Why Scream's Next Sequel Shouldn't Be a Movie (It Should Be a Comic)
Hollywood is already hard at work crafting the next sequel in the Scream franchise, but the next entry really should be a comic book, not a movie. 2022's Scream was a smash hit at the box office when it released earlier in January. Its take on the current requel trend was insightful and gave some amusing commentary on toxic fan culture. It came as no surprise that Scream 6 was already greenlit, set for a 2023 release. However, with such a short window between films, it runs the risk of losing what Scream does best.
What makes the Scream series some of the most inspiring pieces of horror media today is its self-aware satirical lens with every entry. From the first film and its lampooning of horror film cliches to 2011's Scream 4 and its meta-jokes about horror remakes, every sequel in the series has had a direct purpose for being made and a clear set of rules and cliches to critique. The problem with the next Scream film though is that there's not going to be enough time for the horror film scene to shift to play on the next big trend. Instead, requels will still likely be a relevant topic, so Scream 6 runs the risk of treading down familiar paths. This is why instead of making another film, perhaps Scream would benefit from diving into comics.
With classics like EC Comics' Tales From the Crypt, horror comics have a long history, and they are ripe for a Scream critique. Whether it's the anthological stories popularized in the 1950s or the more modern symbolic miniseries today, there are a wide variety of tropes that Ghostface can use for their next killing spree. One such trope that comes to mind is every kill having some type of ironic impact. Comics like Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror had a common theme going on with their stories: the main character's death must be tied to their greatest flaw. This could fit Ghostface's MO perfectly as they always focus on the rules for how they commit murder, so it can craft some creative kills for the main cast as they focus on their victims one-by-one in individual stories. Then, in these independent comics, they use the time to get to know the character before having them meet their ironic end.
Where Scream would also benefit from the comic medium is clever new ways to use the art for hints. Scream is a murder mystery, but there's only so much that live-action can do to leave clues for the audience without seeming obvious. In the comic medium though, the artwork is more exaggerated to showcase emotion and foreshadowing, which is something that Scream would benefit from perfectly. Whether it be the color of the background around who would end up being revealed as the killer or a subtle detail in the eyes that may go by unnoticed until it becomes more apparent, the artwork can provide numerous advantages for the writers to sneak in some clever red herrings and clues for the reader to find.
Whether it's a one-off or the next official outing for the Scream series, comics should be the way to go for the franchise's next direction. There's so much untapped potential in the medium that can't be told through film and has enough tropes and cliches to pick on that will make a comic true to what has made the series so beloved. It would sadly lack the voice of Ghostface himself due to it being a comic but making Ghostface the next Cryptkeeper has so much potential to make a great meta sequel without making another Scream movie.