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Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror
From debut author Ashley Cullins, the definitive story of the Scream movie franchise, with dozens of exclusive interviews from key players and an in-depth exploration of the creation and legacy of the iconic films that rebooted a dying genre.
Its been nearly three decades since Drew Barrymore's iconic scream first pierced through the night, popcorn burning abandoned on the stove, blood soaking her beige sweater and blonde bob, but Scream is as popular today as ever before.
In Your Favorite Scary Movie, journalist Ashley Cullins examines the history and making of the Scream films with behind-the-scenes insight from the movies' cast and creators (including gleeful descriptions of the backstage summer camp-like atmosphere, and producers threatening to pull the film's funding because early footage wasn't scary.... at all) and sharp analysis on how the movies' special blend of gruesome violence and humorous self-awareness completely rewrote the horror movie playbook.
Perfect for fans of Scream, horror movies, and general film buffs, this is the story of how a little movie about a ghost-faced killer terrorizing highschoolers overcame countless obstacles to become a historic success that still has audiences screaming over twenty-five years later.
Its been nearly three decades since Drew Barrymore's iconic scream first pierced through the night, popcorn burning abandoned on the stove, blood soaking her beige sweater and blonde bob, but Scream is as popular today as ever before.
In Your Favorite Scary Movie, journalist Ashley Cullins examines the history and making of the Scream films with behind-the-scenes insight from the movies' cast and creators (including gleeful descriptions of the backstage summer camp-like atmosphere, and producers threatening to pull the film's funding because early footage wasn't scary.... at all) and sharp analysis on how the movies' special blend of gruesome violence and humorous self-awareness completely rewrote the horror movie playbook.
Perfect for fans of Scream, horror movies, and general film buffs, this is the story of how a little movie about a ghost-faced killer terrorizing highschoolers overcame countless obstacles to become a historic success that still has audiences screaming over twenty-five years later.
340 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2025
482 people are currently reading
9780 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Cullins
1 book55 followersAshley Cullins is an award-winning entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. After graduating with a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School, Ashley began her career in broadcast news before making the jump to print.
Your Favorite Scary Movie is her first book.
Your Favorite Scary Movie is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 764 reviews
July 2, 2025
No, please don't kill me, Mr. Ghostface. I wanna be in the sequel!
Scream fans, put your seatbelt on because we are diving deep. This book explores the entire Scream franchise in-depth, beginning with a brief history on writer Kevin Williamson and a brief history on the slasher genre, specifically how it flourished in the 70’s and 80’s before coming to a halt as we moved in to the 90’s. It analyzes how the franchise revived a genre that people were growing weary of and how the films were able to subvert the public opinion. Included inside are in-depth interviews with writers, creators, and cast members of the show; behind-the-scenes “footage”; insights into what went in to each film and how they were made, the casting, the messy and the glamorous.
It goes without saying that if you love the Scream movies, then this book is for you but it’s also for fans of the slasher film genre; aspiring screenwriters; admirers of the iconic Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven; or anyone who is interested in learning more about how film and/or horror actually work.
I really admired Your Favorite Scary Movie for the way it memorialized Wes and his brilliant mind. So a big round of applause to Cullins for pulling off this wonderful, well-researched book. It does nothing but affirm my love for Scream. And though it should go without saying, there are spoilers for the whole franchise in here so maybe watch the movies first :)
“Whether the franchise ends with Scream 7, Scream 17, or Scream 75, as long as it continues to play by its own rules, lightning will continue to strike. Some of the Scream rules are obvious: You need Ghostface, but Ghostface can’t win. You need a creative opening sequence and an equally clever reveal. It’s a slasher, so people have to die. It needs to be funny enough to defuse some of the tension, but not to the point of lowering the stakes. There needs to be a reason why this particular movie is happening now and some kind of commentary on the culture at that moment. And while Scream wouldn’t be Scream without the killers, at the end of the day they’re survivor stories.”
P.S. if Lillard’s character gets revived in Scream 7, I will NEVER shut up about it #LillardForever
My personal favorite films of the franchise in order: 1, 6, 5, 2, 3, 4 (though depending on the day you ask me, I may rank 5 above 6). Who else will be brave enough to post theirs? Let’s chat 🔪🩸
Thank you Dutton Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Aug 19 2025. *Quotes are pulled from an advanced reader copy and are subject to change prior to publication*
Scream fans, put your seatbelt on because we are diving deep. This book explores the entire Scream franchise in-depth, beginning with a brief history on writer Kevin Williamson and a brief history on the slasher genre, specifically how it flourished in the 70’s and 80’s before coming to a halt as we moved in to the 90’s. It analyzes how the franchise revived a genre that people were growing weary of and how the films were able to subvert the public opinion. Included inside are in-depth interviews with writers, creators, and cast members of the show; behind-the-scenes “footage”; insights into what went in to each film and how they were made, the casting, the messy and the glamorous.
It goes without saying that if you love the Scream movies, then this book is for you but it’s also for fans of the slasher film genre; aspiring screenwriters; admirers of the iconic Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven; or anyone who is interested in learning more about how film and/or horror actually work.
I really admired Your Favorite Scary Movie for the way it memorialized Wes and his brilliant mind. So a big round of applause to Cullins for pulling off this wonderful, well-researched book. It does nothing but affirm my love for Scream. And though it should go without saying, there are spoilers for the whole franchise in here so maybe watch the movies first :)
“Whether the franchise ends with Scream 7, Scream 17, or Scream 75, as long as it continues to play by its own rules, lightning will continue to strike. Some of the Scream rules are obvious: You need Ghostface, but Ghostface can’t win. You need a creative opening sequence and an equally clever reveal. It’s a slasher, so people have to die. It needs to be funny enough to defuse some of the tension, but not to the point of lowering the stakes. There needs to be a reason why this particular movie is happening now and some kind of commentary on the culture at that moment. And while Scream wouldn’t be Scream without the killers, at the end of the day they’re survivor stories.”
P.S. if Lillard’s character gets revived in Scream 7, I will NEVER shut up about it #LillardForever
My personal favorite films of the franchise in order: 1, 6, 5, 2, 3, 4 (though depending on the day you ask me, I may rank 5 above 6). Who else will be brave enough to post theirs? Let’s chat 🔪🩸
Thank you Dutton Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Aug 19 2025. *Quotes are pulled from an advanced reader copy and are subject to change prior to publication*
August 11, 2025
As a Scream fan I loved reading about the experiences and challenges of making each Scream film in the franchise. Also as a Scream fan I hated Melissa Barrera’s firing (for posting Free Palestine on Instagram) being so glossed over. Ashley, wdym you have pages and pages to write about the bullshit of Hollywood when it comes to the budget, the music, valuing the writer, etc and then sum up Melissa’s firing in a page or two and then try to skirt the issue and appease with “well a lot of people didn’t think she did anything that she couldn’t be talked to about”? I’m going to move on before I get too mad but I was wondering how Melissa’s firing would be talked about the whole book. I would have been pissed if it hadn’t been brought up but I’m also pretty pissed that it’s essentially treated like a footnote, along with Jenna Ortega and the chosen director (at the time) Chris Landon walking away from the franchise as a result. It doesn’t sit right with me how that section was treated overall. But I can’t act like this book isn’t well researched or wasn’t engaging to read, I was truly enjoying myself up to Scream 7. I’m sure I’ll be chalked up to a bitter fan, hand waved away with “well you can’t make everyone happy”. And true, you can’t. But as a horror fan it burns my butter because even though people want to say it isn’t, horror is political. Horror is often used as a way to criticize and expose that which is wrong in the world, and Scream is included. To fire your main star for speaking out against injustice in the world is a disservice to the genre itself. Again, I’m sure a lot of people will roll their eyes at this review and claim it’s not that deep. But it’s deep to me because I am a fan and I really did care about and enjoy the Scream franchise. I learned so much about the movies and I enjoyed that, I love learning about how movies are made and with Scream everything felt so meta on meta on meta which was fun.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2025
ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤, 𝘪’𝘮 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵—𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪’𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦. ੈ✩‧₊˚
This isn’t just a collection of facts—it’s a love letter. A personal tribute to a franchise that redefined a genre, to the legacy of Wes Craven, and to the iconic voice of Kevin Williamson. Together, they weren’t just collaborators; they were storytellers who poured heart, wit, and fearless creativity into every frame. Their work didn’t just thrill us—it stayed with us. It shaped a generation of horror fans and left a legacy that still echoes, sharp and unforgettable.
