LOS ANGELES — The Scream 7 box office carved out a franchise-record $7.8 million in Thursday night previews ahead of its wide opening Friday, setting up Paramount’s latest Ghostface sequel for an early opening-weekend projection in the $40 million to $50 million range. The surge points to strong fan turnout for Neve Campbell’s return as Sidney Prescott, even as reviews have landed in mixed territory. Feb. 28, 2026.
The preview pop gives studios and exhibitors a jolt after a quieter stretch for theaters and puts a spotlight on whether the franchise’s diehards will be joined by more casual moviegoers through Saturday.
Scream 7 box office: preview surge and opening-weekend tracking
Tracking outlet Box Office Theory said “Scream 7” earned $7.8 million in domestic previews, easily topping the $5.7 million that “Scream VI” pulled in before going on to a franchise-best $44.5 million opening weekend in 2023. Box Office Theory noted that both totals included fan-event screenings and premium-ticket showings, a wrinkle that can complicate apples-to-apples comparisons.
Forecasts for the Scream 7 box office have varied, but most models cluster in the $40 million to $50 million band that would mark the series’ biggest opening yet. Boxoffice Pro has been slightly more bullish, listing an opening-weekend range of $45 million to $55 million and pointing to upside toward $60 million if momentum carries through Saturday.
The marketing push has leaned hard into nostalgia and the return of Campbell after she sat out “Scream VI,” including a high-profile Super Bowl trailer and premium-format play. Boxoffice Pro also noted the studio campaign has been built around Campbell’s return to headline the film, following the departure of the prior installment’s two leads.
Mixed reviews vs fan excitement
While the Scream 7 box office is off to its best preview night ever, critics are less unified. As of Saturday morning, “Scream 7” held a 33% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, while its verified audience rating sat at 78%.
The Associated Press review by Mark Kennedy was among the tougher takes, calling the film “an uninspired bore” and rating it one and a half stars out of four. Kennedy noted franchise creator Kevin Williamson returns to direct and co-write the screenplay with series veteran Guy Busick, while Sidney is now depicted as a mother of a rebellious 17-year-old whose past catches up with her.
Online conversation hasn’t been quiet, either. Vulture pointed to calls for a boycott around the release while also noting that industry tracking still placed the film in that $40 million to $50 million opening window. For now, the Scream 7 box office performance suggests the brand’s theatrical pull remains intact — at least through opening weekend.
What the Scream 7 box office needs after Thursday
The big question for the Scream 7 box office is legs. Horror sequels can be heavily front-loaded, meaning a large share of the weekend comes from fans who buy early tickets and pay for premium screens. That dynamic can deliver a franchise record while still leaving plenty of money on the table in week two if word of mouth turns.
Even so, a typical horror drop would still leave “Scream 7” positioned for a strong run relative to most R-rated slashers, particularly if it can hold enough of its opening audience to power weekday business and keep a steady pipeline of repeat viewings.
How the franchise got here
The Scream 7 box office surge didn’t come out of nowhere — the series has been rebuilding for years. When “Scream 4” arrived in 2011 after an 11-year gap, Box Office Mojo reported it opened to $18.7 million, far below earlier peaks.
The revival started to take hold in 2022. A Rotten Tomatoes box-office recap noted that “Scream” (2022) debuted to $30.6 million after $3.5 million in Thursday previews, signaling that Ghostface could still deliver a meaningful theatrical turnout.
Momentum accelerated again a year later. An Associated Press report said “Scream VI” opened to a franchise-best $44.5 million in 2023, setting the benchmark that the Scream 7 box office is now trying to clear.
If the Scream 7 box office lands anywhere near current forecasts, it would mark the franchise’s third straight step up and reinforce the property as one of the most reliable modern horror brands — even in a weekend where reviews are mixed.
Studios and exhibitors will get a clearer read once Friday and Saturday grosses lock in and weekend estimates begin circulating Sunday. For now, the Scream 7 box office has already achieved one milestone — the biggest preview night of the franchise — and is positioned to chase another with a record opening weekend.
