When Scream premiered in 1996, it was great news for horror buffs who wanted a new franchise to get excited about. Wes Craven directed all four films and proved that slasher movies could be hilarious and clever as well as being scary. Neve Campbell stars as Sidney Prescott, the girl whose mother was murdered before the first film starts, and who realizes that someone out there is ready to get revenge on the events that followed.
This film series has become iconic and thankfully, the horror genre has had a huge surge in popularity in the past few years. There are more movies than ever for fans to get into. Here are 10 horror movies if you’re a fan of Scream.
It Follows
The 2014 horror movie It Follows is a perfect movie for fans of Scream because it’s a stylish story about a group of teenagers dealing with the threat of death.
Once she’s had sex with her boyfriend, Jay (Maika Monroe) discovers that he has passed a frightening curse onto her. She is doomed to be followed by an invisible entity that will kill eventually kill her. The only way to avoid it is to pass the curse to someone else.
It Follows has the same intelligent tone as Scream and is also about high school characters, who are the prime age for the horror genre since they’re dramatic and feel everything very deeply.
The Ring
The Ring (2002) may not have the cultural impact that the Scream franchise does in terms of making people love slasher films once again. But are three movies so there was definitely an attempt at a franchise. The first film is the best and has become a big part of popular culture.
The Ring’s premise is famous by now: if you watch a video, you will not only see images that rival any horror movie but you will get a phone call and die in seven days’ time. Since the opening sequence of the first two films features teenage girls having a movie night, you almost get the feeling that Sidney Prescott and her pals could be transplanted into that universe and they could be watching this creepy video themselves.
The Final Girls
The Final Girls (2015) is a perfect pick for horror movie fans, particularly those who love Scream, because it’s actually about horror movies. The main character Max (Taissa Farmiga) lost her mom a few years back, an actress famous for starring in the ’80s horror movie Camp Bloodbath. Max and her friends watch the movie and when the theater is on fire, they escape into the movie itself.
What else does this movie have in common with Scream? Both The Final Girls and Scream don’t take themselves too seriously and poke fun at the horror genre. Scream takes a meta look at common horror tropes and discusses the rules for survival (or non-survival). In the case of The Final Girls, the characters literally are in a horror movie.
Nightmare On Elm Street
You can’t beat the classics, and in terms of horror, Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) stands the test of time. It’s also directed by Wes Craven (and written by him as well). In both films, you have a killer who speaks directly to his victims rather than silent ones like Jason from Friday The 13th or Michael Myers from Halloween. That makes it a perfect choice if you’re already a big fan of Scream.
Freddy Krueger is just as scary as the killer in Scream, although perhaps a bit more so since he visits his victims while they’re asleep and dreaming (or having nightmares, which is definitely more accurate).
Halloween
Halloween was the first major American slasher film. Released in 1978, it was written and directed by John Carpenter, who along with Wes Craven basically shaped the horror genre as we know it (and love it).
It’s not too much of a stretch to think of teenage girl Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) as a precursor to Sidney Prescott in Scream. They’re both high schoolers who realize that the safety of their worlds is crashing down on them and that there’s a killer out there. While they differ in tone – Halloween is beautifully shot with a perfect score and Scream is campier – they’re both stellar examples of the serial killer movie done right.
Ginger Snaps
This 2000 Canadian horror movie is about two sisters who have to deal with more than just being annoyed at being stuck in high school when one of them turns into a werewolf. Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) is bitten by a dog and starts, well, changing.
The title and tone are both really clever, which is why this would be a great movie if you’re already a fan of horror movies such as Scream. Ginger Snaps feels like a total classic, and it’s definitely a favorite for those who have seen it.
Jennifer’s Body
Similarly to Ginger Snaps, Jennifer’s Body is about a teenage girl who becomes something truly sinister – in this case, she starts killing boys. The movie stars Megan Fox as the creepy Jennifer and Amanda Seyfried as her friend, “Needy”, who has to deal with how totally strange this is.
The movie was written by Diablo Cody of Juno fame so it’s just as clever as the rest of her work, and while it might not be as respected or beloved as some other horror movies, it’s worth mentioning. It’s a true teenage horror film, just like Scream.
Happy Death Day
The Blumhouse Productions film, which was released in 2017, takes a not-so-serious look at the slasher movie genre. Happy Death Day is about Theresa (Jessica Rothe) who keeps dying and coming back to life. Since she knows what’s going to happen to her, she tries to figure out what’s going on and save herself.
Happy Death Day has a lot in common with Scream: it’s a bit campy, really fun to watch, and not your typical serial killer movie. It’s definitely a twist on the typical movie that you would expect. The sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, came out in February 2019.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
As far as ’90s horror goes, I Know What You Did Last Summer is as good (and campy) as it gets. The famous film starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Freddie Prince Jr. is pure late ’90s gold and is a great trip down memory lane.
The 1997 film is very similar in terms of storyline to Scream when you think about it: they’re both about a killer hell-bent on getting revenge. The movies also both star young actors and actresses who were just starting their careers. When you want a cheesy horror movie that honestly still delivers a few jump scares, I Know What You Did Last Summer is a good bet.
The Cabin In The Woods
A meta horror movie? Check. A group of teenagers? Check. The Cabin In The Woods is a beloved horror film because it totally turns the traditional storyline on its head.
Co-written and produced by Joss Whedon, the movie asks “what if a group of friends went into a cabin in the woods?” Talking too much about this film would give the brilliant twist away, but since this movie is playful and intelligent, it’s a perfect movie for fans of Scream.