If you're a fan of the Scream franchise, this one's definitely worth checking out. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or offer anything groundbreaking, but there's something incredibly satisfying about the way it's written. It feels like slipping back into something familiar—like reuniting with old friends.
Yes, it treads familiar ground, but that’s part of its charm. It’s a fun, nostalgic read that taps into the heart of what makes the franchise so beloved. Almost comforting, in a weird, stabby kind of way.
It’s not trying to be the next big thing—it just wants to celebrate what already exists. And for fans like me, that’s more than enough.
𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘋𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘯 | 𝘗𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐
This isn’t just a collection of facts—it’s a love letter. A personal tribute to a franchise that redefined a genre, to the legacy of Wes Craven, and to the iconic voice of Kevin Williamson. Together, they weren’t just collaborators; they were storytellers who poured heart, wit, and fearless creativity into every frame. Their work didn’t just thrill us—it stayed with us. It shaped a generation of horror fans and left a legacy that still echoes, sharp and unforgettable.
If you're a fan of the Scream franchise, this one's definitely worth checking out. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or offer anything groundbreaking, but there's something incredibly satisfying about the way it's written. It feels like slipping back into something familiar—like reuniting with old friends.
Yes, it treads familiar ground, but that’s part of its charm. It’s a fun, nostalgic read that taps into the heart of what makes the franchise so beloved. Almost comforting, in a weird, stabby kind of way.
It’s not trying to be the next big thing—it just wants to celebrate what already exists. And for fans like me, that’s more than enough.
𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘋𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘯 | 𝘗𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐
August 1, 2025
Pub Date is August 19th!
I remember when the first “Scream” hit the theaters and changed my life. I was OBSESSED. My locker at school was decorated with photos of the cast. Throughout the years, some of my closest and most beloved friends have ended up in my life due to a shared affinity for Sidney and the gang, and an undeniable enthusiasm for all things Ghostface. I have the costume as well, (the robe is SUPER comfortable) and various decor around the house because it just makes me happy. These movies have been a part of our lives for so long at this point!
First of all, amazing cover. Second, I might mention a couple of things in this review that are spoilery for the sequels. I’m assuming, though, that if you’re planning to read this book then you’re probably caught up on the franchise. (And the book is not shy about going into detail about the plots of all of the films, btw.)
It’s really cool that this author got to talk to almost EVERYONE involved in making “Scream” 1-6! Kevin Williamson, all of the original cast members and many people from behind the scenes are interviewed at length and quoted directly. It’s not strictly just interviews, though, as Ashley Cullins did SO MUCH research into each installment and found out lots of fun stories and interesting facts about what went into the production and development. (There’s some drama, too.) Cullins’ own love for the franchise is clear, and she writes with respect and appreciation.
Wes Craven sounds like an absolute sweetheart and a complete professional. There’s a whole chapter dedicated just to him, but you’ll get lots of quotes and info about his process and how he ran a set throughout the whole book. It was no surprise at all that the Weinsteins were a nightmare to work with, and actively made the production more difficult for everyone. (Consistently, throughout multiple films.)
I enjoyed every minute of reading this and tried not to fly through it. It felt like revisiting something that’s been a comfort to me for a long time, while also peering behind the curtain to get a closer look at the magic. I learned a LOT of things I wasn’t aware of, and I feel like I know so much more about the franchise.
One of many examples: Apparently, the original plan for part 5 was to have Jill survive and go to college. She is my least favorite character and she honestly kind of ruined 4 for me. It’s the only installment I don’t love watching. No offense to Kevin Williamson, but I’m relieved that didn’t happen! And I want to note that my disdain for 4 has absolutely NOTHING to do with the direction. It’s the dialogue, the new characters (with the exception of Kirby), and the killers.
I fully stand by my 5 stars and I recommend this HIGHLY, but there were a couple of things that irked me on a personal level. (*Not the author’s fault, really. Mostly just stuff related to the content.)
- I like 5 and 6 quite a bit, but I felt like the filmmakers were patting themselves on the back a little too hard in those interviews. Everyone who made the first four movies was proud of what they did, of course, but there was also a sense of community and respect for the craft and everything that I really liked. Once the book got to parts 5 and 6 the tone shifted and it felt like they were just bragging about how awesome their own ideas were.
- Cullins addressed the situation with Neve not being offered enough money to do part 6, and not only do the filmmakers make it sound like the movie ended up better off without her, they say things like: “The luckiest thing to happen to them on 6 was to not have the baggage of Sidney Prescott.” Look, the movie was good but get your head out of your ass.
- The book tries to claim that Jenna Ortega backing out of 7 wasn’t related to Melissa Barrera being fired, but I think we all know the truth.
- A note for all books, TV shows and whatever else going forward: I think it’s okay for people to stop asking Eli Roth for his opinion on everything horror related.
In case you’re wondering, yes: Cullins does talk to both Neve and Kevin Williamson about the upcoming installment, part 7! They can’t go into a lot of detail, but they do provide some interesting insight into what they’re planning. It feels like Cullins was working on this book right up until the very last possible minute.
I think that anyone who loves “Scream” would really enjoy this book and get a lot out of it! I feel even closer to Ghostface now than I did before. I will be buying a physical copy for at least one friend.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
I remember when the first “Scream” hit the theaters and changed my life. I was OBSESSED. My locker at school was decorated with photos of the cast. Throughout the years, some of my closest and most beloved friends have ended up in my life due to a shared affinity for Sidney and the gang, and an undeniable enthusiasm for all things Ghostface. I have the costume as well, (the robe is SUPER comfortable) and various decor around the house because it just makes me happy. These movies have been a part of our lives for so long at this point!
First of all, amazing cover. Second, I might mention a couple of things in this review that are spoilery for the sequels. I’m assuming, though, that if you’re planning to read this book then you’re probably caught up on the franchise. (And the book is not shy about going into detail about the plots of all of the films, btw.)
It’s really cool that this author got to talk to almost EVERYONE involved in making “Scream” 1-6! Kevin Williamson, all of the original cast members and many people from behind the scenes are interviewed at length and quoted directly. It’s not strictly just interviews, though, as Ashley Cullins did SO MUCH research into each installment and found out lots of fun stories and interesting facts about what went into the production and development. (There’s some drama, too.) Cullins’ own love for the franchise is clear, and she writes with respect and appreciation.
Wes Craven sounds like an absolute sweetheart and a complete professional. There’s a whole chapter dedicated just to him, but you’ll get lots of quotes and info about his process and how he ran a set throughout the whole book. It was no surprise at all that the Weinsteins were a nightmare to work with, and actively made the production more difficult for everyone. (Consistently, throughout multiple films.)
I enjoyed every minute of reading this and tried not to fly through it. It felt like revisiting something that’s been a comfort to me for a long time, while also peering behind the curtain to get a closer look at the magic. I learned a LOT of things I wasn’t aware of, and I feel like I know so much more about the franchise.
One of many examples: Apparently, the original plan for part 5 was to have Jill survive and go to college. She is my least favorite character and she honestly kind of ruined 4 for me. It’s the only installment I don’t love watching. No offense to Kevin Williamson, but I’m relieved that didn’t happen! And I want to note that my disdain for 4 has absolutely NOTHING to do with the direction. It’s the dialogue, the new characters (with the exception of Kirby), and the killers.
I fully stand by my 5 stars and I recommend this HIGHLY, but there were a couple of things that irked me on a personal level. (*Not the author’s fault, really. Mostly just stuff related to the content.)
- I like 5 and 6 quite a bit, but I felt like the filmmakers were patting themselves on the back a little too hard in those interviews. Everyone who made the first four movies was proud of what they did, of course, but there was also a sense of community and respect for the craft and everything that I really liked. Once the book got to parts 5 and 6 the tone shifted and it felt like they were just bragging about how awesome their own ideas were.
- Cullins addressed the situation with Neve not being offered enough money to do part 6, and not only do the filmmakers make it sound like the movie ended up better off without her, they say things like: “The luckiest thing to happen to them on 6 was to not have the baggage of Sidney Prescott.” Look, the movie was good but get your head out of your ass.
