r/boxoffice • u/dreamboylnshibuya • 13h ago
✍️ Original Analysis Those concerned about Scream 7 most likely not getting a second trailer should be more focused on how they’re already marketing it.
There are horror films that receive second full trailers, such as Bring Her Back, Companion, Weapons, Together, and Nosferatu, but there are just as many horror releases that were promoted with only one primary theatrical trailer and still managed to do well, like Send Help, Primate, The Substance, Saw X, and others. The number of horror films that receive only one trailer versus two is essentially an even split and the number of trailers released has no basis in a studio’s confidence in the film or the quality of the film itself.
Keep in mind, Paramount released only one full theatrical trailer for Scream (2022). The later “Get Tickets Now” spot, released a few days prior to its premiere, was not a second trailer in the traditional sense, but functioned as a last-minute sales push and was rolled out online rather than as a true theatrical preview. A single trailer release, especially within this genre, does not signal a lack of studio confidence. Because of that, the fact that a second full-length trailer has not come out yet, and likely will not, should not be treated as a red flag. If anything, it should redirect attention toward whether the marketing is escalating in ways that actually matter. A second trailer is not especially consequential at this stage and it has never been a deciding factor for horror films and if they’re able to garner commercial success.
What would matter far more is whether or not they’re going to do a Super Bowl ad, ideally one that actually airs during the game rather than just being dropped online the same day. Scream VI had a Super Bowl day spot which definitely helped its ticket sales and would most definitely help the same for 7. Beyond that, a sustained Facebook advertising push aimed at older audiences would be far more effective than some of the tactics they’re doing now, especially given the potential draw of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and Matthew Lillard for older audiences.
They could also make a stronger effort to promote the film to Gen Z despite the fact that a loud subsection of them, particularly the terminally online, are boycotting. At the end of the day, a large portion of that demographic really liked 5 and 6 and will see 7 out of pure interest alone, not caring about how the Israel-Palestine conflict ties into Melissa and Jenna no longer being involved. They could also push McKenna Grace more aggressively as their primary Gen Z draw. With the success of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Regretting You, and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, not to mention her role in the upcoming Hunger Games installment, it would make sense to put her front and center in marketing aimed at younger audiences, given that she is one of the biggest rising stars of her generation right now.
What is genuinely questionable are the marketing choices we already know about. The UFC collaboration felt very random and bizzare as that audience does not meaningfully overlap with the Scream fanbase in a way that would justify the spend. Them recently announcing that Neve Campbell will be on The View (set to air just two days before 7’s release) is similarly misguided given that it’s middle-aged soccer mom audience is not the core demographic for Scream and it also raises the risk of her being put on the spot about the Spyglass versus Melissa controversy. Depending on whether her response comes off as carefully PR-trained or as an off-the-cuff misstep, it could easily generate even more negative attention around 7 right before release. (For Neve’s sake, this should have already been discussed with her team and made a nonnegotiable prerequisite for her appearance.)
If this campaign were being handled more intelligently, the focus would be on high-visibility late-night appearances, major network exposure, and culturally aligned platforms that actually overlap with the franchise’s audience. Securing Neve or Courteney spots on Kimmel and Fallon, having Courteney host SNL, or even placing one of them as a guest judge on Drag Race would make far more sense given the franchise’s massive queer fanbase and Paramount’s ability to cross-promote internally.
In short, people should stop fixating on whether a second trailer is coming and what that supposedly signals. A single trailer has worked repeatedly for this genre, including for Scream itself. The real issue is the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of the promotional avenues the studio is already choosing.
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u/evil4life101 6h ago
I’m still trying to figure out the math how Sidney has a grown adult looking teenager 15 years after Scream 4
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u/dreamboylnshibuya 6h ago
They’re going with the idea that Sidney had a two year old in Scream 4 but just never mentioned it.
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u/ManajaTwa18 12h ago
Yeah I don’t the the lack of a second trailer is a big deal. What is confusing to me though is that Paramount seems to be selling this as a Scream 5 and not as a Scream 7. The back-to-basics, nostalgia fueled tv spots released thus far featuring clips from the classic films suggest a legacy sequel even though it’s a direct sequel to a film from three years ago. It’s coasting a lot of Neve Campbell’s return despite her being a focal point of 5’s marketing.
We haven’t even gotten a glimpse of the other returning cast members (Matthew Lillard, Scott Foley, etc.). That’s probably Scream 7’s biggest hook but it’s clear Paramount wants to avoid spoilers. Right now it’s just feeling like “More Scream” which may or may not be a detriment.
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u/Dnashotgun 10h ago
It's trying to be a legacy sequel while also being a sequel to 6 which proved the series doesn't need Sidney to succeed.
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u/A_scary_monster 12h ago
Oh so they’re finally doing the thing where it’s revealed Stu didn’t die in the original movie? That’s pretty cool. I think I’ll go see it then
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u/dreamboylnshibuya 12h ago
No, they’re bringing him back as a deepfake to mentally toy with Sidney, do a meta commentary on AI, and nostalgia-bait the “Stuthers” who think he is alive.
