The iconic Scream franchise is back on the big screen with a vengeance. Kevin Williamson’s “Scream 7” aims to reaffirm the essential characteristics of the horror genre, while at the same time offering the established elements of suspense, comedy and dialogue that have come to define this film franchise.

It has remained at the pinnacle of its genre over the past three decades. The reintroduction of Neve Campbell in her role as Sidney Prescott brings together the essential elements of the film’s history and the recent developments in the film’s narrative. Williamson wrote the 1996 film, and has been involved in most of the movies.

The film’s narrative follows the character Sidney Prescott. The character development in the film follows her attempt to overcome the challenge presented by the new Ghostface while she aims to ensure her daughter’s safety. This introduces a dimension to the film’s narrative that is different from the traditional characteristics associated with this franchise.

The film also brings up key parts of Prescott’s past, giving the plot higher stakes. The character portrayal does away with the ditzy female protagonist trope and brings to light a new archetype in horror. It also pays homage to the way the genre’s protagonists have been revamped in modern times.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Williamson said, “I did think it might be the last film that we focus on Sidney wholly. What I love about Scream is that it’s found an identity and that it can reinvent itself.” With what seems to be the end of an era, for the franchise comes with promise from Williamson. He is confident in the new characters’ ability to continue on Prescott’s legacy.

Scream is known for the creation of suspenseful moments and innovative deaths. “Scream 7” is no different, satisfying audience’s expectations. The film creates suspense with dramatic and shocking murders as the killer inches closer and closer to the protagonist and the people she loves.

 “It was a traditional whodunit that was used to great advantage in the film’s narrative. Even though the film has borrowed elements from the genre in which it is based, it appears to have done so in a way that honors the traditional films,” Alyson Wright, a fan of the Scream franchise and film major at the University of Georgia.

With regard to nostalgia, the film appears to have failed to generate such sentiments in the general audience. Although some elements in the film may appeal to the hardcore fan, they may also admit that the film’s narrative is predictable, implicating that the film’s narrative is unlikely to feature any innovative plot elements. This does not ruin the film, in contrast, it highlights the way in which these elements have come to define the genre.