‘Scream’ is still making a killing. Thirty years after the original slasher movie opened in theaters, ‘Scream 7’ debuted with a franchise-best USD 64. 1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The bigger-than-expected opening is a win for Paramount, which on Friday announced its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
In a so-far sluggish 2026 at the box office, ‘Scream 7’ managed the best debut of the year, easily displacing last weekend’s champ, the Stephen Curry-produced animated film ‘GOAT’, from Sony Pictures.
‘Scream 7’ has best debut of 2026
‘Scream 7’, which cost USD 45 million to make, got a boost from the return of Neve Campbell, as Sidney Prescott. The actor sat out 2023’s ‘Scream VI,’ but was drawn back for the seventh film by a reported USD 7 million payday. Original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard also co-star.
‘Scream VI’ had set a new high (not accounting for inflation) for the franchise with a USD 44.4 million launch. That film starred Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, along with series regulars. But in 2023, Barrera was dropped from the seventh film by the film’s production company, Spyglass Media Group, after making comments on the Israel-Hamas war that some deemed antisemitic.
Ortega subsequently dropped out of the film.
Kevin Williamson, who wrote the 1996 original and many of the following chapters, stepped into direct, retooling the film around Campbell and company. In the film, Sidney and her 17-year-old daughter are haunted by Ghostface in the suburban community of Pine Grove.
Reviews were poor (34% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience scores (a “B-” CinemaScore) also weren’t great.
But the overperformance of ‘Scream 7,’ which added USD 33.1 million overseas, gave Paramount more to celebrate on a potentially historic weekend for the studio.
‘Scream 7’ benefited significantly from IMAX screens and premium format screens, something no previous ‘Scream’ movie had on opening. Shaun Barber, head of domestic distribution for Paramount, noted that 40% of the film’s business over the weekend was on premium format screens.
‘GOAT’ hits USD 100 million mark
After claiming the top spot in its second weekend, ‘GOAT’ dropped to second place with USD 12 million in its third weekend. It’s so far accumulated USD 74 million domestically. The film hit the USD 100 million mark, generating USD 102. 3 million against a price tag of USD 80 million.
‘Wuthering Heights’ falls to third spot
‘Wuthering Heights’, Emerald Fennell’s Emily Bronte adaptation, fell to third place with USD 7 million in its third weekend. Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the doomed lovers Cathy and Heathcliff from Emily Bronte’s classic novel, the film dropped to third place at USD 7 million. Its three-week haul stands at USD 72. 3 million.
As per Variety, the film has grossed USD 151.7 million worldwide against an USD 80 million production budget.
The only new release to make a dent in theaters was the concert film ‘Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined’. Distributed by Trafalgar Releasing, it opened with USD 3.7 million in 836 theaters. Another concert film also continues to perform well: ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’. The Baz Luhrmann ‘Elvis’ addendum added 1,615 theaters after a strong debut last week. The Neon release collected USD 3.5 million, pushing its two-week gross to USD 7.8 million.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U. S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
1. Scream 7 – USD 64.1 million.
2. GOAT – USD 12 million.
3. Wuthering Heights – USD7 million.
4. Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined – USD 3.7 million.
5. EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert – USD 3.5 million.
6. Crime 101 – USD 3.4 million.
7. I Can Only Imagine 2 – USD 3.1 million.
8. Send Help – USD 2.8 million.
9. How to Make a Killing – USD 1.6 million.
10. Zootopia 2 – USD 1.4 million.
