Ranking the Scream movies’ opening scenes before Scream VI hits theaters

The arrival of a new Scream movie this weekend — the sixth in the franchise — means more quips, more jump scares and of course another iteration of the thing the Scream franchise has become most known for: the iconic opening scene. Since the series debuted in 1996, the Scream series has been starting its films off with a bang, or rather a slash, as the knife-wielding Ghostface terrorizes and then ultimately kills their first victim and sets the story into motion.

Last year, the franchise was brought back to life with a fresh, young cast of sardonic teens using their encyclopedic knowledge of horror films to try and guess who was behind the Ghostface mask. The reboot was so well-received from audiences that we’ve got Scream VI releasing this weekend with another reportedly on the way in early 2024.

To get you ready for the latest installment, we’ve ranked the five terrifying opening scenes and even hooked you up with links to watch all five scenes (WARNING: these scenes all contain violent content).

Where will the newest installment rank? We’ll find out this weekend.