Did Scream 6 Already Spoil Scream 7’s Killer?

This article contains Scream 6 spoilers

It looks like we’ll live to slay another day, as the box office bloodbath of Scream 6 means things are looking rosy for a mythical Scream 7. We’ve come a long way from Drew Barrymore’s bob haircut of the original Scream, and while Wes Craven has sadly passed, we’re in safe hands with new franchise directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.

After the confusingly titled Scream of 2022 made up for the mistakes of the criminally underrated Scream 4,  the directorial duo took us to the Big Apple for this year’s outing. Although Scream 7 hasn’t been given the green light from Paramount just yet, did a throwaway line in Scream 6 already spoil its big twist? 

The Mystery of Mrs. Carpenter

As soon as Quinn Bailey (Liana Liberato) mentioned losing her brother, many clocked that Scream 6’s Ghostfaces would be her and Detective Wayne Bailey (Dermot Mulroney). The inclusion of Jack Champion’s Ethan to give us a trio of Richie’s vengeful family members was a curveball, but looking ahead to the next chapter, Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) mentioning her absentee mother seems a little too convenient.

Scream‘s 2022 plans to introduce the mother of Sam and Tara (Jenna Ortega) were nixed, and with the franchise usually boasting an impressive roster of stars, fans started coming up with their own A-list castings for Mrs. Carpenter in Scream 6. Still, Christina Carpenter is oddly MIA. As the secret lover of Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), her legacy also goes right back to the start of the series – which seems like perfect territory for Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett to conclude this “requel” trilogy.

Sam’s mom has the right amount of mystery surrounding her, while Scream 6 also gave her a motive… albeit a flimsy one for wanting her own daughters dead. Because Sam revealed she was the illegitimate daughter of Billy to Tara, their mother cut ties with her. Sticking up for her sister, Tara returned the favor to their mom. Tara moved to New York, Sam soon followed to keep an eye on her, and we jumped into the events of Scream 6.

There are also echoes of Maureen Prescott’s affair with Hank Loomis tearing two families falling apart in the original movie. Christina cheating on Mr. Carpenter (her childhood sweetheart) with Billy destroyed their relationship. When Sam read her mother’s diaries and learned the truth, she confronted Mr. Carpenter and he walked out. Finally, Christina Carpenter being away on business in London during the events of 2022’s Scream sounds like a convenient alibi if ever we’ve heard one. 

Keeping It in the Family

Aside from Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison) and Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid) being outliers, the lead Ghostface has always been connected to the final girl and Woodsboro. As we don’t have too many ties left to that tormented town, someone like Mrs. Carpenter or even Hank Loomis (briefly played by C.W. Morgan in Scream and Scream 3) connects the dots. Then again, we somehow can’t imagine Sam’s paternal grandfather being the big bad.

Even though Sam’s mom makes a lot of sense, the update on her whereabouts could just as easily write her out of the series. If not Sam’s mother, it could set the mysterious Mr. Carpenter for a return à la Nancy Loomis (Laurie Metcalf) in Scream 2. We’ve been here before, and although it feels a little close to Scream 6’s Det. Bailey reveal, it raises the question of whether Scream 7 will follow in the requel footsteps of its predecessors.

Sidney’s boyfriend was the killer in Scream, while Sam’s was Ghostface in 2022. Scream 2 then had a vengeful Mrs. Loomis seeking out Sidney, much like Bailey wanted revenge for Sam killing Richie in the fifth movie. As Roman (Scott Foley) was the long-lost brother of Sidney in Scream 3, Scream 7’s should be another sibling slasher if we follow the rules. Then again, we’re warned that this is one franchise that likes to defy the rules. 

The specter of Billy Loomis looms large over the franchise thanks to Ulrich’s return as Billy’s ghost in Scream 6. He was there to throw in some red herrings that Sam could snap to become the unheard-of final girl/Ghostface in Scream 7. The final shot of Sam cradling daddy dearest’s OG mask could’ve set this up, but instead, she threw it to the floor and seemingly distanced herself from his legacy. Even if Sam is trying to leave Billy in the past, who’s to say her scorned mother is? One problem with all of this, of course: we need everyone to sign on for Scream 7 first!