- The book tries to claim that Jenna Ortega backing out of 7 wasn’t related to Melissa Barrera being fired, but I think we all know the truth.
- A note for all books, TV shows and whatever else going forward: I think it’s okay for people to stop asking Eli Roth for his opinion on everything horror related.
In case you’re wondering, yes: Cullins does talk to both Neve and Kevin Williamson about the upcoming installment, part 7! They can’t go into a lot of detail, but they do provide some interesting insight into what they’re planning. It feels like Cullins was working on this book right up until the very last possible minute.
I think that anyone who loves “Scream” would really enjoy this book and get a lot out of it! I feel even closer to Ghostface now than I did before. I will be buying a physical copy for at least one friend.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
August 1, 2025
" Movies don't create psychos, movies make psychos more creative. "
while I'm not big on nonfiction, as a die hard Scream & horror fan I knew I had to get my hands on this! I rewatch the entire franchise every year. ghostface, in my opinion, is the best horror icon in the game & he will always hold a special place in my heart so I was super excited when I got approved for the arc!
this is not just a love letter to the scream franchise it's ✨THE✨ Love Letter to scream, to the legacy of Wes Craven & a tribute to a franchise that revived a dying genre. this is a deep dive into the franchise with interviews from the actors in front of the camera & the crew behind the camera (directors, writers, producers etc), behind the scenes details, & the journey of how Scream came to be.
Ashley Cullins really poured love into this. Wes Craven has been involved with a lot of big horror films. Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House on the Left etc... a lot of these are my comfort or "guilty pleasure" movies that I always find myself gravitating towards. Wes Craven will forever be an icon in the horror genre & I loved learning more about him & seeing how much he was loved & adored.
if you're a scream fan, this is a must have for your collection!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
while I'm not big on nonfiction, as a die hard Scream & horror fan I knew I had to get my hands on this! I rewatch the entire franchise every year. ghostface, in my opinion, is the best horror icon in the game & he will always hold a special place in my heart so I was super excited when I got approved for the arc!
this is not just a love letter to the scream franchise it's ✨THE✨ Love Letter to scream, to the legacy of Wes Craven & a tribute to a franchise that revived a dying genre. this is a deep dive into the franchise with interviews from the actors in front of the camera & the crew behind the camera (directors, writers, producers etc), behind the scenes details, & the journey of how Scream came to be.
Ashley Cullins really poured love into this. Wes Craven has been involved with a lot of big horror films. Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House on the Left etc... a lot of these are my comfort or "guilty pleasure" movies that I always find myself gravitating towards. Wes Craven will forever be an icon in the horror genre & I loved learning more about him & seeing how much he was loved & adored.
if you're a scream fan, this is a must have for your collection!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
March 23, 2025
ARC for review. To be published August 19, 2025.
4 stars
A deep dive into the “Scream” franchise of six movies, soon to be seven (I had no idea there were so many. I only saw the first three.) This is perfect for fans as each movie is handled nicely (with the first, relatively groundbreaking film given the most space, as is only right) and each installment seems to be treated fairly, regardless of which is your favorite (though it seems the general consensus that number four is no one’s fave.).
The book is, first and foremost, a love letter to the incredibly talented and, by all accounts, absolutely lovely pair of filmmakers behind the first movies, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. The gentlemen come across as great at their respective jobs and stellar human beings besides, and it honestly does not get boring hearing people gush over them. I’m sorry Craven is gone and Williamson still seems a bit like a giddy little boy, thrilled that he gets to work in movies, even with the big news that he (small spoiler ahead as this has likely been announced far and wide even though I did not know it until I read the book, so skip this next sentence if you are the most casual of fans) will be directing “Scream 7.” Somewhere Wes Craven is smiling down at this news.
As one would expect the Weinstein brothers are underplayed here, but are handled succinctly (a quote calls Harvey a “rapist.”). According to the text these were Bob’s movies, primarily.
I’m not exactly a super fan so I can’t say if these books are complete and I’m not really the audience the author/publisher was going for, but I still really enjoyed this and fans will likely love.
4 stars
A deep dive into the “Scream” franchise of six movies, soon to be seven (I had no idea there were so many. I only saw the first three.) This is perfect for fans as each movie is handled nicely (with the first, relatively groundbreaking film given the most space, as is only right) and each installment seems to be treated fairly, regardless of which is your favorite (though it seems the general consensus that number four is no one’s fave.).
The book is, first and foremost, a love letter to the incredibly talented and, by all accounts, absolutely lovely pair of filmmakers behind the first movies, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. The gentlemen come across as great at their respective jobs and stellar human beings besides, and it honestly does not get boring hearing people gush over them. I’m sorry Craven is gone and Williamson still seems a bit like a giddy little boy, thrilled that he gets to work in movies, even with the big news that he (small spoiler ahead as this has likely been announced far and wide even though I did not know it until I read the book, so skip this next sentence if you are the most casual of fans) will be directing “Scream 7.” Somewhere Wes Craven is smiling down at this news.
As one would expect the Weinstein brothers are underplayed here, but are handled succinctly (a quote calls Harvey a “rapist.”). According to the text these were Bob’s movies, primarily.
I’m not exactly a super fan so I can’t say if these books are complete and I’m not really the audience the author/publisher was going for, but I still really enjoyed this and fans will likely love.
August 10, 2025
If you’re a Scream fan, the audio version of this is an absolute treat. Narrated by Robert L. Jackson (the voice of Ghostface himself) it feels like you’re getting the ultimate insider tour of the franchise. From behind the scenes stories to deep dives into each film, this is pure nostalgia wrapped in a fun, engaging package. The narration choice elevates the entire experience, making it a must listen for horror lovers and Scream devotees alike.
September 28, 2025
I thought this would be fun to do on audio since I'm a fan of the movies and the audiobook is read by the voice of Ghostface. And that was nice! (Although he does some nice impressions of several of the actors in the movies--his Liev Schrieber in particular was noteworthy--he gives the actresses no such attention, giving them all an identical slightly-higher-and-more-nasal voice that most male readers give to women. Sigh.) But this book is less of a book and more of a nonstop love fest. The title is correct, because this book assumes that these movies are the best movies that ever existed, but the subtitle is way off. There is no critical eye here, no consideration of horror movies more broadly, no look at how they changed, absolutely nothing like that at all.
What this book is is more like worship. There is an entire chapter about Wes Craven that spends very little time talking about his actual movies, and is mostly made of people saying what a nice guy he was. (It is so determined to make Craven a saint that when it mentions him moving away from his young children after his divorce from their mother, it is portrayed as a selfless act of sacrifice and that they will be happier in their new family without him.) This is after we have been told what a nice guy he is on almost every previous page. Everyone who worked on these movies is a genius. Everything about these movies is perfect. Which, of course, isn't true at all.
It has to leave a little room for people to have favorites and least favorites. It is a little less effusive about Screams 3 and 4, which tend to show up a lot on the least list. (Though it is only adoring of 6, which is my personal least favorite.) And it allows villains in Bob and Harvey Weinstein, though even then it makes only a couple of small references to the fact that we all know HW is a convicted serial rapist. The Weinstein's greenlit the movie and were behind some of the decisions that made them so successful, which in this book should make them demigods. But it's also quite clear when you see all the facts that they're responsible for nearly destroying the franchise as well. And yet this book can never fully get on board with any kind of clear thesis except The Scream Movies Are The Best Movies Ever so it struggles to make a strong statement about anything negative in their orbit.
It has a very similar weirdness around the upcoming Scream 7, initially falling over itself with praise for the new director and cast, only to have to say "oh well too bad" when that director and cast are fired/leave the project and the whole thing has to be started from scratch. (And as you'd expect, the treatment of Melissa Barrera's firing over her pro-Palestine remarks is given only a couple seconds of attention. It's also notable that Barrera and her costar who left the project, Jenna Ortega, didn't grant interviews and Cullins has very little to say about them. But she sure does have a lot to say about the people who did give her interviews and she sure does love them all!)
After a while this just gets so dull and sycophantic. There is so little about the actual movies. There is virtually no analysis. It is just repetitive "it was so fun to make these movies" quotes and stories about which lines were ad libbed.
If you're going to read it, I would recommend giving a quick rewatch to any entries in the franchise you don't remember well because it does like to get in the weeds but it was much less fun for the book to remind me of these details than to just watch the films. (I rewatched 3, 5, and 6.)
