If you know me, you know how much I adore the Scream movies. The first film is one of my all time favourites, and with each rewatch I wind up enjoying the sequels more and more. With the seventh film in the franchise hitting theatres this weekend, I thought it would be fun to drop my ranking of all the characters from the first six films. I actually started this list back when Scream VI came out, so it feels good to finally finish it off (even if a knew wave of characters will need to be added eventually). This is obviously very subjective, so don't take any of these rankings too seriously, and if I forgot anyone they probably just weren't enough of a noteworthy character. This is also going to be a list filled with spoilers, so if you haven't seen any of the movies consider this your SPOILER WARNING.
#65 - Hank Loomis
Billy's dad is in one scene in the original Scream and that's enough for me. I don't know if it's his weird curtain bangs or his wildly bushy eyebrows or just the nasty look on his face but I despise this character. On the surface he's a nothing character but then you think on it and realize that while being this unpleasant he also was cheating on his wife and doing a shite job raising his son so yeah Hank Loomis can suck one.
#64 - Useless cops from Scream (2022)
These guys just suck. They leave Tara unguarded for Ghostface to try killing her, the one doesn't do anything but play on his phone when he IS keeping watch. He ran over after Hicks died but in doing so left his post at the hospital and for no reason really cause dozens of other cops were at the Hicks house. They just suck, they're useless.
#63 - John Milton
John Milton is the skeezy producer from Scream 3 and at first I was gonna put him closer to the middle, then I remembered how shady he was basically using his power to get with girls like Sidney's mother. I love that the movie calls out this kind of behaviour so long before the Me Too movement especially considering the writers and Wes Craven managed to do it while working under he who shall not be named, but in his grossness Milton has to be near the bottom.
#62 - Trevor Sheldon
This is another character that just plain sucks. Every time I watch Scream 4 Trevor annoys me, he's the douchebag ex that's used as a red herring, but he doesn't have any charisma or just anything interesting about him to make him worthwhile. He's just annoying and that's about it, and when his life is put into jeopardy he becomes obnoxiously whiny. Dude just sucks!
#61 - Neil Prescott
I just really don't like Neil. He gives very controlling vibes in the first film in his limited screen time and then shows up for one scene in the rest of the franchise. He's never struck me as the best parent and coupled with his lack of time onscreen there's just nothing to love.
#60 - Tom Prinze
Just don't like the guy! He's annoying, he seems like a douchebag, and I see no reason to like him. He does get a great kill scene though so I'll give him that.
#59 - Rebecca Walters
I love Alison Brie, but her obnoxious, self-absorbed literary agent from Scream 4 is the most I've disliked one of her characters. She is objectively just a pretty bad person but that makes her untimely end kind of satisfying.
#58 - Sarah Darling
Sarah is another Scream 3 actor character that just whines a lot and annoys the hell out of me. Nothing enjoyable from her but again, decent kill scene.
#57 - Christine
Christine is Cotton's girlfriend from the beginning of Scream 3. It's at this point in the list where I don't mind the characters. Christine just has nothing to do and gets killed off quickly, but that means she never pisses me off.
#56 - Tyson Fox
Tyson is just really underutilized. When I think back to Scream 3 he's often the one I forget about despite some funny lines.
#55 - Olivia Morris
The character is pretty annoying, the kill scene on the other hand, one of the most brutal in any of the movies so she gets props for that.
#54 - Vince Schneider
I don't mind Vince, but he may be the clearest case of wasted potential. I love Kyle Gallner, and to use him as a half baked red herring that winds up tossed aside before we even hit the halfway mark of the fifth film is a shame. He is also apparently Stu's nephew, and unnecessary familial tie for a pretty lackluster character.
#53 - Dr. Stone
Dr. Stone just doesn't have much to do in Scream VI. He seems like a potentially interesting red herring as Sam's therapist, but quickly becomes an afterthought and is killed off too soon to offer any mystery. It is fun to see Henry Czerny in the series, but I just wanted more from the character.
#52 - Kate Roberts
Kate is Sidney's aunt from Scream 4 and is another example of a character with wasted potential. I really enjoy all the time she's on screen but those moments are just too few and far between to leave a lasting impact before she is unceremoniously killed off.
