SCREAM

Billy Loomis is one of the main antagonists in the original Scream (1996), but it didn't start that way. Played by Skeet Ulrich, he starts off as Sidney Prescott's sweet and slightly broody boyfriend, but—plot twist—he’s actually one of the Ghostface killers. Along with his buddy Stu Macher, Billy goes on a murder spree in Woodsboro. Why? Well, Billy’s got some serious mommy issues. He’s mad because Sidney’s mom had an affair with his dad, which caused his mom to leave. So, he decides to take revenge in the most over-the-top, slasher-movie way possible. He’s sneaky, charming, and totally unhinged, making him one of the most memorable villains in horror history.

Stu Macher is the goofy, over-the-top best friend of Billy Loomis and the second Ghostface killer in the original Scream (1996). Played by Matthew Lillard, Stu is all about chaotic energy, delivering hilarious one-liners even while, you know, murdering people. He helps Billy with the killing spree in Woodsboro, mostly because he’s easily influenced and thinks it’s "fun." He has some of the most iconic lines in the entire franchise, as you’ll see below, and quickly became a fan fave.

Mickey Altieri is one of the Ghostface killers in Scream 2 (1997), played by Timothy Olyphant. He starts off as a charming, film-obsessed college student and one of Sidney Prescott’s friends, but he’s secretly a psychotic killer with a twisted plan. Mickey’s motive is all about fame. He wants to get caught for the murders so he can blame violent movies and spark a media frenzy, turning his trial into a spectacle. He’s smart, calculating, and totally unhinged, making him a dangerous and memorable villain. Plus, his love for horror movies adds a fun, meta twist to the story.

Mrs. Loomis, aka Debbie Salt, is the surprise mastermind behind the killings in Scream 2 (1997). She’s Billy Loomis’s mom, and she’s out for revenge against Sidney Prescott for killing her son in the first movie. Disguised as a nosy reporter, she teams up with Mickey to carry out her plan. Reminiscent of Psycho’s Mrs. Bates—she’s polite on the surface but hiding a terrifying secret. Her big reveal is a jaw-dropper, and her over-the-top dedication to avenging Billy makes her one of the wildest villains in the series. Definitely one of the more memorable Ghost Face reveals.

Roman Bridger is the main villain in Scream 3 and the only Ghostface to work solo. Played by Scott Foley, he’s a Hollywood director and Sidney Prescott’s secret half-brother. His motive is all about revenge because their mom, Maureen Prescott, rejected him and left him feeling abandoned. Roman takes things to the next level by revealing he was the one who set Billy and Stu on their killing spree in the first movie, making him the mastermind behind everything (so far, at least.) He’s dramatic, sneaky, and loves a good twist, which fits perfectly with the Hollywood vibe of the film.

Jill Roberts is the main Ghostface in Scream 4 and Sidney Prescott’s jealous cousin. Played by Emma Roberts, she’s different from other Ghost faces because her motive is pure narcissism. Jill wants to be the new Sidney, stealing her fame by surviving a massacre she orchestrates herself. Unlike Ghost Faces in previous films, Jill’s all about social media and fame. She’s ruthless, manipulative, and even tries to frame her friends to make herself look like the ultimate victim. She delivers an epic monologue that showcases Robert’s ability to switch on a dime, going from martyr to murderer in seconds.

Charlie Walker is the other Ghostface killer in Scream 4 and a film nerd who’s obsessed with horror movies. Played by Rory Culkin, he’s like a modern-day Stu Macher, helping Jill Roberts with her plan to stage a new massacre. Charlie’s motive is tied to his love of movies and his unrequited crush on Jill, but she double-crosses him in the end. You almost sympathize with him, until you remember he is a blood thirsty monster. He’s smart and sneaky but ultimately gets outplayed, making him one of the more tragic if not pathetic Ghost Face killers.

Richie Kirsch is one of the Ghostface killers in Scream (2022) and Sam Carpenter’s seemingly sweet boyfriend (haven’t we seen this before?). Played by Jack Quaid, Richie pretends to be clueless about horror movies but is secretly a die-hard fan of the Stab franchise. His motive is to "fix" the series by creating a new, "better" story with real-life killings. Richie is manipulative, obsessive, and a total fanboy, making him a mix of Billy Loomis’s charm and Mickey’s movie obsession. He somehow brings something new to the table while still paying homage to the classic Ghost Face killers.

Amber Freeman is one of the Ghostface killers in Scream (2022) and Tara Carpenter’s best friend. Played by Mikey Madison, she’s a hardcore Stab fan who teams up with Richie Kirsch to create a "requel" by orchestrating real murders. Amber is unhinged just like the rest of them, fiercely loyal to Richie, and has a fiery temper—literally, since she meets her end in a fiery blaze after being set on fire and shot during the final showdown.

Wayne Bailey is one of the Ghostface killers in Scream VI, and one of the more surprising reveals. Played by Dermot Mulroney, he’s a New York City cop revealed to be the vengeful father of Richie Kirsch, teaming up with his two kids to avenge Richie’s death. We love family bonding, but this is next level weird. Wayne is calculated and ruthless, using his position as a cop to manipulate the investigation in ways other Ghost Faces could not. Unlike most of the other killers, he’s driven by family loyalty, making him similar to Mrs. Loomis in that regard.

