Film Preview: Scream (2022)

Film Poster

Page Revisions:

(October 17, 2021) Original
(December 19, 2021) Revised Summary
(January 9, 2022) New Posters (#3-#19)
(January 16, 2022) New Trailer (#2) — New Posters (#20-#22)

Release Date:

January 14, 2022

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “Twenty-five years after the original series of murders in Woodsboro, a new killer emerges, and Sidney Prescott must return to uncover the truth.”

Poster Rating: C / C- / C+ / B- / C+ (12) / B / B- / C+ / B (3)

SEE ALL POSTERS BELOW
Review: (#1) It’s clear that Ghostface is back, but he looks the same, so perhaps not the most effective advertising effort. (#2) A tacky and cheap-looking attempt to re-sell the Scream franchise.

(#3) A scream mask made up of tinier scream masks is an attempt at meta that doesn’t quite work. (#4) The hazy scream mask in the background isn’t very interesting, nor is the appearance of a knife, but the reflection in the knife is at least a somewhat creative attempt. (#5-#16) This series of character posters has some measure of creativity in it, though they are all fairly bland overall designs. The subtle changes to color add a little extra to the series. (#17) Bringing everyone together in shadow is a wonderful touch with the dark, gloomy aesthetic selling a chilling tell. This is a decently well done design, though some of the elements (such as the lower third) don’t entirely work. (#18) I like the attempt at creativity, but it doesn’t do enough overall. (#19) This isn’t a particularly interesting design and the crumbling scream mask would suggest something other than what it does. We know this is an attempt to refresh the series while the poster suggests it’s the end of the series. Probably not the conflicting idea they were looking for.

(#20-#22) This trio of posters are a reference to popular horror styles and designs of the past and for horror enthusiasts, they are something worth looking at. For everyone else, they aren’t much.

Trailer Rating: B / C

SEE ALL TRAILERS BELOW
Review: (#1) While some of the characters, perhaps the most important ones, are back, the trailer stumbles through the premise without finding a cohesive connection. That lack of inventiveness might be a result of the original creator being dead.

(#2) The plaudits are over-the-top for a film that shouldn’t have to rely on critic praise to sell itself. The lack of horror elements might even serve to diminish interest.