#51 - Marnie & Jenny
As the opening kills for Scream 4 I decided to lump these two together. Neither has much of any time to shine but you have to give some love to opening victims, and after two fake outs these two deliver as solid opening victims.
#50 - Liv Mckenzie
Of the new cast introduced in the fifth film, Liv is without a doubt the one that gets the short end of the stick. We hardly get to know her enough for her position as a red herring to solidify, but I do find her character fun when she's actually on screen.
#49 - Steven Orth
Steven gets big points for being the first on screen kill in the franchise, and a gruesome one at that. All we see though is him tied up in a chair, then him tied up in a chair with his guts hanging out, so while he is crucial to the franchise he's barely even a character.
#48 - Jason Carvey
Jason is elevated thanks to being played by Tony Rivolori. He also offers a fun twist on the opening scene, but to be honest he's a bit annoying and as one of the opening kills we don't get to see enough of him to justify moving him up the list.
#47 - Robbie Mercer
Robbie is a key member of the main group in Scream 4, but really doesn't do much in the grand scheme of things. He's kind of just there as a co-nerd to Charlie (who we'll get to later), not really fitting into any fun archetypes. He's a character I largely forget about despite having a good amount of screen time, his attempt at survival by telling the killer that he's gay is pretty funny though.
#46 - Sheriff Burke
Honestly, I wish I could put Sheriff Burke higher. I really like Joseph Whipp in this role, and for the first hour of Scream he's a pretty big character, but that's all we ever get to see of him. If he played more of a role in the rest of the series he could easily move up, but he really is tossed aside after than first hour and never heard from again.
#45 - Steven Stone
Steven Stone is the beefy security guard played by Patrick Warburton in Scream 3. Take Warburton out of the role and he probably moves way down, but he plays this role so well I can't help but love it. Maybe would have liked a bit more of him in the movie, but still a pretty fun character.
#44 - Lois & Murphy
These are the two sorority sisters from Scream 2 that seem to keep popping up for the first two acts of the film. Neither ever feel like much of a red herring, and they don't fit as part of the main friend group, so truthfully I never understand the point of them in the film. That being said, there's something about the performances from Portia de Rossi and Rebecca Gayheart that makes me enjoy the two of them even if they don't serve much narrative purpose.
#43 - Ethan Landry
We're at the point now where I genuinely enjoy these characters. Ethan is perhaps the most obvious killer since the first film, despite how many attempts are made to dissuade us from thinking it's him. I did have fun with Ethan as a character though, before his killer reveal he does bring a geeky charm to the gang that I appreciate.
#42 - Anika Kayoko
I honestly loved Anika in Scream VI. She's great as Mindy's girlfriend and has some strong moments, including the film's ultimate kill scene. Sadly she doesn't have much to do and is killed off before we get to know her character enough.
#41 - Kenny
Oh Kenny. Kenny deserved so much better. Despite his laziness, there's a certain charm to Gale's cameraman that I love. He has some hilarious lines leading up to his demise, but other than that doesn't leave too much of an impact. I do wish Gale was nicer to him though.
#40 - Perkins & Hoss
This is another set of characters completely elevated by the actors playing them. On the surface this is just another pair of dumb cops, but with Adam Brody and Anthony Anderson in the roles it becomes almost too easy to love these guys. They're absolutely dumb, and wind up being little more than cannon fodder, but the dynamic between the two is delightful.
#39 - Wallace
This is McDreamy's partner, and he shouldn't be this high if we're being honest. That being said, he has that one line "He was making a movie called stab... he was stabbed" and that is easily the funniest delivery of any line in Scream 3 so that's enough to get him moved up here. He also drops "10 more murders and we can publish a calendar," maybe the two best lines in the series from one throwaway character.
#38 - Martha Meeks
Martha is a delight. The younger sister of Randy, she doesn't have much screen time, but when she is on screen she brings a warmth that I love. She absolutely gets bonus points as the mother of the twins Mindy and Chad, I just wish she got more screentime over the course of the series. Also bonus points for bringing the Randy tape in Scream 3.
