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More than a decade has passed since Scream 4 hit theaters. And Ghostface — the iconic masked killer behind the long-running horror franchise — is back at it again. This latest installment sees Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette return yet again as a new generation of characters faces a spree of violent murders. But after the previous horror entry underperformed, few expected Scream 2022 to defeat the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

A person wears a Ghostface costume from the movie 'Scream' in Times Square
Ghostface | Noam Galai

‘Scream’ 2022 is the first entry without Wes Craven

Way back in 1996, horror legend Wes Craven reinvented the slasher movie — a sub-genre he helped popularize with A Nightmare on Elm Street — with the original Scream. Even as the movie played into the genre conventions fans expect, it poked fun at the notion of a horror movie itself. And the follow-ups likewise subverted the concepts of horror sequels, trilogies, and reboots, respectively.

But after Scream 4 and certainly after Craven’s death in 2015, the franchise seemed like it had perhaps run its course. Alas, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) stepped in with a pitch for Scream 2022. Their vision largely serves as a tribute to Craven, who was not only the filmmaker behind the series but also the filmmakers’ inspiration for entering the movie business.

Paramount released the movie exclusively to theaters

If Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett hoped to make Craven proud, they certainly accomplished that, at least commercially. Ahead of the new Scream‘s release, some wondered whether the film’s performance would be at all hurt by the continuing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. After all, Paramount chose to release Scream 2022 exclusively in theaters. Just a few months earlier, Universal released Halloween Kills to theaters and Peacock’s premium service.

The decision paid off for Paramount, as Scream not only topped the box office charts but unseated Spider-Man: No Way Home. After a full month, the Marvel multiversal epic slipped to second place, according to Box Office Mojo. Scream 2022 earned $30.6 million through Sunday, a total likely to reach $35 million after the full holiday weekend. With a reported production budget of $24 million — according to Variety — the movie is an instant smash hit.

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When will fans be able to stream ‘Scream’ at home?

At this point, Scream 6 is all but certain. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have expressed interest, as has some of the cast. What’s less certain is when fans will be able to stream Scream 2022 at home. Judging by how Paramount handled A Quiet Place Part II in 2021, the movie will probably follow the same 45-day theatrical window before coming to Paramount+.

That trajectory puts the movie on the streaming service at the end of February 2022. Although nothing’s official yet, that does seem like enough time for Scream to scare up as much box office cash as it can. The real question is how far it can go. Scream 4 topped out at $38 million domestically. With the 2022 edition already about to overtake that, now’s not the time to underestimate what Ghostface can do.

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