Which City Should Ghostface Terrorize Next? I Have It All Planned Out.
It’s almost spring in New York City, which means the flowers will soon be in full bloom, the Yankees are getting ready to not win another World Series (go Sox!), and Ghostface is slashing his way through town.
Scream VI, which debuted this past weekend, marks only the second time that the Scream franchise has left the cursed fictional town of Woodsboro, California. Plus, it's the first Scream film to be set outside of the state, after Scream 3 took meta to the next level in Hollywood. Following in the footsteps of the late, legendary filmmaker Wes Craven, co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett successfully relaunched the famed property with 2022’s Scream 5, which introduced a new group of Woodsboro teens. Those lucky enough to survive that outing have returned for Scream VI, set in New York City, where the Core Four (Melissa Barrera’s Sam, Jenna Ortega’s Tara, Jasmin Savoy Brown’s Mindy, and Mason Gooding’s Chad) have relocated for a fresh start.
The Big Apple setting has been a big part of Scream VI's marketing push, and the film makes great use of everything that New York has to offer—from Ghostface shooting up a bodega, to a third-act subway ride that is as tense as anything Scream has ever done. So, with Ghostface officially having taken his show on the road, and Scream VI looking like a killer at the box office, we thought we’d help the creative team out by coming up with some of the best possible locations for future Scream outings.
Las Vegas, Nevada
In Scream VI, Tara, Mindy, and Chad are freshmen at NYU Blackmore College, which means that, before you know it, they’ll be turning 21. If any trio deserves to take a trip and let loose when they finally reach the legal drinking age, it’s these two-time Ghostface survivors! But you know who else could use a few days of mindless partying?! Just imagine the Ghostface scare possibilities in Sin City: tricking tourists into wanting a picture with him, taking a stab at the slots (and the people playing the slots), blending in at the packed club, and engaging in an epic climactic chase down the strip. Plus, the heat would be a real test of the legacy costume. I dare him to make it through a Vegas pool party in July with that cloak on.
Washington, D.C.
Respect to the Core Four for managing to thwart another Ghostface killing-spree! I mean, how many stabbings can Chad withstand? With their 21st birthdays now behind them, and graduation fast-approaching, it’s almost time for real life to begin. The first step to entering the workforce is to get an internship, of course. Considering all they’ve been through, it’s not surprising that Tara is looking for ways to help enact stronger laws that will protect herself and future generations from crazed serial killers. She heads to D.C. for the semester, but due to a mysterious mistake, the young firecracker is put in the office of a right-wing conspiracy nut who has become the next face of the Republican party. When Ghostface decides drain the swamp himself, the Scream filmmakers trade meta-film commentary for meta-political commentary, which sounds terrifyingly good and bad.
Mystic Falls, Virginia
The original mastermind of the Scream franchise is Kevin Williamson, the writer behind Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 4. He’s got a bit of a thing for scares—the man also penned I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Faculty. But outside of Scream, Williamson might be best known for creating two of the most popular teen dramas of the last 25 years. While seeing a grown Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) cry as he comes face-to-face with Ghostface sounds majestic, it’s The Vampire Diaries that seems more ripe for a Williamson Universe crossover. Ridiculous? Maybe, but he’s given us so much that he’s earned this heat check! With Mystic Falls, Virginia not far from DC, maybe Tara and her friends take a well-earned weekend road trip when their car breaks down in what seems like an idyllic little town—and then the supernatural shit starts. Would Mystic Falls’s vampires, werewolves, and ghosts be #TeamGhostface, or do the Salvatore brothers find themselves fighting over another girl with a tragic backstory? The potential for this Ghostface to actually have paranormal powers is enough to make this a must-see.
Alaska
Okay, maybe I’m just really hyped about Jodie Foster’s True Detective: Night Country, but you can’t tell me that Scream in Alaska doesn’t sound dope. There’s the potential for stunning visuals and lighting, the comedy of the notoriously-clumsy Ghostface stumbling through the snow, and the question of how many layers he’d add to his killing attire. Plus, the setting makes sense for story purposes. If you were repeatedly attacked in big cities like New York, Las Vegas, and D.C., then you’d probably consider moving to a completely remote place where there’s so little infrastructure that you can see anyone coming. Damn, I guess that also means that no one can hear you scream…
Paris, France
After all they’ve been through by this point (what Scream number are we at now?), Tara and Chad deserve a happy ending—especially since Chad is essentially a bionic man due to all the stab wounds over the years. We'd see the duo exchange vows at their local courthouse, because, come on, they ain’t returning to Vegas to elope and a big wedding just screams massacre. The couple decides to honeymoon in the romantic capital of the world, and their trip to Paris is as magical as they could have ever dreamed, between the visit to the Louvre and countless scenic, gourmet dinners. Chad saves the best for last: a private tour of the Eiffel Tower on their last night. When they get to the top, guess who’s waiting? Ghostface stabs Chad and throws him down to his death. Tara goes on the run, by herself, with Paris as her hiding ground. Will the French help her? To be honest, it’s up in the air with them. And yet, just imagine the last shot of Tara standing over Ghostface’s body, smoking a cig? And... wait... who is that on the stretcher? Did Chad…survive…again?!
Haddonfield, Illinois
Despite winning another showdown with Ghostface, Tara is feeling defeated, desperately hoping to once and for all rid herself of this dreaded figure in her life. This is when she’s told the story of another scream queen—one who spent 40 years fearing an unkillable man in a mask, only to finally do the impossible and finish him for good. Tara is then inspired to take a drive to Haddonfield, Illinois, to seek the guidance of retired heroine Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). As much as Laurie wants to help, she’s horrified by the day that Tara chose to arrive: Halloween. And that is when we hear Laurie’s phone ring…
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