#37 - Principal Himbry
Here we have another character elevated by the actor, this time the iconic Henry Winkler. We don't get to see too much of Himbry before he becomes one of the first film's early kills, but my oh my does he leave a mark. He brings a calming supportive presence with Sidney, then goes wildly aggressive at two students that run around in a Ghostface mask. He's just a fun character that I wish we got more of, but as one of the first few kills obviously that just wasn't in the cards.
#36 - Charlie Walker
Charlie is the other half of the geek duo from Scream 4, as well as the film's duo of killers. I really like the confidence Rory Culkin brings to the character, especially in scenes with Kirby, but as the co-killer he fully becomes Jill's lap dog. That brings him down a bit, but he's still a solid enough killer and his reveal is fun.
#35 - Quinn Bailey
I really like Quinn. She's the roommate of Sam and Tara in Scream VI who winds up brutally murdered, or so we think. By the end she winds up not dead at all but rather part of the trio of killers. Her fake out death is really well executed, and she does some serious damage in while wearing the Ghostface costume.
#34 - Laura Crane
Oh how I wish we got more of this one. Laura Crane is the opening kill of Scream VI and is played by this generation's ultimate scream queen Samara Weaving. Despite an obviously limited amount of screen time, Weaving elevates Laura into a character you care for even though you know she's about to be killed. Weaving's trademark scream also fits perfectly within the franchise's vibe, making this arguably the most exciting opening kill since the first two films.
#33 - Phil Stevens
Now we get another iconic opening kill victim. Phil is played with a ridiculous amount of swagger by Omar Epps, and is the first of the two opening kills in Scream 2. Attending a preview of the first Stab movie he is attacked in the bathroom before the movie even gets rolling. The aura he brings leading up to his death is enough to bump him up the list, and he is half of the most iconic opening scene outside of the first film.
#32 - Maureen Evans
Maureen is the other half of Scream 2's iconic opening. Maureen isn't someone I'd want to see a movie with thanks to how much she yaps at the Stab preview, but Jada Pinkett Smith delivers a brilliantly melodramatic death performance that sets the tone beautifully for the rest of the film. She has some funny lines and then delivers that terrific demise, making her a crucial character despite being killed off so soon.
#31 - Angelina Tyler
This ranking is almost entirely based on how much I love Emily Mortimer as an actor. Angelina is the one playing Sidney in Stab 3, and at first comes across as the innocent young newcomer. As the film goes on though, she quickly turns when things hit the fan, becoming almost cartoonishly self centered. Despite not having a ton of screen time she's a very fun character, and Mortimer's performance elevates her quite a bit.
#30 - Derek Feldman
Oh Derek, poor poor Derek. Any love interest is going to have a tough time in these movies and Derek is no exception. Played by Jerry O'Connell, Derek is a genuinely good guy who cares about Sidney and will throw himself into perilous situations to protect her. Sadly the impact of her last boyfriend being a killer leads Sidney to not trust him, a distrust that sadly leads to his death. Derek is just an all around good guy, sad he had to go.
#29 - Hallie McDaniel
Hallie is such an underrated character in the grand scope of the franchise. She acts as Sidney's roommate and close friend in Scream 2, and offers a pretty perfect replacement for Tatum. She is alongside Sidney through and through until her unfortunate death, offering the rare time where a character being killed has truly bummed me out. Had Hallie made it out of Scream 2 alive I have no doubt she'd wind up being a series icon.
#28 - Wes Hicks
This closes out a run of three straight characters that deserved better. Played by Dylan Minnette, Wes is part of the fifth film's friend group and son of Judy Hicks. He's just an absolute delight, arguably the most cautious character we've seen which only makes his death feel even more undeserved. The scene leading up to his demise may just have the best tension we've seen in the whole franchise.
#27 - Roman Bridger
Roman is a tough character to rank. On one hand, he's the only killer that worked alone making him easily the most accomplished antagonist. Unfortunately his backstory is messy and exposition ridden, and up until he reveals himself he mostly just comes across as whiny. He's a character that has some very high highs but also some low lows, putting him up higher than other killers on the list but holding him back from the upper ranks.