Ethan Landry is one of the Ghostface killers in Scream VI and a shy, nerdy college student. Played by Jack Champion, he’s secretly part of the Bailey family and helps his dad, Wayne, and sister, Quinn, carry out their revenge plot for Richie’s death. Ethan hides behind his awkward persona but reveals a brutal and unhinged side when unmasked. He reminds us of Charlie Walker’s geeky cover with a streak of Stu Macher’s chaotic energy. He ultimately meets his gruesome end when Kirby crushes him with a TV, echoing Stu Macher’s death in an iconic callback.

Quinn is one of the Ghostface killers in Scream VI and the daughter of Detective Wayne Bailey. Played by Liana Liberato, she fakes her death early in the movie to throw everyone off and secretly helps her family carry out their revenge for Richie’s death. This twist is classic Scream, but was totally unpredictable to most fans. Quinn is cunning and plays the role of the carefree roommate perfectly, but when unmasked, she’s as vicious as the rest of her family. She ultimately meets her demise like her brother, sans epic callback.

Sidney Prescott is the ultimate final girl of the Scream franchise, played by Neve Campbell. She’s the smart, tough, and resourceful survivor who takes on Ghostface in Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), and Scream (2022). What a long time to run from the Ghost Face, and win! From high school to Hollywood and back to Woodsboro, Sidney faces every Ghostface killer with wit and determination, proving time and again why she’s the queen of horror. Her final scene in Scream (2022) shows her walking away from the chaos, ready to leave the Ghostface nightmare behind. As of now, Sidney is not confirmed to appear in Scream 7.

Gale Weathers is the sharp-tongued, ambitious reporter-turned-author in the Scream franchise, played by Courteney Cox. She’s been in every movie: Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), and Scream VI (2023). Known for her intelligence, loyalty, and interesting hair choices, Gale often finds herself in the middle of the Ghostface chaos, balancing her career with moments of unexpected heroism. In her final scene in Scream VI, Gale survives a brutal attack and is last seen recovering in the hospital. While her return for Scream 7 hasn’t been officially confirmed, fans are hopeful she’ll be back to face Ghostface once more.

Deputy Sheriff Dewey Riley is the lovable, clumsy, yet brave lawman of the Scream franchise, played by David Arquette. He appears in Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Scream 4 (2011), and Scream (2022). Dewey is known for his big heart, his on-again, off-again romance with Gale Weathers, and his knack for surviving Ghostface attacks—until he doesn’t. In Scream (2022), Dewey heroically faces Ghostface one last time but tragically dies in a brutal showdown that gutted fans (haha). Since his character was off’d, Dewey will obviously not be in Scream 7, though his legacy lives on in the series as well as spoofs and spin-offs.

Newer to the group is Samantha Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera, the new lead of the Scream franchise in Sydney’s absence and the daughter of original Ghostface killer Billy Loomis. She appears in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), grappling with her dark family legacy while protecting her sister, Tara. In Scream VI, Sam defeats the latest Ghostface killers and walks away with Tara, leaving her father’s Ghostface mask behind, symbolizing her rejection of his legacy. It’s highly likely Sam will return to continue her story in the new film.

Tara Carpenter, played by horror icon Jenna Ortega, is the witty and tough younger sister of Sam Carpenter. She appears in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), surviving brutal Ghostface attacks while proving she’s no easy target. Much like her big sis, she is likely to return in the new film much to fan’s excitement. We know that she is a fan fave, and cannot wait to see how her character has developed since we last saw her on the big screen.

Kirby Reed, played by Hayden Panettiere, is the horror-savvy, sarcastic fan favorite of the Scream franchise. In Scream 4 (2011), she’s a high schooler with a love for scary movies, delivering some of the film’s most memorable lines. She’s attacked by Ghostface in a tense scene where she tries to save her crush, Charlie, only to be betrayed and stabbed by him in a classic Scream twist. The horror trivia she is forced to play in her showdown for the killer calls out many iconic horror films, paying respect in the meta way the franchise often does with chilling delivery. Though her fate was left ambiguous, Scream VI (2023) confirms she survived and is now an FBI agent, using her past trauma to hunt down Ghostface. We are likely to see her come back for the new film.

“Do you like scary movies?” (Scream, 1996)

The opening line of Ghostface’s call to Casey Becker is easily an iconic fave, and became the Ghost Face catchphrase. Casey, played by Drew Barrymore, has a shocking death in the first 15 minutes that set the tone for the entire series shortly after.

“It’s a scream, baby” (Scream, 1996)

Stu delivers this line during the chaotic climax where he and Billy reveal themselves as the Ghostface killers. The line is a darkly comedic nod to the film’s title and its self-aware tone, and showcased Matthew Lillard’s ability to portray a total maniac.

"No, please don't kill me Mr. Ghostface , I wanna be in the sequel!" (Scream, 1996)

Tatum initially thinks it’s a prank and mocks the killer, playfully taunting him with this line. However, the situation quickly turns deadly when Ghostface attacks her. You might also recognize it as a viral Tik Tok sound.

"History repeats itself, hmm, Sidney?" (Scream 2, 1997)

Spoken by Mickey Altieri, one of the Ghostface killers, during the climactic showdown in the theater. He taunts Sidney with this line, emphasizing how the killings are a deliberate attempt to recreate the original massacre.

"This is the part where you scream!" (Scream 4, 2011)

Yelled by Ghost Face to terrify his next victim. Not only is this line creepy, it highlights the trademark twisted humor and meta-commentary the masked killer is known for, film after film.

"Tell Sidney heads are going to roll tonight! Tell Sidney it's all because of her!" (Scream 4, 2011)

Spoken by Ghostface during a phone call with Jenny Randall and Marnie Cooper in the film’s opening sequence. This scene sets the tone for the movie, blending suspense, brutality, and the franchise’s signature meta-humor.