‘Scream 7’ opens with franchise-best $64.1 million in box-office win for Paramount – The Mercury News
By JAKE COYLE
NEW YORK (AP) – “Scream” still kills.
Thirty years after the opening of the first scream movie, “Scream 7” was released with a franchise-best $ 64.1 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday. The bigger-than-expected opening is a win for Paramount, which on Friday announced its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
In 2026, which has already had a great run at the box office, “Scream 7” took home the best debut of the year, easily edging out last weekend’s champion, the Stephen Curry-produced animated film “GOAT,” from Sony Pictures.
“Scream 7,” which cost $45 million to make, got a boost from the return of Neve Campbell, as Sidney Prescott. The actor released the 2023 film “Scream VI,” but was brought back for the seventh film with a reported $7 million payday. Original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard also joined.
“Scream VI” set a new high (not accounting for inflation) for the franchise with a $44.4 million launch. That film starred Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, along with the series regulars. But in 2023, Barrera was dropped from the seventh film by the film’s production company, Spyglass Media Group, after he made comments about the Israel-Hamas war that some considered antisemitic. Ortega then walked out of the movie.
Kevin Williamson, who wrote the 1996 original and many subsequent chapters, stepped in directly, reshaping the film around Campbell and company. In the film, Sidney and her 17-year-old daughter are haunted by Ghostface in the suburban community of Pine Grove.
Reviews were negative (34% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience scores (“B-” CinemaScore) were also negative.
But the outperformance of “Scream 7,” which added $33.1 million overseas, gave Paramount more to celebrate in what could be a historic weekend for the studio. On Friday, its parent company, Paramount Skydance, announced its intention to merge with Warner Bros. The deal, which created a Hollywood colossus and reshaped the media landscape, is awaiting regulatory approval.
For Josh Goldstine, president of global marketing and distribution at Paramount, the launch of “Scream 7” signaled a new beginning for Paramount, which last year completed an $8 billion deal with David Ellison’s Skydance. After that merger, Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairmen, took over the reins of Paramount Pictures.
“This is the first time that a new Paramount team has acquired a film, not only from the production side but from the marketing and distribution side,” Goldstine said. “It’s a really exciting time for the new Paramount.”
Goldstine declined to discuss the merger with Warner Bros. But he attributed the success of “Scream 7” — the rare franchise to continue growing multiple films — to the studio’s commitment to the show. In opposition to Netflix’s request for Warner Bros. Discovery, Ellison promoted the studio’s commitment to the theater, promising a minimum 45-day theatrical window for films.
“It’s really about the love of the theatrical market that exists at Paramount right now and the desire that we wanted to show the culture and the world why we love, and what we can do, with theatrical movies,” Goldstine said of the “Scream 7” opening.
“Scream 7” has benefited greatly from IMAX screens and premium format screens, something that the previous movie “Scream” did not have when it opened. Shaun Barber, head of domestic distribution for Paramount, noted that 40% of the film’s weekend business was on premium format screens.
“The success of the film speaks to the strength of the brand and the staying power of Ghostface as a saga,” said Barber. “When you put that on the big screens in the country, the audience is more excited to watch it together.”
After claiming the top spot in its second weekend, “GOAT” dropped to second place with $12 million in its third weekend. It has so far raised $74 million domestically. “Wuthering Heights,” Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë, dropped to third place with $7 million in its third weekend. Its three-week haul stands at $72.3 million.
The only new release to make a splash in theaters is the concert film “Twenty One Pilots: More than We Ever Imagined.” Distributed by Trafalgar Releasing, it opened with $3.7 million in 836 theaters. Another concert film also continues to do well: “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert.” Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” addition added 1,615 theaters after a strong showing last week. The Neon release collected $3.5 million, pushing its two-week total to $7.8 million.
Top 10 movies at the domestic box office
With final domestic figures released Monday, this list shows the average number of ticket sales Friday through Sunday at theaters in the US and Canada, according to Comscore:
1. “Shout 7,” $64.1 million.
2. “GOAT,” $12 million.
3. “Wuthering Heights,” $7 million.
4. “Twenty-One Pilots: More Than We Ever Thought,” $3.7 million.
5. “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” $3.5 million.
6. “Crime 101,” $3.4 million.
7. “I can only imagine 2,” $3.1 million.
8. “Send Help,” $2.8 million.
9. “How to Make a Murderer,” $1.6 million.
10. “Zootopia 2,” $1.4 million.
