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The good news for David Ellison’s Paramount continues less than 24 hours after it learned that the way has been cleared for the company to buy Warner Bros. Pictures. Discovery in a deal that left Hollywood at its core.
Despite the low rating it received from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Screaming 7 It posted a franchise-best $7.8 million in previews, surpassing the previous record holder Sixth scream ($5.7 million) and proves once again why some species are largely review-resistant.
From Spyglass Media and Paramount, the film expands everywhere today, opening in 3,540 theaters in North America. Overseas, it is rolling out in 52 markets, including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain and the UK, with seven additional markets to follow. (The series performs best in English-speaking markets.)
Paramount expects a $40 million launch for the slasher picture, which would mark the best three-day launch of the year so far. Tracking is more optimistic, with a national research group forecasting $45 million. If the leading company is right, this will replace it Sixth screamwhich launched with $44.4 million in March 2023, as the series’ top opening was not adjusted for inflation.
The big card is the audience scores. As long as it’s not as bad as the reviews, a picture shouldn’t be killed by bad word of mouth, although studios generally like to see an audience rating of 80 percent and above. As of Friday morning, the Rotten Tomatoes audience rating sits at 76 percent, but it’s still early. RT’s critics rating is 37 percent.
Globally, Screaming 7 It’s targeting a $60 million global launch.
The pic sees Neve Campbell return to the popular soap in the role of Sydney after sitting out Sixth scream Due to a dispute over salary after appearing in every film up to that point.
Kevin Williamson, who wrote the screenplay for the original film Screaming, Screaming 2 and Screaming 4directs the seventh installment. The story follows Sydney as she returns to a small town with her daughter (Isabelle May), who soon meets a new Ghostface killer. The girl’s name is Tatum, which is the same name as Rose McGowan’s 90s character Screaming Who was killed.
A trailer released in October focused on Ghostface targeting Sidney and Tatum, with Sidney teaching her daughter the rules of surviving the brutal killer. Another ad that ran during the Super Bowl, highlighting how important the franchise is to David Ellison and his new regime at Paramount. In addition to Campbell, original star Courteney Cox returns as reporter Gale Weathers.
Spyglass produced the entire film, and Paramount co-financed half of the $45 million net budget.
Screaming 7 It has a secret weapon in its arsenal, and this will be the first installment to be played in Imax. It also plays across all other premium formats.
While Campbell’s return represents a highly anticipated moment for fans, they are the stars of the revival films Screaming (2022) and Sixth scream I won’t come back. Melissa Barrera has been fired Screaming 7 Because of her posts on social media about the war between Israel and Hamas. Jenna Ortega had already voluntarily left the film before shooting, although it was not announced until afterward. Christopher Landon, who was set to direct the horror sequel, also exited amid fan backlash following Barrera’s firing, though he was not the one who fired the actress.
Other returning franchise stars include David Arquette as Dewey Riley, completing the old trio alongside Sidney and Jill. Matthew Lillard, one of Ghostface’s original co-killers, returns as Stu Macher, along with Scott Foley, Screaming 3Ghostface Roman Bridger – Sidney’s half-brother. Siblings Chad and Mindy, played by Mason Gooding and Jasmine Savoy Brown, also star in the film Screaming 7.