What this book is is more like worship. There is an entire chapter about Wes Craven that spends very little time talking about his actual movies, and is mostly made of people saying what a nice guy he was. (It is so determined to make Craven a saint that when it mentions him moving away from his young children after his divorce from their mother, it is portrayed as a selfless act of sacrifice and that they will be happier in their new family without him.) This is after we have been told what a nice guy he is on almost every previous page. Everyone who worked on these movies is a genius. Everything about these movies is perfect. Which, of course, isn't true at all.
It has to leave a little room for people to have favorites and least favorites. It is a little less effusive about Screams 3 and 4, which tend to show up a lot on the least list. (Though it is only adoring of 6, which is my personal least favorite.) And it allows villains in Bob and Harvey Weinstein, though even then it makes only a couple of small references to the fact that we all know HW is a convicted serial rapist. The Weinstein's greenlit the movie and were behind some of the decisions that made them so successful, which in this book should make them demigods. But it's also quite clear when you see all the facts that they're responsible for nearly destroying the franchise as well. And yet this book can never fully get on board with any kind of clear thesis except The Scream Movies Are The Best Movies Ever so it struggles to make a strong statement about anything negative in their orbit.
It has a very similar weirdness around the upcoming Scream 7, initially falling over itself with praise for the new director and cast, only to have to say "oh well too bad" when that director and cast are fired/leave the project and the whole thing has to be started from scratch. (And as you'd expect, the treatment of Melissa Barrera's firing over her pro-Palestine remarks is given only a couple seconds of attention. It's also notable that Barrera and her costar who left the project, Jenna Ortega, didn't grant interviews and Cullins has very little to say about them. But she sure does have a lot to say about the people who did give her interviews and she sure does love them all!)
After a while this just gets so dull and sycophantic. There is so little about the actual movies. There is virtually no analysis. It is just repetitive "it was so fun to make these movies" quotes and stories about which lines were ad libbed.
If you're going to read it, I would recommend giving a quick rewatch to any entries in the franchise you don't remember well because it does like to get in the weeds but it was much less fun for the book to remind me of these details than to just watch the films. (I rewatched 3, 5, and 6.)
October 9, 2025
5 stars. Yay.. ‘tis the season for scary movies! I was so excited to see this new release pop up, and as a fan of the Scream franchise, quickly added to my fall TBR. Such a great listen + was quite interesting learning about the franchise as a whole. It tells about the making of the films and its director-the late Wes Craven, along with the movie characters and the actors playing the roles.. plus many unknown behind the scenes tidbits. Definitely recommend - loved the audio! 🎧 Pub. 8/19/25
Want to read
April 4, 2025ARC received!! Thank you so much, Plume!
I love Nonfiction about my favorite genre, Horror. This one sounds interesting, exploring the movie Scream. While I wouldn't necessarily agree that it saved a 'dying genre', maybe Ashley Cullins will change my mind in that regard.
I love Nonfiction about my favorite genre, Horror. This one sounds interesting, exploring the movie Scream. While I wouldn't necessarily agree that it saved a 'dying genre', maybe Ashley Cullins will change my mind in that regard.
September 11, 2025
3.5
It’s 3/4 wildly informative and 1/4 “Please don’t hate us for firing Melissa Barrera we’ve got Kevin Williamson and Neve Campbell back”
It’s 3/4 wildly informative and 1/4 “Please don’t hate us for firing Melissa Barrera we’ve got Kevin Williamson and Neve Campbell back”
September 2, 2025
“What’s your favorite scary movie?” 🍿🔪👻
If it’s Scream, then you absolutely HAVE to read this.
As a die hard Scream fan with a ghost face tattoo, this book became my entire personality as I listened to the audiobook.
You get:
- Details about what the inspired the films
- Information on where iconic dialog came from and which lines were improv
- Insight into how actors decided to play characters or scenes in a particular way
- Insight into why certain people were cast
- How the movies were made and what hurdles they faced in the process
- Information about the impact the movies had on pop culture and cinema
- How the Scream movies revived not only slasher films, but the entire horror genre
- Explanations on why they marketed the films in certain ways
- Details about final creative decisions, whose ideas they were, and what conversations lead to small and big moments being in the movies
- Information about shooting locations
- Some personal history about the actors and how they felt about the roles
- History of the Ghost Face mask and why they chose it
- History about the scripts and issues they had with it getting leaked
- What the original plots were and why they changed them
- How Wes Craven was as a director and a person
- The Weinstein brothers who produced the films and how horrible they were to work for
- Some details about the Scream 7 cast and plot
- Insight into the layers upon layers of meta commentary
- Little Easter eggs that you may have missed in the movies
And for the cherry on top, the audiobook is narrated by Ghost Face himself, Roger L. Jackson, who even reads each chapter title in his Ghost Face voice.
There were a few things that I feel like I was missing though. Like I would have really liked more information about Neve Campbell. This book talked more about Drew Barrymore than Neve, and Neve is literally the main character. Also more about Courtney Cox. I felt like her character’s contribution was under appreciated in this book.
I also would have liked more details about set design and costumes. Because that was hardly mentioned, aside from some info about the Ghost Face costume designs.
But, I guess that’s a good thing to finish a book and wish you would have gotten even more out of it because you liked it so much.
My favorite thing about this was surprisingly learning about Wes Craven. I never truly appreciated him or thought of him before, but now I understand what an impact he made, and it’s makes me sad that he’s gone.
And also learning about Drew Barrymore and the opening scene of the first film. Learning about her contributions to Scream made me realize how important she was to the franchise and its success.
I’m gonna be walking around acting like a Scream movie expert from now on. I’m so freaking giddy over this book. ☺️
If it’s Scream, then you absolutely HAVE to read this.
As a die hard Scream fan with a ghost face tattoo, this book became my entire personality as I listened to the audiobook.
You get:
- Details about what the inspired the films
- Information on where iconic dialog came from and which lines were improv
- Insight into how actors decided to play characters or scenes in a particular way
- Insight into why certain people were cast
- How the movies were made and what hurdles they faced in the process
- Information about the impact the movies had on pop culture and cinema
- How the Scream movies revived not only slasher films, but the entire horror genre
- Explanations on why they marketed the films in certain ways
- Details about final creative decisions, whose ideas they were, and what conversations lead to small and big moments being in the movies
- Information about shooting locations
- Some personal history about the actors and how they felt about the roles
- History of the Ghost Face mask and why they chose it
- History about the scripts and issues they had with it getting leaked
- What the original plots were and why they changed them
- How Wes Craven was as a director and a person
- The Weinstein brothers who produced the films and how horrible they were to work for
- Some details about the Scream 7 cast and plot
- Insight into the layers upon layers of meta commentary
- Little Easter eggs that you may have missed in the movies
And for the cherry on top, the audiobook is narrated by Ghost Face himself, Roger L. Jackson, who even reads each chapter title in his Ghost Face voice.
There were a few things that I feel like I was missing though. Like I would have really liked more information about Neve Campbell. This book talked more about Drew Barrymore than Neve, and Neve is literally the main character. Also more about Courtney Cox. I felt like her character’s contribution was under appreciated in this book.
I also would have liked more details about set design and costumes. Because that was hardly mentioned, aside from some info about the Ghost Face costume designs.
But, I guess that’s a good thing to finish a book and wish you would have gotten even more out of it because you liked it so much.
My favorite thing about this was surprisingly learning about Wes Craven. I never truly appreciated him or thought of him before, but now I understand what an impact he made, and it’s makes me sad that he’s gone.
And also learning about Drew Barrymore and the opening scene of the first film. Learning about her contributions to Scream made me realize how important she was to the franchise and its success.
I’m gonna be walking around acting like a Scream movie expert from now on. I’m so freaking giddy over this book. ☺️
November 21, 2025
This is a well-researched love letter to an iconic series. A critical part of the Scream franchise is that everyone involved cares about the franchise, they care about the characters and the artistry and emotional impact that the stories deliver so well. It is clear Cullins shares that admiration, and as a result this examination of the series feels invested, if a little hagiographic at times. If you are not a fan of the franchise then I don’t know that there is a whole lot for you here. While she does have quotes from other artists and film makers discussing the love for the franchise, and the ways it has inspired them, there isn’t a broader examination of how horror cinema has changed in light of Scream. She does a good job of explaining how the original film breaks the mold for what was happening in horror at the time, and goes on to show how each entry is navigating the world of contemporary horror in different ways, but there is no larger sociological exploration of how the pop culture landscape changed as a result of Scream, which I was kind of hoping for.
