

But you know what? No matter what your ranking is, that ranking is yours and you have every right to embrace it! I’m mighty precious about the Scream franchise, but also can’t get enough of the variety of takes on it out there - whether they match mine or not.

If you're looking for more from Brie, stay tuned because we'll have her full Collider Ladies Night conversation for you soon!