Ghostfaces, Ranked

Gizmodo · Feb 17, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Horror fans always have their favorite killers: Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Chucky. For years, those were the biggest names in the game. But then, in 1996, writer Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven created a new horror icon. One that anyone in the cast could be. The game was changed. We’re talking, of course, about Ghostface, the killer at the heart of the Scream franchise. The seventh entry in the series, Scream 7, opens later this month, and to celebrate, we decided to look back at Ghostface in all of his (or her) theatrical iterations. The beauty of Ghostface and part of what makes Scream such a unique and fun horror franchise is that it’s both a scary slasher movie and a wild whodunnit. The films are built to keep us guessing as to who is behind the mask until the very end, when all is revealed. Sometimes it makes sense. Other times, it does not. And below, we’re ranking all the Ghostface killers leading into this seventh installment. Dermot Mulroney as Wayne in Scream 6. – Paramount 6. Wayne, Ethan, and Quinn in Scream 6 Scream 6 was only released three years ago, but I had to really look back to remember who Ghostface was. It turns out it was three people (Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato), an entire family that decided to get revenge on Sam and Tara after the sisters killed their brother, Richie, the killer in the previous film. It’s a weak motivation compared to the rest of the franchise, and that it took three people to try and fool us was unique but ultimately not particularly satisfying. Image: Paramount 5. Richie and Amber in Scream 5 Slightly more satisfying was the reveal that Richie (Jack Quaid), the new boyfriend of main character Sam, was Ghostface, along with his accomplice Amber, played by Anora Oscar winner Mikey Madison. The idea of going back to one mastermind and his underling, like the original, was good, and the fact that Richie was a super fanboy of the Stab movies, mad that they’d gotten stale, was a stroke of timely genius. This one falls down the list just a bit because, well, it’s the fifth one. Laurie Metcalf in Scream 2. – Dimension 4. Mickey and Nancy in Scream 2 We’re torn about this one. On the one hand, Nancy (Laurie Metcalf) wanting to kill Sidney makes almost the most sense of anyone in the franchise. She’s Billy’s mom, and she’s pissed about his death. However, the fact that she recruited a crazy film student in Mickey (Timothy Olyphant), who certainly fit the overall framework of the franchise, was almost too easy. He was basically just Billy 2. So while we love the reveal of her as puppet master, this is our least favorite pairing of the original four. Emma Roberts and Ghostface. – Dimension Films 3. Charlie and Jill in Scream 4 Call me crazy, but I’m just a sucker for this duo. Each is working from their own motivations. Each seems to believe they’re a little more deserving and smarter than the other. And, eventually, Jill (Emma Roberts) proves she actually is by killing and framing Charlie (Rory Culkin). They’re a clever, unexpected duo, but Jill’s plan to be the killer as well as the famous, sole survivor was one of the franchise’s best reveals ever. It’s just so devilish and fortuitous. © Dimension 2. Billy and Stu in Scream It’s hard to top the originals, but we think this duo eventually got outdone. It’s close, though. Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu (Matthew Lillard) were a perfect pair. Complimentary. Brutal. Completely insane. Their motivations—getting back at Sidney for the wrong her mom had done and just being psycho—were as simple and clean as any others to come. They also came up with the idea of the Ghostface mask, the voice changer, and the obsession with movies. They’re great killers. But we think just slightly below the crown. Image: Miramax 1. Roman in Scream 3 This might be controversial, but I believe the argument is strong. Roman Bridger, played by Scott Foley, is the reason all this happened in the first place. First, we learn it was he who nudged Billy Loomis to try to kill Sidney in the first movie, revealing to him everything Maureen Prescott had done. A great tie back. Second, the fact that his mere existence is a slap in the face gives him arguably the best motivation out of everyone: jealousy. Sidney had the family he never could have. And, most importantly, he did all the Ghostface stuff by himself while also directing a movie about himself. Talk about a multitasker. Scream 3 isn’t the best of the Scream movies, but, in terms of a Ghostface, it’s hard to top. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.