Still, this looks at the gestations of each of the seven films in the series, (including the controversies and cast, writer, and director changes for the seventh film, which was filming at the time of the publication of this book), and as a fan of the series this was satisfying. There aren’t any jaw-dropping insights, and Cullins doesn’t whitewash some of the more turbulent experiences folks had but doesn’t ever devolve into gossip or into bad-mouthing someone just for the sake of good pull quotes. What this book does best, perhaps, is serve as a lovely tribute to Wes Craven. The discussion of his commitment to his art but also to the people who worked with him, and the repeated praise and admiration expressed for him by everyone who worked with him, is truly wonderful.
This is a fun, quick read. Similar to the Scream franchise, which focuses on making the characters complicated and important, this is a celebration of the many people who gave so much to this franchise. The writing is playful but direct, with a quick-moving prose that definitely shows off Cullins experience as an investigative journalist. Everything is presented chronologically, without any attempts at making it artsy or showy, instead offering a heartfelt and straightforward guided tour through this world. I would have loved a little more of the impact of the series on the genre as a whole, some more anthropological explorations of the many ripples that the series has had, and in that way this isn’t quite as robust as I might want. But what it does give feels thorough, and is as inviting and intimate as the franchise, when at its best, is too.
Also, for what its worth, the audiobook is narrated by Roger L. Jackson, the voice of Ghostface. It was an incredibly clever bit of casting and he does a great job.
(Rounded from 4.5)
Still, this looks at the gestations of each of the seven films in the series, (including the controversies and cast, writer, and director changes for the seventh film, which was filming at the time of the publication of this book), and as a fan of the series this was satisfying. There aren’t any jaw-dropping insights, and Cullins doesn’t whitewash some of the more turbulent experiences folks had but doesn’t ever devolve into gossip or into bad-mouthing someone just for the sake of good pull quotes. What this book does best, perhaps, is serve as a lovely tribute to Wes Craven. The discussion of his commitment to his art but also to the people who worked with him, and the repeated praise and admiration expressed for him by everyone who worked with him, is truly wonderful.
This is a fun, quick read. Similar to the Scream franchise, which focuses on making the characters complicated and important, this is a celebration of the many people who gave so much to this franchise. The writing is playful but direct, with a quick-moving prose that definitely shows off Cullins experience as an investigative journalist. Everything is presented chronologically, without any attempts at making it artsy or showy, instead offering a heartfelt and straightforward guided tour through this world. I would have loved a little more of the impact of the series on the genre as a whole, some more anthropological explorations of the many ripples that the series has had, and in that way this isn’t quite as robust as I might want. But what it does give feels thorough, and is as inviting and intimate as the franchise, when at its best, is too.
Also, for what its worth, the audiobook is narrated by Roger L. Jackson, the voice of Ghostface. It was an incredibly clever bit of casting and he does a great job.
(Rounded from 4.5)
October 14, 2025
I LOVE the Scream films, so it was pretty obvious I was going to love this deep dive into the franchise. It was fun for this fan to go behind the scenes and hear lots of insider bits from the different cast members, even with a few notable exceptions, hello Emma Roberts. It’s all very Hollywood nicey nice. Everyone is great, we all love each other. The lack of dirt dished was made up for with the a lot of interesting bits about how movies actually get made, casting decisions, etc. The writing isn’t always A+, like how many times do you need to reintroduce Eli Roth as a horror director? But, small quibbles for a book that kept me completely entertained.
January 22, 2026
What's your favorite scary movie?
I suppose that question loses a bit of its menace when coming from an internet friend. But I'd imagine that answering a call in the night to the smooth and deadly voice of Ghostface would send a chill deep down into your marrow. Realizing with a sinking feeling that he's somewhere near, masked, and with a knife. It's a timeless and tangible horror. To quote Kristen Bell's character from Scream 4, "There's something really scary about a guy with a knife who just... snaps."
Much like the Scream movie series itself, this book is a good time. I love learning new facts and reminiscing about one of my favorite horror franchises (runner up franchises include Final Destination and The Conjuring Universe, Ed and Lorraine movies primarily. Yes, I'm aware that the Warren's were deceitful and skeevy in real life. But Patrick Wilson & Vera Farmiga have fantastic on-screen chemistry.)
Your Favorite Scary Movie is a fun series retrospective, offering behind the scenes tidbits, insights into the casts and crew as they grew and changed throughout the years, and the ways the series altered the trajectory of horror in Hollywood. Front and center in the story is Wes Craven, a horror auteur and all-around good guy. It was lovely to see how many friends and coworkers had such positive things to say. These weren't bland eulogies of someone who 'lit up the room when they walked in' or 'died doing what he loved.' These were heartfelt remembrances of the man responsible for the creating horror history, inspiring and encouraging countless other creatives along the way.
Wes brought the Scream universe to life from behind the camera. Together with writer Kevin Williamson, they created a franchise with stamina and a horror icon in Ghostface. Here he is on my keychain!
It's clear that the author, like myself, has some major love for the Scream franchise. And I love that for her, getting to write about something that you passionately love and having other people read it? Talk about a dream come true! Not to mention all the great interview snippets that were included. I have to include at least one of my favorites; "[The Scream movies] are intrinsically sexy. But, yes, Ghostface makes people horny. If there is any quote that ends up in the book, let it be that.” - Tyler Gillet, co-director of Scream 5 & 6.
The one quibble I have with this book is the chapter discussing Melissa Barrera's firing. If you're a Scream devotee like me, you'll know Melissa as the actress who plays Sam, co-lead and final girl of Scream 5 and 6. Together with her sister Tara (played by powerhouse Jenna Ortega) they showed they were more than capable of taking the reins of the franchise.
Scream 7 was still in the early production stages when Spyglass unexpectedly announced her firing due to "hate speech." This so-called hate speech? A tweet talking about media censorship of the genocide in Gaza. Read it for yourself.
IMO, Your Favorite Scary Movie glosses over her controversial firing. While some media coverage implied Barrera was fired because of her pro-Palestine support in general, the statement released by Spyglass at the time pointed to language in social media posts she had shared about the war in Gaza that it felt crossed into antisemitic territory.
The book also includes Melissa's follow up statement (see below,) in which she reinforces her dedication to using her platform to advocate for human rights. But, yeah, sure, "hate speech." *eyeroll* I don't understand how the text of the book itself doesn't have anything to say about her comments OBVIOUSLY not being hate speech.
It also barely touches Jenna Ortega's decision to leave the franchise, simply saying [she] had become a mega star with multiple movies and a second season of her hit show Wednesday in the works At least to me, this implied that she was just too busy or dealing with scheduling conflicts to reprise her role.
But in an interview with The Cut , Ortega says otherwise;
“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling,” says Ortega, despite initial reports to the contrary. By the time she’d decided to leave, she says, her Scream VI directors, Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, had already exited the film. “The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart,” she continues. “If Scream VII wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”
It feels very strange that a book so dedicated to the world of Scream and the creatives around it would paint the cast and crew shakeups around Scream 7 with such a broad brush. It's a disappointing blemish in the final chapters of an otherwise great read.
Despite the recent chaos behind the scenes, Scream is a franchise that I dearly love. I can still remember watching Scream for the first time in college, eating popcorn, giggling and jumping in equal parts. It captured lightning in a bottle and will always feel special to me.
I suppose that question loses a bit of its menace when coming from an internet friend. But I'd imagine that answering a call in the night to the smooth and deadly voice of Ghostface would send a chill deep down into your marrow. Realizing with a sinking feeling that he's somewhere near, masked, and with a knife. It's a timeless and tangible horror. To quote Kristen Bell's character from Scream 4, "There's something really scary about a guy with a knife who just... snaps."
Much like the Scream movie series itself, this book is a good time. I love learning new facts and reminiscing about one of my favorite horror franchises (runner up franchises include Final Destination and The Conjuring Universe, Ed and Lorraine movies primarily. Yes, I'm aware that the Warren's were deceitful and skeevy in real life. But Patrick Wilson & Vera Farmiga have fantastic on-screen chemistry.)
