“Scream 7” made a killing in its first weekend at the box office, generating $97.2 million in worldwide ticket sales.
The latest installment in Paramount and Spyglass Media’s long-running slasher series has collected $33.1 million overseas and $64.1 million domestically. Those returns mark a global, international and North American record for the franchise, which began with 1996’s “Scream.”
Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original “Scream,” directed the seventh installment, which follows a new Ghostface killer who targets the daughter of Neve Campbell’s resilient heroine Sidney Prescott. Campbell returned to the franchise after sitting out the sixth entry over a salary dispute. Box office watchers believe that nostalgia for her character’s comeback, as well as other legacy cast members including Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard, were a factor in the record opening weekend turnout.
Premium screens also contributed to the better-than-expected start, with Imax, ScreenX and other pricier formats representing 40% of total grosses. This is the first film in the “Scream” franchise to be offered in Imax.
“This historic, franchise record-breaking box office performance is a testament to the enduring legacy created by our director Kevin Williamson 30 years ago, led by the incomparable Neve Campbell, breakout star Isabel May, legacy stalwart Courteney Cox and the entire cast,” said Spyglass Media’s chairman and CEO Gary Barber. “We are truly grateful to audiences around the world who enthusiastically showed up to theaters, ready for another thrilling Ghostface experience.”
With the marketing campaign for “Scream 7,” which included a prime spot at the Super Bowl as well as Ghostface appearances at events like the UFC 324 in Las Vegas, the studio wanted to excite not just fans of the franchise but younger, horror-loving audiences.
“It’s a daunting task to market the seventh film in a franchise,” says Paramount’s president of global marketing and distribution Josh Goldstine. “We focused on bringing in the nostalgia. This is ‘Scream’s’ 30th anniversary, and we have Neve back. We focused the promotion on this sense of destiny and ‘it’s all led to this.’”
In terms of the international start, these ticket sales are 35% above 2023’s “Scream VI” for the same group of markets. (The franchise’s sixth installment opened to $22.6 million from 53 territories and ended its theatrical run with $58 million overseas and $166 million globally.) “Scream 7” enjoyed the largest debut in United Kingdom with $5.3 million, followed by France with $4.2 million, Mexico with $3 million, Australia with $2.5 million, and Germany with $2.4 million. It has yet to open in Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
After a rough 2025 for Paramount, “Scream 7” marks the studio’s first No. 1 release since last March’s action comedy “Novocaine.” Earlier this week, Paramount shocked Hollywood by outbidding Netflix for control of Warner Bros. Discovery. even if the company’s CEO David Ellison has promised otherwise, theater owners are worried the major media merger will result in fewer new movies on the big screen at what’s already been tough time for the box office.
Elsewhere at the global box office, “Wuthering Heights” is nearing the $200 million mark after three weekends of release. So far, director Emerald Fennell’s literary adaptation has grossed $119.7 million overseas from 78 territories, as well as $72.3 million in North America. The film, which cost $80 million to produce, continues a winning box office streak for Warner Bros. after last year’s hits such as “Sinners,” “A Minecraft Movie” and “Weapons.”
Another holdover, Sony’s original animated adventure “GOAT,” legged out to $130.5 million worldwide. Those returns include $56.6 million internationally from 53 markets and $73.9 million domestically. “GOAT,” which carries an $80 million price tag, will face competition next weekend with the release of Disney and Pixar’s “Hoppers.”
Source: variety.com