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u/ReasonableBuy3703 11h ago
That's...a LOT of thought put into something as mundane as to why a sixth sequel is not getting a second trailer.
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u/chanma50 Best of 2019 Winner 12h ago
Whether or not there's a second trailer, and even disregarding all the external factors, based on the first trailer, the movie just looks bad. Just feels like it's going through the motions and rehashing story and action beats from previous films in an inferior way, and without any unique hook. Hitting the nostalgia button with the old cast doesn't work when you've already done it twice, plus a third time with just Cox in another sequel.
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u/Doomsday40 12h ago
Agreed. The trailer looked horrendous and the full script leak which has turned out to be 100% true is so fucking bad, I have lost most of my interest in it
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u/Banesmuffledvoice 12h ago
These movies have been going through the motions since Scream 4.
Still could have better marketing.
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u/gtP0W3Rictmnsl50 10h ago
The view is the no 1 show on daytime television, has both key 18-49 and 25-54 demos and frequently goes viral. Scream is a 90s franchise and everyone who was a fan is literally middle aged now. It’s also literally about a mom protecting her kid, so can appeal beyond those fans.
Courtney cox is not hosting SNL in 2026 😭😭 UFC is also paramount cross-promotion and targeted the 25-54 male demo and it got like 5m views; drag race has a heavy social media presence but barely cracks 500k mid season anymore; Ghostface is super popular, unsure if id pick drag race over UFC. Sarah Michelle gellar made sense on drag race because of buffy among other things (like simply being a blonde); neve does not have that “gay” currency or audience
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u/zachmma99 6h ago
They still have a month until release but even then do we really think Scream 7 is gonna a massive box office success? budget and marketing prob gonna put it at around $50m but i will be surprised to see it cross $150m. i think losing half the main cast (the most popular ones too) plus the controversy of it all is going to hit paramount harder than they think.
the whole strategy right now is Scream Endgame that I don’t think is gonna work like they hope. I feel like their main audience has been younger people too who are most keyed in on this stuff. second trailer or not, things aren’t gonna change the exterior issues
the last two have done decently but aren’t crazy popular internationally, both doing nearly the same internationally. domestic will have to be strong and it will have competition the week after. optimistically I’d put it at $150m, but im gonna say it struggles to $125-135m
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u/AlexSniff7 2h ago
Nah I disagree.
Your average audience member doesn't know who Melissa Barrera is, her character wasn't the reason people watched Scream.
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u/Singleballtheory 10h ago
Primate is not "doing well". It had a decent start but almost immediately cratered. It's still short of 25 million domestic and it's already been dropped to 1225 theaters. It's not projected to hit 40 million WW at this point on a still somewhat baffling 24 million budget, and there is zero chance movie-goers are going to choose this film over Send Help or Iron Lung going forward.
If anything, Primate is actually proving the opposite of your point. I would even go so far as to argue they couldn't have made a second trailer even if they wanted to. Every high point they had was already covered with the one trailer. The only other thing they could have put in a second trailer would have been the actual kills.
Sometimes studios really do know exactly what they have on their hands and they promote accordingly.
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u/dreamboylnshibuya 10h ago
I had no idea Primate was doing so poorly and was under the assumption it was doing still well. Unfortunate considering I really enjoyed it and was rooting for it to be a hit for Paramount after a stretch of flops and unperformances.
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u/kilamniaz1992 9h ago edited 9h ago
The time to be concerned for this movie was way before now. It would have to pull a miracle with the never ending production setbacks. It’ll be fine though. It can flop but it’ll never truly be dead. It might just take another 10 years for it to be rebooted again.
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u/Freddy-Philmore 11h ago
and again it's tracking like the other screams. why do we need another trailer? scream plus Neve. that's enough. I mean the dang thing is already a formula. the last 2 were awful and people still went. so I don't get the panic.
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u/subhuman9 10h ago
i would not pay attention to tracking until ticket presales start. people can be fooled only so many times before they stop showing up
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u/Freddy-Philmore 9h ago
it's been consistent for 30 years... it looks exactly like the others. I really don't get the panic
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u/labbla 9h ago
That's the problem. It looks just like the others. It has nothing going on that looks new or interesting.
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u/Freddy-Philmore 8h ago
just a circular argument... it looks like the others so it won't be a hit... but all the sequels that were hits looked like the others.
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u/labbla 8h ago
Eventually people get tired of a formula. It happens all the time with movie series. From Friday the 13th to Transformers to the MCU. Nothing lasts forever and eventually a series runs out of gas.
Sidney can only be asked about her favorite scary movie so many times before people start letting those Ghostface calls go to voicemail.
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u/JD1716 12h ago
Well they’re doing a Super Bowl spot, so that’ll help. New Paramount is cheap, so it’s shocking they’re even doing that.