Your Favorite Scary Movie is a fun series retrospective, offering behind the scenes tidbits, insights into the casts and crew as they grew and changed throughout the years, and the ways the series altered the trajectory of horror in Hollywood. Front and center in the story is Wes Craven, a horror auteur and all-around good guy. It was lovely to see how many friends and coworkers had such positive things to say. These weren't bland eulogies of someone who 'lit up the room when they walked in' or 'died doing what he loved.' These were heartfelt remembrances of the man responsible for the creating horror history, inspiring and encouraging countless other creatives along the way.
Wes brought the Scream universe to life from behind the camera. Together with writer Kevin Williamson, they created a franchise with stamina and a horror icon in Ghostface. Here he is on my keychain!
It's clear that the author, like myself, has some major love for the Scream franchise. And I love that for her, getting to write about something that you passionately love and having other people read it? Talk about a dream come true! Not to mention all the great interview snippets that were included. I have to include at least one of my favorites; "[The Scream movies] are intrinsically sexy. But, yes, Ghostface makes people horny. If there is any quote that ends up in the book, let it be that.” - Tyler Gillet, co-director of Scream 5 & 6.
The one quibble I have with this book is the chapter discussing Melissa Barrera's firing. If you're a Scream devotee like me, you'll know Melissa as the actress who plays Sam, co-lead and final girl of Scream 5 and 6. Together with her sister Tara (played by powerhouse Jenna Ortega) they showed they were more than capable of taking the reins of the franchise.
Scream 7 was still in the early production stages when Spyglass unexpectedly announced her firing due to "hate speech." This so-called hate speech? A tweet talking about media censorship of the genocide in Gaza. Read it for yourself.
IMO, Your Favorite Scary Movie glosses over her controversial firing. While some media coverage implied Barrera was fired because of her pro-Palestine support in general, the statement released by Spyglass at the time pointed to language in social media posts she had shared about the war in Gaza that it felt crossed into antisemitic territory.
The book also includes Melissa's follow up statement (see below,) in which she reinforces her dedication to using her platform to advocate for human rights. But, yeah, sure, "hate speech." *eyeroll* I don't understand how the text of the book itself doesn't have anything to say about her comments OBVIOUSLY not being hate speech.
It also barely touches Jenna Ortega's decision to leave the franchise, simply saying [she] had become a mega star with multiple movies and a second season of her hit show Wednesday in the works At least to me, this implied that she was just too busy or dealing with scheduling conflicts to reprise her role.
But in an interview with The Cut , Ortega says otherwise;
“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling,” says Ortega, despite initial reports to the contrary. By the time she’d decided to leave, she says, her Scream VI directors, Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, had already exited the film. “The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart,” she continues. “If Scream VII wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”
It feels very strange that a book so dedicated to the world of Scream and the creatives around it would paint the cast and crew shakeups around Scream 7 with such a broad brush. It's a disappointing blemish in the final chapters of an otherwise great read.
Despite the recent chaos behind the scenes, Scream is a franchise that I dearly love. I can still remember watching Scream for the first time in college, eating popcorn, giggling and jumping in equal parts. It captured lightning in a bottle and will always feel special to me.
September 15, 2025
Scream is my favorite scary movie franchise. I love every movie and think they are all so unique. This book was so awesome - I learned so many things I did not know about the making of these iconic movies.
I listened to this audiobook in one sitting I could not put it down. I highly recommend the audio version it was so easy to listen to and kept me locked in throughout. If you are a fan of scary movies especially Scream you will enjoy this one a lot!
I listened to this audiobook in one sitting I could not put it down. I highly recommend the audio version it was so easy to listen to and kept me locked in throughout. If you are a fan of scary movies especially Scream you will enjoy this one a lot!
October 26, 2025
This was absolutely fascinating. I think if you're a fan of movies in general, you'll really like this. If you're a Scream fan, you'll LOVE this. It's a really interesting look into the making of the Scream movies, the people that made these movies happen, where they are now, where they've been and how they got the movies to where they are.
I have so much more respect for Wes Craven as well as Kevin Williamson. And I'm even more excited for Scream 7 now.
I loved this.
I have so much more respect for Wes Craven as well as Kevin Williamson. And I'm even more excited for Scream 7 now.
I loved this.
October 4, 2025
Please don't kill me Mr Ghostface, I wanna read this book about you.
Update post read: took me so long to finish but switched to the audiobook because mr ghostface himself read it and that helped me finish it
Update post read: took me so long to finish but switched to the audiobook because mr ghostface himself read it and that helped me finish it
September 9, 2025
I received a physical ARC of this, so huge thanks to Plume, however I did receive it only two days before the book released. I didn’t want to sit on it and not have a review ready for longer, so I also grabbed the audiobook and it is narrated by ROGER L. JACKSON. They should be shouting that from the rooftops! Certainly the definitive way to take in this nonfiction in my opinion. He did a great job and did all the chapter titles in the Ghost Face voice, it really elevated my enjoyment.
This was absolutely fantastic. An intensely deep dive into the Scream franchise and how it’s shaped the horror industry. As a self proclaimed Scream connoisseur (I’ve never proclaimed that) this was right up my alley and I had to have it. For me, this was one of the few horrors I had seen as a kid that stuck with me into adulthood, and I still love it to this day. I was one of those kids that was deathly afraid of anything you told me was supposed to be scary. I couldn’t understand that horror—slashers especially—can be both scary and enjoyable. Scream is a leading example of this and is one of the few I’d actually watch as a young kid. It’s scary of course, someone in a mask is murdering people right on screen, but it was also silly and bordered comical in its self references and satirical dissection of previous horror. As it stands, the first Scream movie is why slashers remain my most enjoyed (and watched) horror subgenre.
As the title states, Scream was the dawn of true meta-horror, a style that has been chopped and chipped and adopted by many others over the years, but few can capture the allure of the first. A slasher horror that knows it’s a slasher horror, that knows its tropes and where it’s treading them? Personally that’s always been my favorite part. The sequels, with their in-universe Stab franchise, equally find a way to mock and poke fun at themselves and their own commentary—all while still commentating. There’s something almost omniscient about them, as they dissect what came before and dictate where horror’s going. The first really paved the way to elevated slashers as a whole.
I love how vividly this painted the experience of the films. With chapters spanning from the original script’s conception all the way up to the latest, and currently unreleased, sequel (read: Requel/Legacy Sequel). I loved how everyone shone light on how wonderful Wes Craven was, the energy he brought to the experience, and how he bred such warmth and an inviting set. As a horror writer myself, it was nice to see the spotlight showing off how nice horror writers are as people! We bring people scares, we aren’t all scary.
I also enjoyed that this didn’t shy away from the controversies. From set troubles, money troubles, reception troubles, even ownership and The Weinstein Company troubles. This book showcases it all, the good and the bad. Not only does it serve as a very honest piece of work, it also provides the inside track on how movies get (and often times do not get) made. From displeased big shots, to rushed sequels, to rights disputes, firings, and studio languishing, there is quite a bit of behind the scenes issues we may never even know about. I even liked that this went into the controversy around the requel, Scream 7. Laying out some info that was previously misunderstood or misinterpreted. I can only add that it’s really sad to see Kevin Williamson (the original screenwriter) coming back to direct one that feels like it’s up against a wall already with the bad coverage and enraged fanbase. But what really shines through, and I’m sure will continue to, is the passion these people have for the entire franchise.
Most importantly, this keeps the focal point on us, the fans. As the fanbase is the point, and no matter what topic this is traversing, it continues to keep an eye on enjoyment. Almost everyone has seen these, has something linking them to one, has a reason why they’ll always rewatch them. That’s what they’re for. So, what’s your favorite scary movie?
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This was absolutely fantastic. An intensely deep dive into the Scream franchise and how it’s shaped the horror industry. As a self proclaimed Scream connoisseur (I’ve never proclaimed that) this was right up my alley and I had to have it. For me, this was one of the few horrors I had seen as a kid that stuck with me into adulthood, and I still love it to this day. I was one of those kids that was deathly afraid of anything you told me was supposed to be scary. I couldn’t understand that horror—slashers especially—can be both scary and enjoyable. Scream is a leading example of this and is one of the few I’d actually watch as a young kid. It’s scary of course, someone in a mask is murdering people right on screen, but it was also silly and bordered comical in its self references and satirical dissection of previous horror. As it stands, the first Scream movie is why slashers remain my most enjoyed (and watched) horror subgenre.