#26 - Danny Brackett
Danny is a character I expected to hate but wound up really appreciating in Scream VI. In my opinion he's the best red herring in the series, giving you a clear and believable suspect. Where I love him as a character though comes after he makes it clear that he isn't the killer. Going into the film's climax he still has the gang suspect of him, and he accepts their distrust and takes himself out of the equation. Like Derek, he's a good guy through and through.
#25 - Cici Cooper
This is a character that absolutely should have gotten more time to shine, even if just because Sarah Michelle Gellar is the one who played her. Cici ranks high here largely for one scene, that being the film class with Mickey and Randy. Seeing a female film student schooling the film bros in a 1997 movie is just awesome, and even aside from that scene I love Cici as a character. Any time you get to see Sarah Michelle Gellar on screen is a treat, I just wish she had more screen time.
#24 - Richie Kirsch
I don't like Richie as much as I used to, but he is still a fun character. He brings us back to the love interest being the killer, although he and his co-killer may have the worst motivation of anyone in the series. His post reveal turn is fun, but leading up to that he's not anything overly special. Even when he's kind of just hanging around though, Jack Quaid makes him entertaining to watch.
#23 - Jill Roberts
Jill is Sidney's cousin and is played by Emma Roberts. She is also the main killer in Scream 4, all while ushering in a new generation of characters. Jill falls in that middle tier of killers with Richie and Roman, but does get one of the best deaths in the franchise. Her motivation can be a bit annoying, but that's the main thing holding back an otherwise good character, and perhaps the most insane character in the series.
#22 - Detective Bailey
Detective Bailey offers one of the best surprise killers in the franchise. For most of the film, especially after his daughter Quinn is "killed", he seems to be the one that'll help unmask the killer. When he reveals himself as the antagonist he turns the tables in a way I hadn't expected whatsoever. He has a strong motivation, albeit one that feels a bit forced, but all in all offers a strong character turn and is a crucial piece in the entirety of Scream VI.
#21 - Amber Freeman
While Richie has soured on me a bit, Amber has only risen. Maybe it's in part that Mikey Madison now has an Oscar under her belt, but really I just love how drastic her turn as a character is once she reveals herself. The reveal on its own is awesome, but seeing Amber go from side character to over the top maniac is a ton of fun. Madison's performance is fantastic, and the true craziness of Amber makes up for the weaker motivation.
#20 - Mark Kincaid
Here's a character I'm shocked we haven't seen since Scream 3. Kincaid is pretty handily the best cop character outside of Dewey, coming across as a fascinating blend of investigator and sneaky red herring. Patrick Dempsey is fantastic in this role, and by the end seems to offer a new romantic interest for Sidney. If he ever comes back he'll almost surely rise in the list, but I just can't go any higher just off of Scream 3.
#19 - Judy Hicks
As far as cops go, Mark wins, but Judy Hicks gets points in other ways. For one, I love the way she stokes Gale's jealousy in Scream 4. Two, she's a caring and loving mother to Wes. But most importantly, she has the best lemon square recipe in the game. If Judy was only in one movie she probably wouldn't be this high, but between the fourth and fifth films we get to see a lot of her and while she can at times be overbearing I do still enjoy her as a character.
#18 - Casey Becker
This is a tough one to rank, as we only see Casey Becker for 5-10 minutes and it's at the very beginning of the now 30-year old franchise. But that's part of why you have to put her so high. Drew Barrymore is the one that introduces us to every piece of iconography within the series. As she saunters around making her popcorn we get everything from the bantering about horror movies to the creepy Roger L. Jackson phone call, to the iconic chase with Ghostface. She has such a small role in the grand scheme of things, but she's the one that introduces us to the franchise as a whole and for that I think Casey needs to be put up on a pedestal.
#17 - Debbie Salt/ Nancy Loomis
Laurie Metcalf's turn as Debbie/Nancy was the first big twist villain in the series. Her reveal in the climax is exciting on its own, but even more thrilling when Sidney reveals that Debbie Salt is in fact Billy's mother. She's mostly in the background which limits how high I can rank her, but even leading up to the climax Metcalf is great in the role. The anger she brings as she seeks to avenge her son is straight up vicious, making her a Scream killer that has stood the test of time.
