Scream VI (2023)

runtime: 2h 2m | rating: 7.3/10

In the next installment, the survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City.

Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. In Scream VI, Melissa Barrera ("Sam Carpenter"), Jasmin Savoy Brown ("Mindy Meeks-Martin"), Mason Gooding ("Chad Meeks-Martin"), Jenna Ortega ("Tara Carpenter"), Hayden Panettiere ("Kirby Reed") and Courteney Cox ("Gale Weathers") return to their roles in the franchise alongside Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving.

—

Paramount

Laura (Samara Weaving) is at a bar in New York City waiting to meet her Tinder date. When she goes outside to help her date find the bar, he starts speaking with the voice of Ghostface, then stabs her to death. Jason (Tony Revolori) removes the Ghostface mask and takes it back to his apartment.

Jason calls his friend Greg, with whom he plans to commit new Ghostface murders, and describes how it felt to stab Laura ("she became less human, she was just a piece of meat"). Speaking as Ghostface, the caller taunts Jason for his motives and reveals Greg's dismembered body in the fridge before stabbing Jason.

Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) attends therapy with Dr Stone (Henry Czerny), who encourages her to discuss her own trauma rather than focusing on that of her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega). Sam admits that when she stabbed Richie Kirsch in the events from the previous movie, it "felt right". Dr Stone terminates their session and says he will report her to the authorities.

Sam finds out from their roommate Quinn (Liana Liberato) that Tara has gone to a house party with twins Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding), Mindy's girlfriend Anika (Devyn Nekoda), and Chad's roommate Ethan (Jack Champion). Tara acts recklessly and agrees to go upstairs with "date-rape Kevin", until Chad and Sam intervene.

Sam is ostracized in public, as many people believe Sam orchestrated the 2022 Woodsboro Murders and framed Richie.

Quinn's father Detective Wayne Bailey (Dermot Mulroney), calls Sam in for questioning as her I.D was found at the scene of Jason's murder, along with the Ghostface mask used in the previous movie. On the way to the station, Sam is called by Ghostface from Richie's phone, who then attacks Tara and kills multiple bystanders in a bodega. Another Ghostface mask used by a previous killer is left at the scene.

At the station, they are joined by FBI special agent Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), survivor of the 2011 Woodsboro Murders, who has taken special interest in Ghostface killings.

Outside the station, Tara is surrounded by reporters, including Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox). Tara punches Gale, revealing that she broke her promise not to publish a new book on the 2022 Woodsboro Murders, which Tara believes is causing the new attacks.

Dr Stone is murdered by Ghostface, who then steals Sam's file and leaves another mask at the scene.

Mindy outlines the new rules to the group, claiming they are not operating with sequel rules, because this time they are in a franchise. Thus, everyone is a suspect and everyone is dispensable.

While Sam, Tara, Mindy and Chad (the Core Four) have dinner together, Ghostface kills Quinn and attacks the group. With the help of Sam's boyfriend Danny (Josh Segarra), Sam and Mindy get to safety, but Anika falls to her death in the alley below. Another mask is left at the scene.

Detective Bailey is taken off the case, but vows revenge against the killer who murdered his child.

Gale takes the group to an abandoned cinema she found while investigating, which has been set up as a shrine to the Ghostface killer, including weapons and outfits from each killing. The only thing missing are the Ghostface masks, which have been found at each crime scene from most recent in reverse order.

The group set up a sting operation to catch the killer. But when Ghostface calls Sam, they trace the call to Gale's apartment. Ghostface calls Gale and torments her about the death of Dewey, before killing her boyfriend and attacking her. Tara and Sam arrive in time to stop Ghostface, and Gale asks the girls to "tell Sidney he didn't get me" before she falls unconscious.

The group agree to meet Kirby at the theatre to trap Ghostface. On the subway platform they are separated, with Mindy and Ethan left to take the next train. Both groups are surrounded by commuters in Halloween costumes, including many Ghostface masks. Mindy is stabbed by Ghostface.

At the theatre, Sam sees a vision of her father Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), who reminds her to defend herself and not trust anyone. Taking Billy's knife from the original murders, Sam realizes they have been locked into the theatre. Detective Bailey calls and says he found out Kirby was fired from the FBI months prior for delusional behavior.

Ghostface stabs Tara and then a second Ghostface appears and they both attack Chad. As Tara and Sam try to escape, Kirby and Detective Bailey both arrive with guns drawn. Detective Bailey shoots Kirby, and admits to orchestrating the killings with his children Quinn and Ethan as Ghostface, to avenge the death of his eldest son Richie. They had faked Quinn's death to throw off suspicion. They started the rumors about Sam to assassinate her character and then aimed to frame her for the murders.

Sam and Tara fought them off, with Tara stabbing Ethan and Sam shooting Quinn. Sam donned her father's Ghostface costume and called Detective Bailey using the Ghostface voice to taunt him, then repeatedly stabbed him.

Sam agrees to let Tara live her own life more independently, and Tara agrees to go to therapy. As Mindy, Chad and Kirby are taken to hospital, Sam stares at her father's Ghostface mask, before discarding it and following Tara into the city.