As the title states, Scream was the dawn of true meta-horror, a style that has been chopped and chipped and adopted by many others over the years, but few can capture the allure of the first. A slasher horror that knows it’s a slasher horror, that knows its tropes and where it’s treading them? Personally that’s always been my favorite part. The sequels, with their in-universe Stab franchise, equally find a way to mock and poke fun at themselves and their own commentary—all while still commentating. There’s something almost omniscient about them, as they dissect what came before and dictate where horror’s going. The first really paved the way to elevated slashers as a whole.
I love how vividly this painted the experience of the films. With chapters spanning from the original script’s conception all the way up to the latest, and currently unreleased, sequel (read: Requel/Legacy Sequel). I loved how everyone shone light on how wonderful Wes Craven was, the energy he brought to the experience, and how he bred such warmth and an inviting set. As a horror writer myself, it was nice to see the spotlight showing off how nice horror writers are as people! We bring people scares, we aren’t all scary.
I also enjoyed that this didn’t shy away from the controversies. From set troubles, money troubles, reception troubles, even ownership and The Weinstein Company troubles. This book showcases it all, the good and the bad. Not only does it serve as a very honest piece of work, it also provides the inside track on how movies get (and often times do not get) made. From displeased big shots, to rushed sequels, to rights disputes, firings, and studio languishing, there is quite a bit of behind the scenes issues we may never even know about. I even liked that this went into the controversy around the requel, Scream 7. Laying out some info that was previously misunderstood or misinterpreted. I can only add that it’s really sad to see Kevin Williamson (the original screenwriter) coming back to direct one that feels like it’s up against a wall already with the bad coverage and enraged fanbase. But what really shines through, and I’m sure will continue to, is the passion these people have for the entire franchise.
Most importantly, this keeps the focal point on us, the fans. As the fanbase is the point, and no matter what topic this is traversing, it continues to keep an eye on enjoyment. Almost everyone has seen these, has something linking them to one, has a reason why they’ll always rewatch them. That’s what they’re for. So, what’s your favorite scary movie?
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September 17, 2025
Any fan of the Scream films will love this! I loved learning the tributes to Wes Craven in 5 and 6.
Favrotie Scream movies in order starting with best.
1-4-3-5-2-6
Favrotie Scream movies in order starting with best.
1-4-3-5-2-6
September 11, 2025
No thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board.
October 8, 2025
Absolutely fantastic. i need to immediately re-watch all of them, preferable with this book in my lap with all my favorite bits bookmarked and with a captive audience.
Also having Robert, aka the voice of ghostface, use the voice for the chapter titles? a thousand chefs kisses!
Also having Robert, aka the voice of ghostface, use the voice for the chapter titles? a thousand chefs kisses!
March 24, 2025
As a die-hard Scream fan (my cat is literally named after Sidney), I absolutely loved this book. You can feel the passion and care Ashley Cullins poured into every page—it’s not just a collection of facts, it’s a love letter to the franchise and the legacy of Wes Craven.
I devoured 60% of it in one sitting. I couldn’t get enough of the cast quotes, the behind-the-scenes details, and the heartfelt stories that show just how much everyone involved adored Wes and believed in his vision.
Reading it also made me reflect on the direction of the franchise. I can’t help but wonder how different—and possibly stronger—movies 3 and 4 might’ve been if Kevin Williamson had been the main writer behind them. This book reignited my appreciation for everything Scream stands for, and honestly, made me want to rewatch the entire series all over again.
I devoured 60% of it in one sitting. I couldn’t get enough of the cast quotes, the behind-the-scenes details, and the heartfelt stories that show just how much everyone involved adored Wes and believed in his vision.
Reading it also made me reflect on the direction of the franchise. I can’t help but wonder how different—and possibly stronger—movies 3 and 4 might’ve been if Kevin Williamson had been the main writer behind them. This book reignited my appreciation for everything Scream stands for, and honestly, made me want to rewatch the entire series all over again.
September 4, 2025
"There are certain rules one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie."
Indulge me in a memory. In high school, my best group of girlfriends and I would leave campus after class on a Friday and head to Blockbuster. There we would pull our money and rent 4-6 VHS tapes of horror films and assorted snacks. Then we’d go over to one of our houses, usually my friend Rachel’s, and we’d order a mess of pizza, gossip, dance, stuff ourselves silly, and watch movies all night*. It was in Rachel’s front room, surrounded in safety and pizza grease, that my education of horror films began. You see, we were all scared out of our minds to watch horror! We were drawn to it but wary. Yet in that space, we began to learn the tropes. We could anticipate the jump scares. We rejoiced when a hot priest came to the rescue. We made notes to look for cold spots in any prospective housing. And it was here that I first watched Scream (1996). Followed by Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000).
"Now, Sid, don't blame the movies, movies don't create psychos, movies make psychos more creative."
YOUR FAVORITE SCARY MOVIE is like settling in to read every quality article written about the franchise and watching all the DVD extras, all while sitting in Wes Craven's screening room. I honestly didn’t think there was more I could learn about the Scream movies – especially the first three – but I was dazzled by how well Cullins was able to tame the narrative and create throughlines driven by interviews with the cast, crew, and executives behind the creation of the films.
Cullins walks us through the making of each of the movies and this pacing is only broken by a lovely tribute to Wes Craven about halfway through the book and after the dive into Scream 4. I loved the way that Cullins is able to insert herself as a guide while also managing to let the voices of cast and crew take pride of place in driving the story.
One of my favorite takeaways is learning how much the cast and crew and the fleet of creatives working behind the scenes to make these moves happen genuinely love the franchise. I’m also so delighted to see that Kevin Williamson will direct the 7th movie. This is especially a nostalgia pull not only because he is the original screenwriter, but because through this book we learn that his first experience with making a movie was when he was on set for Scream and was following Wes Craven around and asking questions. I just…I love this for him, for us (the fans), and for the cast. It feels so right and I’m ready for it.
"Surprise, Sidney!”
Special Note - The audio version is narrated by Roger L. Jackson - Mr. Ghostface himself! I originally bought the print version, but I'm now fully team audio for this one. But the print version has a lovely color insert with never-before-seen photos from the cast and crew and those were a delight to flip through…Clearly you need both editions. Trust me. Well done, Ashley Cullins. You made all the Scream fans super proud.
“Not in my movie.”
* I should also tell you that to soothe our minds for sleep, as soon as dawn broke, we would venture out into the misty world checking behind every car and bush for a machete-wielding maniac. Making ourselves jump a little we’d run and pile into a car. Cruising the empty streets, we’d blast Permission to Land at full volume screaming the lyrics all the way to be the first people in line at the donut shop. Our fingers sticky with glaze, eyes red and tired from the all-nighter, we’d feel victorious. Like we’d beaten back our fears yet again. We came out more prepared to face the real-life monsters we’d have to deal with. And that was perhaps the best lesson we’d ever learn from watching horror movies.
Indulge me in a memory. In high school, my best group of girlfriends and I would leave campus after class on a Friday and head to Blockbuster. There we would pull our money and rent 4-6 VHS tapes of horror films and assorted snacks. Then we’d go over to one of our houses, usually my friend Rachel’s, and we’d order a mess of pizza, gossip, dance, stuff ourselves silly, and watch movies all night*. It was in Rachel’s front room, surrounded in safety and pizza grease, that my education of horror films began. You see, we were all scared out of our minds to watch horror! We were drawn to it but wary. Yet in that space, we began to learn the tropes. We could anticipate the jump scares. We rejoiced when a hot priest came to the rescue. We made notes to look for cold spots in any prospective housing. And it was here that I first watched Scream (1996). Followed by Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000).
"Now, Sid, don't blame the movies, movies don't create psychos, movies make psychos more creative."
YOUR FAVORITE SCARY MOVIE is like settling in to read every quality article written about the franchise and watching all the DVD extras, all while sitting in Wes Craven's screening room. I honestly didn’t think there was more I could learn about the Scream movies – especially the first three – but I was dazzled by how well Cullins was able to tame the narrative and create throughlines driven by interviews with the cast, crew, and executives behind the creation of the films.
