When the first Scream movie was released in 1996, its global success put the slasher genre back on the rails. Since then, five more sequels have followed, comprising the iconic horror franchise. The first four movies were directed by Wes Craven, with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directing the fourth and the sixth movie.
The first film’s lead protagonist, Sidney Prescott, was played by Neve Campbell, who reprised the role in Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, and Scream (2022). She played the said character for over 20 years. The franchise also saw the return of original cast members Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers) and David Arquette (Dewey Riley), although only Cox returned to reprise her role in 2023’s Scream VI.
With the latest Scream VI’s smashing critical and box office success, fans of the franchise and every horror enthusiast out there might want to watch the entire Scream franchise to better appreciate the new one. Fortunately, you can watch all the Scream movies in order exclusively on Paramount Plus.
How to watch Scream movies in Australia
Every Scream movie is available to stream online in Australia via Paramount Plus. Luckily, new customers signing up for the streaming service get a 7-day free trial. With free access for a week, Australia fans can watch all five Scream movies online instantly.
Other alternatives are Foxtel Now and BINGE, which offer three movies from the franchise (Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 3). New customers can try Foxtel Now with special discounts, while BINGE offers 7 days. If you get into binge-watching, these free trials are just enough to watch every previous Scream movie.
What is Scream about?
The first four Scream movies follow Sidney Prescott and her battle with deranged murderers adopting the guise of Ghostface to stalk and kill their targets. In every movie, the Ghostface killer murders those close to Sidney, then further taunts her by phone, threatening her and traumatising her with personal tragedies, indicating that the masked killer has intimate knowledge of her life. Helping Sidney unveil the identities of the killers are town policeman Dewey Riley and tabloid reporter Gale Weathers.
The fifth film, on the other hand, shifts the focus to Billy Loomis’ daughter, Samantha Carpenter, and her half sister, Tara. The siblings are targeted due to their connection to the original killer (Billy Loomis was Sidney’s boyfriend who tried to kill her in the first film). Together with their friends, they must do whatever it takes to survive the wrath of the new Ghostface killers. Some of the original survivors, including Sidney, Gale, Dewey, and Kirby, also return to work alongside these new characters.
Aside from a highly prolific horror movies franchise, Scream also spawned a television adaptation with the Scream TV series, which aired for three seasons on MTV from 2015 to 2019.
Scream trailer
You can watch the trailer of the first ever Scream movie below.
Scream movies in order
Scream and its events are all sequential, meaning you have to watch them in their chronological order. Here, we’ve listed all Scream movies in order and where you can watch each film in Australia.
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| Movie title | Released | Streaming Services |
|---|---|---|
| Scream | 1996 | Paramount+ / Foxtel Now / BINGE / Stan |
| Scream 2 | 1997 | Paramount+ / Foxtel Now / BINGE / Stan |
| Scream 3 | 2000 | Paramount+ / Foxtel Now / BINGE / Stan |
| Scream 4 | 2011 | Paramount+ / Stan / Netflix |
| Scream | 2022 | Netflix |
| Scream VI | 2023 | Paramount+ |
How many Scream movies are there?
There are six Scream franchise movies available with the first ever film being released in the 1990s. Considered as some of the best horror films in cinema, Scream shows no signs of slowing down. If you want to quickly familiarise yourself with the franchise, here’s a list of every Scream movie and a short synopsis for each.
1. Scream (1996)
High school student Sidney Prescott and her group of friends in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California are targeted by a mysterious killer in a Halloween costume called Ghostface. The first film is also notable for poking fun at all the clichés of the slasher genre, which continues throughout the rest of the franchise.
2. Scream 2 (1997)
Two years after the horrifying events of the first film, Sidney Prescott now attends the fictional Windsor College in Ohio. But her nightmare, as well as the plight of the other survivors of the Woodsboro massacre, are far from over as they’re once again targeted by a copycat murderer donning the Ghostface costume.
3. Scream 3 (2000)
A new Ghostface begins a killing rampage in Hollywood, targeting the cast of the film within a film Stab 3. Sidney Prescott, who has gone into isolation after all the traumatic events she’s had to deal with, is forced to come out of hiding when the new killer discovers her location.
4. Scream 4 (2011)
On the 15th anniversary week of the original Woodsboro murders, Sidney Prescott returns to her hometown to promote her self-help book, only to become the suspect of a new killing spree. Dewey Riley, now the town’s sheriff, and his wife Gale Weathers, investigate the case. Emma Roberts also stars in the film as Jill Roberts, Sidney’s cousin.
5. Scream (2022)
Scream 5 focuses on new characters, although original cast Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette all return to reprise their roles. It takes place 25 years after the original Woodsboro murders. This time, a group of teenagers are being targeted for their connection to the original killers. It introduces new characters Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), Billy Loomis’ daughter, and her sister Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega).
6. Scream VI (2023)
The survivors of the 2021 Woodsboro attacks attempt to start anew in New York City, only for a new killer to begin another gory rampage. It’s worth noting that Scream’s sixth instalment is the first movie without Campbell’s character, Sidney Prescott, changing the landscape of the entire franchise.
The first four films were distributed by Dimension Films. When Spyglass Media Group took over the rights from the fifth movie onwards, Paramount Pictures became the succeeding movies’ distributor. The entire film franchise has grossed over $761 million worldwide so far.
Other movies on streaming you might like
Big fan of streaming movies? Luckily, new titles are always getting added to different streaming services each week, so there’s always something exciting to watch, including your favorite scary movie. If you’ve finished bingeing all the Scream movies on Paramount Plus, here are other newly added hit films you might want to check out.
