Scream 5 Ending Explained! Know about Scream 5 ending, plot, Story
by Aishwarya R
Updated Mar 13, 2023
Scream 5
Scream 5 released in 2022, is a slasher film directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, with James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick as the writers. It is the fifth movie in the Scream series, and while it was marketed as a relaunch, it is actually a direct continuation of the events that occurred in Scream 4 (2011). Notably, Scream is the first film in the series that was not directed by Wes Craven, who passed away in 2015. The film pays tribute to Craven in the credits.
The cast includes Melissa Barrera, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Sonia Ammar. Additionally, actors from previous installments return to reprise their roles, such as Marley Shelton, Skeet Ulrich, Roger L. Jackson, Heather Matarazzo, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell.
The movie's story is set 25 years after the initial Woodsboro murders that occurred in Scream (1996). A new Ghostface appears and starts targeting a group of teenagers who have some connection to the original killings. Scream maintains the series' tradition of blending slasher violence, black comedy, and "whodunit" mystery to satirize the trend of rebooting and continuing established franchises. The film also explores the horror fandom culture, particularly the schism between "elevated horror" and traditional slasher films.
Scream 5 Ending Explained
As with previous entries in the Scream franchise, the latest installment, simply titled SCREAM, acts as a time capsule for the current era of horror. The film deftly encapsulates the many developments in the genre in recent years, from the rise of arthouse horror to legacy sequels and fan entitlement. From the very first scene, where Jenna Ortega's character Tara takes a dig at the "elevated horror" trend, it's clear that SCREAM is going to be a timely commentary on the state of horror.
One way the film does this is by using the fictional Stab franchise to poke fun at real-life legacy sequels that have been torn apart by fans for daring to be different. The movie's new version of Randy, his niece Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), explains that the latest Stab movie was directed by "the Knives Out guy" Rian Johnson and took the franchise in a direction that fans weren't expecting. This is a clear nod to the backlash that Johnson received for his work on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which some fans felt betrayed the franchise's legacy.
In the film's third act, the killers reveal that they are Stab superfans who are angry with the direction the franchise has taken and want to stage new killings in order to be adapted into a new movie that will bring the franchise back to basics. Their plan is to turn the new Sidney, Sam (Melissa Barrera), into the killer, since she is Billy Loomis' daughter. This twist is a commentary on fan entitlement and the idea that fans sometimes feel like they know a property better than its creators, and that their wishes should be prioritized over the creator's.
In other words, SCREAM is a perfect companion to The Matrix Resurrections in that both films interrogate what a sequel can and should be in today's landscape as it relates to fan expectations and creators' wishes. While the film follows every trope in the legacy sequel book, it manages to poke fun at them without being pandering or insulting. Instead, it offers a thoughtful commentary on the current era of horror, which has been defined by fan entitlement and the difficulties of making movies based on beloved properties. By immortalizing this moment in horror movie history in a gruesome yet hilarious way, SCREAM becomes a fitting addition to the franchise.
Does Scream 5 have a post-credit scene?
The fifth installment of the Scream franchise, released in 2022, has brought back the iconic Ghostface killer for another round of meta-horror. The movie follows the original trio of survivors, Sidney, Dewey, and Gale, as they team up with new victims, Sam and Tara, to unravel the mystery of the killer's identity and put an end to the bloodshed.
While post-credits scenes have become a common trope in modern movies, Scream 5 does not have one. This is in line with the franchise's tradition, as none of the previous four films included any additional scenes after the ending. The decision not to include a post-credits scene for Scream 5 makes sense, as the filmmakers likely wanted the story to end with the final shot rather than tease a potential sequel.
It's worth noting that the absence of a post-credits scene does not necessarily mean there won't be any future Scream movies. The franchise has a history of long gaps between installments, with Scream 4 and Scream 5 releasing over a decade apart from their predecessors. However, the lack of a post-credits scene in Scream 5 suggests that the filmmakers wanted to focus on concluding the story rather than hinting at what might come next.
Scream 5 Plot Summary
In the latest installment of the Scream franchise, twenty-five years have passed since the notorious killing spree of Billy Loomis and Stu Macher in Woodsboro. High school student Tara Carpenter is attacked by Ghostface and left hospitalized, while her estranged older sister Sam Carpenter is informed about the attack and returns to Woodsboro with her boyfriend Richie Kirsch.
Sam is reunited with Tara's friend group, including Wes Hicks, Amber Freeman, Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin, and Liv McKenzie. Ghostface strikes again, killing Vince Schneider, Stu's nephew. Sam reveals to Tara that she has been dealing with hallucinations of Billy, her biological father, which resulted in their parents' separation and her estrangement from Tara.
Dewey Riley, who is now divorced from Gale Weathers, is asked for help by Sam and Richie to stop the killer. Dewey contacts Gale and Sidney Prescott, warning them about the return of Ghostface. Dewey joins them at Mindy and Chad's home and is reunited with Randy Meeks' sister Martha. Mindy deduces that the killer is following the rules of a "requel" - a continuation of a narrative heavily based on the plot of the original, with Tara and her friends as the new generation and Sam's connection to Billy as a way to weave in the legacy characters.
Ghostface kills Wes and his mother, Sheriff Judy Hicks, at their home. Dewey reunites with Gale, who has arrived in town to cover the story. Tara and Richie are attacked by Ghostface at the hospital but are saved by Dewey and Sam. However, Dewey is killed in the process. Sidney arrives in town after learning of Dewey's death and meets Sam and Gale at the hospital.
Scream 5 Story explained
As the killer targets people related to the original killers, the friend group gathers at Amber's, Stu's former home where the original Woodsboro massacre took place, for a party to honor Wes' memory. Chad and Mindy are both attacked by Ghostface. Amber reveals herself as the killer and shoots Liv in the head. Richie is revealed as Tara's attacker and Amber's accomplice. He stabs Sam, and he and Amber take Sam, Sidney, and Gale into the kitchen where Sidney had first faced off against Billy and Stu.
Richie and Amber are revealed to be fans of the Stab film series who met online. Disappointed with the most recent Stab 8, they embark on a new killing spree to provide new-and-improved "source material" for a future "requel" Stab film and intend to frame Sam as the killer. Sam attacks Richie, and Tara attacks Amber but is incapacitated. Gale and Sidney fight Amber together, ending with Gale breaking free and shooting Amber, who lands on a turned-on stove and is set on fire. Richie pursues Sam, who sees another hallucination of Billy and uses a knife to stab Richie repeatedly before shooting and killing him. A horribly burnt Amber attempts to attack the group again but is shot to death by Tara.
Tara and the Meeks twins are taken to the hospital in ambulances, and Sam thanks Sidney and Gale for their help. Gale decides not to write about the new murders and give the killers notoriety, opting to write a tribute to Dewey instead. Sam joins Tara in the ambulance, and the night's events are covered in a news report.
Scream 5 Ending Explained - FAQs
Scream 5, also known as "Scream" (2022), was released in the United States on January 14, 2022.
Scream 5 was directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, collectively known as the filmmaking duo Radio Silence.
The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Melissa Barrera, and Jenna Ortega, among others.
Yes, Scream 5 is a direct sequel to the previous Scream films and is set 25 years after the original Woodsboro murders.
No, Scream 5 does not have a post-credits scene, as is consistent with previous films in the franchise.