Scream Movie Order by Release Date
The Scream franchise consists of six main theatrical films released between 1996 and 2023, plus a recent television series. The original Scream premiered on December 20, 1996, directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, launching a new wave of self-aware horror films. Scream 2 followed on December 12, 1997, and Scream 3 on February 4, 2000, establishing a pattern of meta-commentary on horror tropes and media violence. Scream 4 arrived on April 15, 2011, marking a return to the franchise after an eleven-year gap. Scream (2022), officially titled Scream, released on January 14, 2022, and Scream VI followed on March 10, 2023, continuing the story with a new generation of characters and a shifting setting from Woodsboro to New York City. The Scream TV series, developed by Jill Blotevogel, Dan Dworkin, and Jay Beattie for Paramount+, premiered on January 4, 2022, and ran for two seasons before its conclusion in 2024. The Scream franchise has generated over $1 billion in cumulative global box office revenue across its theatrical releases. The series is produced by Spyglass Media Group and distributed by Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate. For a detailed overview of the franchise history and production companies, refer to the official Paramount Pictures Scream page and the franchise summary on Forbes.
The Scream TV series expands the universe beyond the films, introducing new characters and storylines while maintaining connections to the original Woodsboro legacy. The show was developed as a companion piece to the film series, with season 1 serving as a direct prequel to the 2022 film and season 2 continuing the narrative into new territory. The series was produced by Dimension Films and Miramax Television in association with Paramount Television Studios. The Scream TV series is available for streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States and on Amazon Prime Video in select international markets. For more information on the series structure and its place within the broader franchise timeline, see the Paramount+ Scream series page and the Forbes coverage of the Scream TV series.
Scream Movie Order by Release Date: Detailed Timeline
The first Scream film, released on December 20, 1996, starred Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Matthew Lillard, and grossed $173 million worldwide on a $15 million budget. Scream 2, released on December 12, 1997, expanded the cast with the addition of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Laurie Metcalf, earning $172 million globally. Scream 3, released on February 4, 2000, shifted the setting to Hollywood and introduced Patrick Warburton and Lance Henriksen, grossing $161 million worldwide. The franchise went on hiatus before Scream 4, released on April 15, 2011, which brought back Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox alongside new cast members Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere, earning $97 million domestically. For a deeper look at the production and box office performance of each film, see the Forbes analysis of the Scream franchise box office history.
Scream (2022), released on January 14, 2022, marked the 25th anniversary of the original film and starred Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown alongside returning veterans Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette. The film grossed $139 million domestically and $144 million internationally, for a worldwide total of