#16 - Joel Jones
Joel is hands down my pick for the franchise's most underrated character. Joel is Gale's cameraman in Scream 2, following in the footsteps of Kenny to hilarious effect. Joel initially brings the upbeat energy of someone new to a job, only to quickly become critical of his position when the murders start ramping up. The dynamic between him and Gale, especially with his fixation on what happened to her last cameraman, is among the film's highlights. He also delivers the sassy "yes I got that on film" line that I love. Some characters are just great, and Joel is one of them.
#15 - Cotton Weary
If I had just seen the first movie I'd never expect Cotton Weary to become such a big character. After only appearing in news footage in the first film he becomes a focal character in the second, then the opening scene victim in the third. His past as an accused killer makes him a terrific red herring in the second film, ultimately being a good guy despite his suspicious vibes. While I wish he got more time to shine in Scream 3, Liev Schreiber is fantastic in the opening scene.
#14 - Jennifer Jolie
Jennifer Jolie is hands down the best character introduced in Scream 3. It's the only movie she appears in, but Parker Posey makes her an iconic character as the actor playing Gale in Stab 3. This is another character I wish didn't get killed off, as Posey's performance is so much fun. You get the fun meta dynamic between her and Gale, which only gets more entertaining as Jennifer joins Gale in the investigation. In a film with a fair deal of forgettable characters, Posey makes Jennifer Jolie a clear standout.
#13 - Sam Carpenter
Here we have the first of the Carpenter sisters who lead the fifth and sixth films. If it weren't for Scream VI I probably would have placed Sam a bit lower, as I wasn't wowed by Melissa Barrera in her introduction to the series. Scream VI takes this character to a whole new level though, giving us a powerful, almost matriarchal figure in how intensely she cares for her sister, with the darkness of her parentage brought to life in a more fascinating and authentic way. She's a layered survivor and the way Barrera elevated her performance from movie to movie is remarkable. It's a damn shame that Barrera has been pushed out of the series, hopefully one day she'll return (hopefully with the people who fired her long gone).
#12 - Tara Carpenter
Just one spot above her sister is Tara, played wonderfully by Jenna Ortega. Ortega also seems to be leaving the franchise, but her performance as Tara has left a huge impact on the series even if Scream VI was her last appearance. Part of what makes Tara so great is her relationship with Sam, but the way Tara responds to the traumatic events of the fifth film, pushing to move forward rather than letting the trauma keep a hold of her. Tara also gets some bonus points for being at the center of a great opening scene that subverted expectations of the opening kill scene.
#11 - Mindy Meeks-Martin
Mindy is just awesome. I'll get to her brother Chad in a moment, but the two are the best additions in the two recent movies. Mindy beautifully takes the film geek reins from her late uncle Randy, delivering the rules of horror requel with the same gusto we saw from Randy back in 1996. When she isn't spewing movie facts she's a hilarious character with a sharp wit that I adore, and Jasmine Savoy Brown's charm only elevates an already great character.
#10 - Gale Weathers
This might be a crazy placement, but when I was looking at all these characters I wound up having 10 that I appreciate more than Gale. Courtney Cox is obviously excellent, and Gale is one of the icons of the series, but as a character she has felt somewhat cyclical. It feels like with each passing film she starts in the same place as the one before, and the way in which she doesn't seem to grow just irks me a bit. I believe she's the only character to appear in all six films, but that circular character arc limits how much I can love her. She also gets docked points for the Scream 3 bangs.
#9 - Tatum Riley
Played brilliantly by Rose McGowan, Tatum is one of the many highlights in the first film. Tatum is the sass filled best friend of Sidney and steals pretty much every scene she appears in. Whether it be that sass or her sense of style, Tatum is an absolute icon, and she has one of the franchise's absolute most iconic deaths. The whole scene leading up to her demise is fantastic, showcasing her wit and intelligence as she fights back while caught by the killer. She sadly doesn't make it out of the first film, but there are few characters as iconic as Tatum.
