SCREAM 7 Director Kevin Williamson Says the Sequel “Doesn’t Really Have That Meta Goal”
Horror fans have been holding their breath for Scream 7 ever since it was announced that Kevin Williamson would be stepping back into the franchise, this time as director. The original writer who helped redefine the slasher genre is finally taking the reins. That should feel like the safest move possible, right?
Well… maybe.
In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Williamson revealed something that has me slightly panicking about where this horror sequel is headed.
“This movie doesn't really have that meta goal. It's continuing the legacy of Sidney Prescott. It's about her daughter. It's about family.”
That’s a pretty big shift for a franchise that practically built its identity on deconstructing horror tropes while stabbing through them.
When Scream first hit theaters in 1996, it didn’t just deliver a masked killer and a body count. It changed the game. Characters openly discussed horror movie rules while trapped inside one.
They referenced other films. They tried to outsmart Ghostface by treating the situation like they were in a movie, because they were. That self-awareness became the franchise’s DNA.
The sequels leaned into it. Scream 2, Scream 3, and Scream 4 kept that running commentary alive. Directed by Wes Craven and largely written by Williamson, those films constantly referenced their own mythology and the state of horror at the time. That meta edge is what separated Scream from every other slasher trying to cash in.
After Craven passed away, the franchise shifted. Scream (2022) and Scream VI were directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, with scripts by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. They introduced a new generation of characters while still keeping the self-referential energy intact. For many fans, it felt like a successful handoff.
So hearing that Scream 7 “doesn’t really have that meta goal” raises questions. If the movie is centered on Sidney Prescott’s family and her daughter, played by newcomer Isabel May, are we looking at something more straightforward and emotional? Is this going to feel like a Scream movie, or something wearing its mask?
To be fair, the cast lineup sounds like a franchise reunion tour. Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott. Courteney Cox is back as Gale Weathers. Somehow, Matthew Lillard is returning as Stu Macher and David Arquette as Dewey, despite their characters’ previous fates. On top of that, Scream (2022) and Scream VI stars Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown are set to appear.
That’s a lot of legacy energy packed into one movie.
Maybe this new direction will give the franchise emotional weight it hasn’t explored before. Focusing on Sidney as a mother and exploring her daughter’s story could add depth to a character who has survived decades of trauma. That’s interesting territory. But if the self-aware commentary is dialed back too far, does it still feel like Scream?
That meta angle is the soul of the series. Of course, Williamson created this world. If anyone understands what makes it tick, it’s him. Maybe stripping away the overt commentary will allow something fresh to emerge. Or maybe he’s holding back and there’s still plenty of genre-savvy chaos waiting for us.
Either way, Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27, and horror fans will be watching closely. I want this sequel to be awesome. I just hope Ghostface hasn’t lost the self-awareness that made the franchise so cool and unique in the first place.