Summary

The new Ghostface's motive in Scream 7 may not be entirely original due to past connections with Sidney Prescott.
Scream 7 will showcase more of Sidney, return to Indiana, and revisit dead characters, promising a refreshing take.
Fans speculate on various fresh Ghostface motives, like targeting Sidney for her legacy or ending the killing spree.

2025's horror line-up has included the highly anticipated sequel 28 Years Later, the well-received Final Destination: Bloodlines, and a fun new R.L. Stine Fear Street movie. I'm excited for 2026 because that's when Scream 7 will finally be in theaters, and while I'm hoping for a trailer soon, I'm also thinking about one part of the upcoming slasher sequel: the killer's motive. With so many new cast members and so much discussion about how different the new movie will feel from the rest of the franchise, I'm wondering if it's really possible for this Ghostface to be motivated by something completely fresh and out of the box.

I've decided that even if this new Ghostface (or new group of Ghostfaces, as the case might be) doesn't have a new motive, I'll still enjoy Scream 7. I'm glad that there's less than a year until Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns and fights Ghostface.

Could Stu And Roman's Scream 7 Return Hint At The Horror Sequel Ghostface's Motives? I Like This Idea

Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley are reprising their roles in Scream 7, and one clever fan theory could suggest why.

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By Aya Tsintziras

Can Scream 7's Ghostface Actually Have A New Motive?

After reflecting on the past six Scream movies, I can't imagine that the new Ghostface in Scream 7 could have a motive that hasn't been done before. The biggest reason? Each Ghostface has to be connected to Sidney Prescott. While Campbell didn't appear in Scream VI, the killers were still tied to her past since they were getting even with Tara (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) because of Richie Kirsch's (Jack Quaid) Scream (2022) death. And, of course, two new Ghostfaces would never have popped up in the fifth film if the creepy story hadn't started with Sidney back in high school.

There are only a few potential Ghostface motives: revenge, fame/celebrity, and peer pressure. Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) says the latter is why he goes along with his best friend Billy Loomis's (Skeet Ulrich) plan in the original movie. While I hope that Scream 7 makes some creative choices, I don't think the motive has to change. I would be fine with seeing another Ghostface getting even with Sidney as long as the film feels like enough of a departure from what came before.

Scream 7 will feature more Sidney than the past two movies, take place in a new location of Pine Grove, Indiana, and bring back more dead characters than the other films. I'm excited about these changes and think that this new small town will be a breath of fresh air for the franchise. I'm also eager to know how Stu, Roman Bridger (Scott Foley), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette) can all return in the same movie. Since there's going to be a lot going on, I don't think Scream 7 needs to reinvent the wheel when it comes to Ghostface's motive.

The Scream franchise works so well because it has meta commentary on the horror genre and uses tropes (like characters running toward danger, jump scares, and the smart final girl). The best slashers, whether classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street or newer releases like X, involve motives such as revenge, jealousy, or wanting to gain notoriety for the killing spree. These exist for a reason, and I don't think horror fans mind when they're used time and time again.

Fans Have Interesting Ideas About Scream 7's Ghostface Motive

Since Scream 7 was announced, fans have been curious about what the motive of the Ghostface (or group of Ghostface killers) could be. In a Reddit thread, Redditor @AFriend827 suggested that the new Ghostface is mad at Sidney and going after her. They wrote:

"My best guess is this will be about LEGACY. Someone resents her survival. Someone is angry someone they loved died in a spree targeting her and she continues to survive and be a revered public figure... I think there could be unrelated Ghostfaces. One that creates another and blames Sidney."

Since Scream 7 will likely have meta commentary on legacy sequels, this makes sense. I'm also interested in one Redditor comment that this Ghostface could try to stop the killing spree, once and for all. They wrote:

"Killing Sidney to hopefully end the entirety of Ghostface. I think it will be someone related to Casey Becker and/or Steve Orth."

Redditor @Bubba319 said, "I just want a genuinely terrifying Ghostface," and I have to agree with that. I don't consider the Scream franchise to be frightening, but it would be a big change if the new killer was more sinister and menacing than previous Ghostfaces.

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