#8 - Chad Meeks-Martin
This is where person preference really comes into play, as I simply love Chad. Mason Gooding is an up and comer that I adore, and I love what he brings to the franchise as Mindy's twin. Chad has seemingly taken the "gets stabbed a dozen times but still lives" crown from Dewey, and in Scream VI we get a bit of romantic chemistry with him and Tara. He's funny but also brings a toughness that the friend groups haven't really had, making him a character that feels like he can physically step up against whoever the killer is. Chad just rocks.
#7 - Mickey Altieri
Outside of the first film, Mickey is hands down my favourite killer in the series. When we first meet Timothy Olyphant's character we see him going tit for tat with Randy and Cici in film class. As Scream 2 progresses we get to see bits of Mickey as a friend of the group, only for the big reveal that he is one of the killers. Olyphant's over the top performance once he is unmasked is some of my favourite acting in the entire series, bringing a manic energy that's straight up infectious to watch. His motivation is a bit silly, but honestly I don't care, Mickey is a fantastic character.
#6 - Kirby Reed
Kirby is simply the best. Played by Hayden Panettiere, Kirby isn't just cool as hell, she's also one of the biggest film buffs in the franchise. Her movie collection includes classics like Suspiria and Don't Look Now, and she makes her horror movie expertise known all throughout Scream 4. It seemed like that would be her only appearance in the series, but thankfully Kirby managed to survive a couple stab wounds and make her return in Scream VI. She manages to mix the sass of Tatum with the movie knowledge of Randy and Mindy, making her a dynamic character that is the highlight of Scream 4 by a country mile.
#5 - Stu Macher
We're in the top five now and it honestly crushes me putting Stu even this low. Matthew Lillard is easily one of the best parts of the film that started it all, pulling you in with his charm only to pull the rug out from under you with a zany villain turn. Lillard's line delivery is constantly terrific, and his large physical presence make him one of the most believable killers in the franchise. I do think Stu as a character could be cheapened if he is somehow revived, but as a one film wonder I think Stu is damn near perfect.
#4 - Billy Loomis
At first I had Billy a bit lower but there's just no denying his importance to the franchise. With 6 being the first without Neve Campbell as Sidney, Billy is ultimately the only character whose actions have been at the center of every film. Him and Stu obviously ignite the killings in the first film, which in turn influence the sequels all trying to follow in his footsteps, and now with his ties to Sam now being a driving factor of the killings in the recent two films. Not to mention, in the first film Billy is a terrific character. Skeet Ulrich has such a charisma to him that even when he might as well have "I'm the killer" tattooed on him he's hard to not fall for.
#3 - Randy Meeks
There are rules that one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie, rules given to us by none other than Randy Meeks. As the resident movie nerd in the first movie Randy is the one that introduced us to the rules, and really the entire meta identity of these movies. Whether it be the rules of a sequel, the closing chapter of a trilogy, or a requel, the films have always been tied to this idea of the rules which were first brought to life through Randy's drunken rambling. That alone is enough to put him high on the list, but Jamie Kennedy's hilarious portrayal of the character makes him even more memorable. There simply isn't a character that fits into the crux of these movies quite like Randy.
#2- Dewey Riley
While he's never been the main character, Dewey has long felt like the heart of the Scream movies. The man has been stabbed more than some have been to the dentist, but for five movies he remained a loyal and positive force. The innocence David Arquette brings to the role makes you fall for him immediately, and his desperate love for Gale only makes him more endearing. He may not be the smartest, or the best police officer out there, but Dewey is a ray of sunshine amidst the bloodbaths, and his absence can really be felt in Scream VI.
#1 - Sidney Prescott
Could there be anyone else? In 1996 Neve Campbell brought Sidney to life, a character that three decades later may be the ultimate 'final girl'. While Dewey's absence in Scream VI was noteworthy, Sidney not being part of the movie just felt wrong. Scream 7 has had it's share of production drama, but bringing Campbell back and having her return to the leading role just feels right. Sidney is a survivor through and through, a character thrust into constant turmoil thanks to the poor decisions of others. The way she has grown as a character over the course of the series make her not just a great 'final girl', but a deep character that changes over time. There simply is no Scream without Campbell as Sidney, and she's undoubtedly the best character in the franchise.
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