With SCREAM VI now in cinemas (The Reaper has seen it and his black heart loved it), now seems a good time to rank the previous psychos who’ve donned the infamous Ghostface mask and robe.
Spoilers ahead obviously, and this doesn’t include the freshest murderer or murderers in cinemas now.
9. ROMAN
Sorry bro. The sole killer in SCREAM 3, Sidney’s half-brother, Roman had to deliver a load of Maureen Prescott-related exposition and while he had a point… he just came across as whiny. SCREAM ’22 went to great pains to say Billy Loomis started the whole thing, solidfying how much Roman has been forgotten.
8. CHARLIE
I just can’t get past his hair, imagine that in a Ghostface mask! One half of SCREAM 4’s killer duo, Charlie is a horror-mad teen – he’s the Stu to Jill’s Billy and meets a similar fate. Love his “Because I’m standing in the closet” scene, and subsequent mutilation of Olivia.
7. RICHIE
Jack Quaid’s performance elevates the character of Richie, the boyfriend/STAB fanatic at the heart of SCREAM ’22 who takes on the idea of toxic fandom. “123 NoFuckingWay Lane” is a highlight, and while his reveal isn’t entirely surprising it does lead to another great line and delivery – “It’s time to start staging the BODIES!”
6. AMBER
Richie’s partner in crime, Mikey Madison turns the crazy up to 11 once the cat is out of the bag. Her pleading to Sidney and Gale in the finale is fantastic, but she killed Dewey so she can’t be higher. She fucking killed Dewey, man.
5. MICKEY
Props to Mickey for being part of Sidney’s friend group while Ghostfacin’ it up (seriously, who else has done that after him?), Timothy Olyphant is a treasure but his whole “gonna blame the movies” defence? Yeesh. But plus points for actually unmasking as part of his reveal, and it hitting like a freight train!
4. JILL
Sidney’s fame-hungry cousin, Emma Roberts tore up the screen in SCREAM 4 and then for good measure punched herself, pulled her own hair out and fell back-first onto a glass table. And she woulda got away with it too, if it wasn’t for that pesky Sidney!
3. MRS LOOMIS
“Billy’s MOTHER! Great twist, huh? Didn’t see it coming, did ya?” No Mickey we didn’t, with SCREAM 2’s obnoxious reporter Debbie Salt revealed to be the second Ghostface, killer of Randy, and mother of the one and only Billy Loomis. Laurie Metcalf leaves no scenery unchewed, just look at her crazy eyes while she’s monologuing.
2. STU
The second Ghostface in SCREAM is a certified nutjob, played with relish by Matthew Lillard – there’s no switch here, he comes across as just as unhinged before he’s revealed to be a killer! Billy’s partner/friend/lover (come on), Stu is an essential part of the classic original. “You better liver alone!”
1. BILLY
It had to be. A Ghostface so good they can’t leave him be, Skeet Ulrich set the standard for what a killer should be in this series. Slippery, untrustworthy, cherry-popping, imminently quotable and completely psychotic Billy Loomis is my number one.
Altogether now…
“Movies don’t create psychos, movies make psychos more creative!”