Cullins walks us through the making of each of the movies and this pacing is only broken by a lovely tribute to Wes Craven about halfway through the book and after the dive into Scream 4. I loved the way that Cullins is able to insert herself as a guide while also managing to let the voices of cast and crew take pride of place in driving the story.
One of my favorite takeaways is learning how much the cast and crew and the fleet of creatives working behind the scenes to make these moves happen genuinely love the franchise. I’m also so delighted to see that Kevin Williamson will direct the 7th movie. This is especially a nostalgia pull not only because he is the original screenwriter, but because through this book we learn that his first experience with making a movie was when he was on set for Scream and was following Wes Craven around and asking questions. I just…I love this for him, for us (the fans), and for the cast. It feels so right and I’m ready for it.
"Surprise, Sidney!”
Special Note - The audio version is narrated by Roger L. Jackson - Mr. Ghostface himself! I originally bought the print version, but I'm now fully team audio for this one. But the print version has a lovely color insert with never-before-seen photos from the cast and crew and those were a delight to flip through…Clearly you need both editions. Trust me. Well done, Ashley Cullins. You made all the Scream fans super proud.
“Not in my movie.”
* I should also tell you that to soothe our minds for sleep, as soon as dawn broke, we would venture out into the misty world checking behind every car and bush for a machete-wielding maniac. Making ourselves jump a little we’d run and pile into a car. Cruising the empty streets, we’d blast Permission to Land at full volume screaming the lyrics all the way to be the first people in line at the donut shop. Our fingers sticky with glaze, eyes red and tired from the all-nighter, we’d feel victorious. Like we’d beaten back our fears yet again. We came out more prepared to face the real-life monsters we’d have to deal with. And that was perhaps the best lesson we’d ever learn from watching horror movies.
October 16, 2025
"Movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative.
Whether you like it or not, you cannot deny that Scream redefined a genre and brought a new generation into horror. I was an avid lover of Scream from the moment I saw in theaters back in 1996 (let me just age myself) and I have followed every movie as they come out - some I've loved and some have taken time to enjoy. I have my rankings as do all, but that's not what this is about. This is about the book. I knew I had to read it the moment I saw it existed and I am so happy I did.
This book is a love letter to Scream, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. It starts at the very beginning, when Scream was called Scary Movie and it was just the little idea Kevin Williamson had that he thought no one would ever want - let alone Wes Craven. It goes through each movie in vivid detail, talking about the ups and downs, and even gives us a little glimpse of Scream 7.
But what hit me in the feels was the chapter devoted to Wes. I learned so much about him that I never knew and it just made me love him more. I came to know Wes Craven, as most people did, through Nightmare on Elm Street. He was the Master of Horror. But I never knew that he didn't want to be known as that. Horror was not his end game. He wanted more but felt almost stuck, that no one would let him really stretch his wings. He was such a light and brought that to set. No one had anything negative to say about him and I just found that amazing.
As mentioned before, Scream redefined a genre and revamped the slasher flicks. Late 90's/early 2000's teen horror was peak in my opinion. And almost all of that is because of the success of Scream. I never tire of watching these films and this book just made me fall in love with the movies that much more.
A definite read for fans.
Whether you like it or not, you cannot deny that Scream redefined a genre and brought a new generation into horror. I was an avid lover of Scream from the moment I saw in theaters back in 1996 (let me just age myself) and I have followed every movie as they come out - some I've loved and some have taken time to enjoy. I have my rankings as do all, but that's not what this is about. This is about the book. I knew I had to read it the moment I saw it existed and I am so happy I did.
This book is a love letter to Scream, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. It starts at the very beginning, when Scream was called Scary Movie and it was just the little idea Kevin Williamson had that he thought no one would ever want - let alone Wes Craven. It goes through each movie in vivid detail, talking about the ups and downs, and even gives us a little glimpse of Scream 7.
But what hit me in the feels was the chapter devoted to Wes. I learned so much about him that I never knew and it just made me love him more. I came to know Wes Craven, as most people did, through Nightmare on Elm Street. He was the Master of Horror. But I never knew that he didn't want to be known as that. Horror was not his end game. He wanted more but felt almost stuck, that no one would let him really stretch his wings. He was such a light and brought that to set. No one had anything negative to say about him and I just found that amazing.
As mentioned before, Scream redefined a genre and revamped the slasher flicks. Late 90's/early 2000's teen horror was peak in my opinion. And almost all of that is because of the success of Scream. I never tire of watching these films and this book just made me fall in love with the movies that much more.
A definite read for fans.
July 2, 2025
"Do you like scary movies?"
This one is for the Scream fans.
Highly recommended: great cast quotes, funny anecdotes, cool behind-the-scenes facts. I knew most of this stuff already (and had an absolute blast reading about it all again) but there were a couple of facts that did surprise me, particularly a few tidbits revealed about behind-the-scenes details for Scream 6 and beyond.
The nostalgia is real, you don't want to miss this one!
Thanks to netgalley for the ARC!
August 14, 2025
“Don’t kill me, Mr. Ghostface. I want to be in the sequel.”
This was the perfect Non Fiction to sprinkle in my reading.
Scream is one of my favorite scary movies. I grew up with with and can’t wait to show it to my kids.
There were a lot of moments where I was reading passages to my husband and then saying “I did not know that!” I loved seeing how involved everyone was with this movie and how they wanted it to succeed.
They almost had me crying when everyone was talking about how much Wes Craven was missed when he died.
We got to see how well the actors worked together. It showed that the actors felt more like family then coworkers and you could feel it coming through the movies.
Also Matthew Lillard was quoted in 2023:
“I don’t think he dies under the TV,” Matthew Lillard told me in the fall of 2023. “I think, if anything, he would have died from the bleeding out—but, for the record, he’s still alive and he’s very much available.” 🤔
Genre: Nonfiction
APK: Ebook
Pages: 348
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone
This was the perfect Non Fiction to sprinkle in my reading.
Scream is one of my favorite scary movies. I grew up with with and can’t wait to show it to my kids.
There were a lot of moments where I was reading passages to my husband and then saying “I did not know that!” I loved seeing how involved everyone was with this movie and how they wanted it to succeed.
They almost had me crying when everyone was talking about how much Wes Craven was missed when he died.
We got to see how well the actors worked together. It showed that the actors felt more like family then coworkers and you could feel it coming through the movies.
Also Matthew Lillard was quoted in 2023:
“I don’t think he dies under the TV,” Matthew Lillard told me in the fall of 2023. “I think, if anything, he would have died from the bleeding out—but, for the record, he’s still alive and he’s very much available.” 🤔
Genre: Nonfiction
APK: Ebook
Pages: 348
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone
November 7, 2025
Thank you PRH Audio for my gifted review copy.
This book is so incredible. Whether you’re a long time fan of the SCREAM franchise or an occasional movie watcher there is so much to learn and enjoy about the movie making process.
The narration is top notch. I mean hello, it’s read by Ghostface himself, Mr. Roger L. Jackson. That really sets the scene for a fun, wild and true ride. One of my favorite reads of 2025!
This book is so incredible. Whether you’re a long time fan of the SCREAM franchise or an occasional movie watcher there is so much to learn and enjoy about the movie making process.
The narration is top notch. I mean hello, it’s read by Ghostface himself, Mr. Roger L. Jackson. That really sets the scene for a fun, wild and true ride. One of my favorite reads of 2025!
November 3, 2025
I really enjoyed this! This was like a 4.75⭐️ for me. A telling of the making of the Scream franchise read to you by the voice of Ghost Face? Yes please! That added the extra cherry on top. I’m really glad I listened to this one.
April 24, 2025
I’m a longtime fan of Scream and was excited to read this book and gain some insight into the development of the franchise. Unfortunately, I felt like this book was just okay. There is a lot of information, but I kept waiting for some analysis or deeper insight from the author. Cullins has gathered a lot of interviews with people involved in the franchise, which is where the book really shines. I think it would have worked a lot better as an oral history, since some chapters were just quotes strung together without a lot of commentary from Cullins. It also rehashed a lot of things fans might already know.
If you’re a diehard Scream fan, you will enjoy this book. It was a fun, quick read but left me hoping for a little more.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
If you’re a diehard Scream fan, you will enjoy this book. It was a fun, quick read but left me hoping for a little more.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
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