Movies
Every Ghostface From ‘Scream’, Ranked
Ghostface and Gale Weathers have returned to us again with Scream VI, and the fandom couldn’t be happier. And with the newest installment comes new killers, new motives, new phone calls, and new kills.
Scream fans are thriving.
This newest installment was no less fun or brutal, no matter where you place it in your ranking. The biggest thing that sets Scream apart from other horror franchises is that while the Ghostface mask remains mostly the same, every movie has a different killer behind the mask. And while there are no bad Scream movies, only ones I like less than others—the same goes for Ghostface killers.
So, with over 25 years of Ghostface, let’s see how the newest batch holds up to the previous ones. Spoilers ahead for every Scream, even the newest one, Scream VI.
Here is my list of Ghostfaces ranked from not-so-great to greatest.
13. Jason Carvey (Tony Revolori) and his dead partner — Scream VI
This slot all hangs on how you felt about the opening of Scream VI. Maybe it worked for you! Maybe it didn’t! For me, however, it only ranks above Scream 4’s opening because the killings in this one were all actually happening. Spider-man’s Revolori does a great job, but I just didn’t care. I found myself not caring if this new Ghostface was being stalked by another new Ghostface. This switch-up would’ve been more shocking for me if it’d happened later in the movie. I think it’s a cool idea, but the tension fell so flat for me that this opening felt almost as silly to me as the character being named “Jason Carvey.”
12. Charlie Walker (Rory Culkin) — Scream 4
Listen, Rory Culkin is great but this character suffers from “second killer syndrome.” He’s not too memorable and is completely overshadowed by his partner (stay tuned, more on her later). He does get an incredibly iconic reveal though—stabbing (but not killing) Hayden Panettiere’s fan favorite Kirby Reed right after she beat Ghostface at his own game over the phone, seemingly having saved Charlie. He’s mad she took too long to want to date him…or something. But, shortly after this moment, he is swiftly betrayed by his partner and killed.
11. Detective Bailey (Dermot Mulroney) — Scream VI
As a longtime Scream fan and big time dumb dumb, I rarely ever guess the killers in any of these movies. Gale Weathers, I am not. Yet this reveal felt so obvious even the character says, “Of course it’s me,” once he’s outed as *extreme Wendy Williams voice* the killer. I’m sure it was done on purpose, but still it felt a little anti-climactic. He almost tricked me into thinking Kirby was the killer though, which thankfully was just a misdirect but kudos to that. He’s channeling some big-time Laurie Metcalf as Nancy Loomis vibes not only just after his reveal, but nearly every time the character cranks his neck and says the word “kill” with his eyes bulging out. The reveal that he’s Richie’s dad wasn’t as chilling as it should’ve been. But he does get a pretty great death scene after the Carpenter sisters exchange glances at each other.
10. Ethan Landry (Jack Champion) — Scream VI (2023)
The cute, nerdy virgin who looks like a clone of early seasons American Horror Story Evan Peters. He’s quiet and basically a background character. Jasmine Savoy-Brown’s Mindy clocks him from the moment they find out Ghostface is back. This was one of those “so obvious it can’t be possible” reveals for me. Especially once he saved Mindy on the train, I was positive he wasn’t a killer. His reveal of actually being Richie’s brother? Sure. He gets a great death scene though at the hands of Jenna Ortega’s Tara. “Die a virgin!”
9. Quinn Bailey (Liana Liberato) — Scream VI
I like her in theory. One of the few supposed victims who died then later on is revealed to be Ghostface. She’s likable and sex-positive. We’re first introduced to her having loud sex in the apartment she shares with our final girls. I also love the idea of her laying on the ground of the apartment playing dead, covered in fake blood for a good 20 minutes while everyone runs around the apartment trying to avoid Ghostface.
8. Mickey Altieri (Timothy Olyphant) — Scream 2
One of the better “second” killers. Scream 2 is absolutely stacked with famous folks who give great performances—and while he’s famous now, he wasn’t a big name back then. But his performance is great. He manipulates Sidney perfectly, making her think it could be her sweet jock boyfriend (spoiler, it isn’t). Like many other men on this list, he’s a secret incel working with the lead killer. He’s also quickly killed by his partner in Ghostface-ing.
7. Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison) — Scream (2022)
This franchise references itself so often it’s a wonder it hasn’t caved in on itself yet. Amber is a clear reference to Matthew Lillard’s Stu (be patient, I’m getting to him), going full spit yelling once she’s revealed. She was also my number one suspect for most of the movie—who doesn’t suspect the quiet goth girl who lurks in the background of most of her scenes? But the thing she has going for her is she gets one of the absolute best reveals with her delivery of, “Welcome to Act 3.”
6. Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) — Scream 3
I’m always torn regarding the third installment. For me, it’s clearly the weakest link, but also, it’s just so god damned fun. I mean, any movie where Parker Posey chews scenery automatically gets bonus points. But also, there are no bad Scream movies. What makes him unique is that he’s the only Ghostface to work alone (and to be revealed to be Sidney’s long-lost sibling). He’s also notable for being a character who I barely remember before his reveal. He sits next to Jennifer Jolie at some point maybe? He fakes his death, but he was a throwaway character that didn’t matter. The thing that boosts him up on this list is that he doesn’t do the bulging eyes or campy acting once he takes the mask off. He plays his reveal pretty straightforward, and his fight with Sidney is great. It’s the most aggressive we’d seen Sidney at that point, and their fight is iconic and brutal. Watching his death scene high is something I do not recommend.
5. Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid) — Scream (2022)
I truly do not understand the hate 5 gets. I think it’s really fun seeing our Final Girls in their final form. And 5 has a fantastic reveal: our new final girl’s boyfriend Richie is Ghostface, one of many nods to the original film. I spent the entire movie completely charmed by him though, ignoring David Arquette’s Dewey clocking him from the start. He was the voice of the audience for most of the movie, yet in the end, he was actually the voice of the toxic fans online who will call me a fake fan for this list. The performance is understated, as he’s not that different once he’s revealed to be Ghostface, and for me, that’s what sells it. Even Richie himself says, as he’s stabbing his girlfriend, “I know, it’s a bummer, it’s me.”
4. Nancy Loomis (Laurie Metcalf) — Scream 2
Debbie Salt aka Nancy Loomis is the blueprint for unhinged family member out for revenge in this franchise. Her performance is camp and eye bulgey and shouldn’t work, yet it does. I will also say this is the only movie where I immediately clocked Ghostface. At the time, she was already famous for her role as Aunt Jackie on Roseanne, so having Laurie Metcalf pop up as a side character who only interacted with Courteney Cox’s Gale felt a tad cheap. But once she goes for it, she fucking goes for it. Her final battle with Sidney (and Gale) on the stage is truly one of the most fun Ghostface final fights. She doesn’t seem to blink once, taunts Gale with, “It’s called a makeover; you should try it,” and kills her partner while wearing an iconic white powersuit.
3. Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) — Scream
I mean, duh. The Stu Truthers online who insist he’s still alive might be annoying, but there’s a reason they exist. Stu is one of the most iconic characters in Scream. He’s the chaotic goof you’d crush on and then feel bad about crushing on because, ya know, he’s a murderer. It’s why he’s not exactly that much different once he goes full Ghostface. He’s the best of all of the “second” killers. Lillard still seems to be able to keep Stu charming even once he’s revealed to be Ghostface. His relationship with his partner is incredibly homoerotic, and he even gets in some funny lines before dying, like, “My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me.”
2. Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) — Scream
The dreamboat. Serial killers are often portrayed as getting their victims by charming them and Billy is no different. He has a serial killer vibe the entire movie but also has 90s teen heartthrob hair, wears tight white T-shirts, and looks like he just got done riding a motorcycle out of Twin Peaks. He’s so obviously the killer that it is genuinely surprising when he’s revealed actually to be the killer. He is also the first to fake his death to trick the audience into believing he’s not Ghostface—but that lasts about two seconds. He’s hot; he’s intense; he is the moment.
1. Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts) — Scream 4
Jill Roberts was not only ahead of her time, but she was the last person I’d have ever thought was Ghostface upon first watch. Anyone watching it now might not be too shocked as the acting she does in her reveal was her audition for every single role she’d later go on to play in American Horror Story. Folks have long said that killing Sidney or Sidney being Ghostface would be a gag—but the thing is, it would just be stupid and out of character. A new Sidney-esque final girl, however, being Ghostface? Iconic. Jill stays a more subdued, even kind of boring character for most of the movie until going full Fight Club on herself to frame Trevor. She’s also a standout because she’s not a horror incel, but a crazed jealous teen who wants her cousin Sidney’s fame and only fame. Her line,“I don’t need friends, I need fans,” is one that’s still incredibly relevant.
The Coffee Table hit the U.S. streets in 2024 and imprinted itself on the brains of Horror fans (I am Horror fans). If you have not seen it, I can guarantee it’s like nothing you’ve seen before. The film follows a couple, Jesus and Maria, who have just become parents, and decide to buy a new coffee table. This decision has unexpected consequences. I highly recommend checking out this movie; you will be changed. You can catch it streaming (at the time of this article) on Tubi, AMC+, Shudder, and VOD. When I watched it for the first time, I rented it, and it was worth every penny.
I contacted Casas’ team and sent over a few questions about his inspiration for The Coffee Table and a memory with his dad. Please note that the responses have been translated from Spanish to English.
An Interview with Director Caye Casas
Jazzmin Crawley: What was your inspiration for The Coffee Table?
Caye Casas: I hadn’t filmed anything in five years, and I hadn’t come up with any projects. I thought I’d never be able to make another film. But I wanted to try to make one last film, one that would be powerful and that anyone who saw it would never forget.
I had the script for The Coffee Table in a drawer, written years ago. I knew I could do it on a tight budget, and a friend let me use her apartment for free, so we dove in and shot it in only 10 days. I wanted to tell a great tragedy with touches of dark humor, and based on some real news stories about these types of accidents, so we wrote the film.
We wanted to make a terrifying film, but not a typical horror film. Here, there’s only a dining table and a cruel fate, and a tragedy that can happen to any of us.
What was your favorite part of making this film?
My favorite part was getting back to filming after so much time. It’s something I needed at the core. I always say that having a passion for filmmaking is a curse, since it’s so hard to get the money, and life goes by, and you shoot very little. And if you ask me specifically about this film, my favorite part was shooting the kitchen sequence with Maria’s (Estafanía de los Santos) laughter. It was very funny, and I think it’s a sequence of cruelty and dark humor.
The design of the coffee table is interesting! Was it created for the film, or was it something you found? Is there a story behind this design?
We didn’t have the money to create a table, but we knew we wanted it to be kitsch, ugly, and different. Luckily, an antique dealer friend had this table in his warehouse. We asked him if he’d sell it to us at a good price, and he gifted it to us! We painted it gold, added the “unbreakable” glass, and it became the star of the movie.
Now I have it in my house, but without the glass.
I’m writing this article for Father’s Day. Do you have a memory with your dad you’d like to share?
Honestly, my best memory of my dad is when he used to take me to Camp Nou to watch FC Barcelona play. I’m a huge Barça (short for FC Barcelona) fan, and that’s thanks to my dad. My greatest passions are Barça, movies, and retro toys…in that order!
You have a history of working in the comedy and horror genres. Why do you like this medium?
Dark humor is my brand; it’s what defines me. I like to mix genres and put dark humor into a great tragedy, like life itself. Life isn’t just one genre, it’s many. I always use the example that sometimes you’re at a funeral, and humor comes up. Life can be contradictory, and the same thing happens in my films.
That’s why I’m passionate about mixing those two genres; for me, it’s really fun.
What would be your dream project?
Shooting the next film! I have various scripts written, and I’m looking for financing. There are multiple projects. Aside from that, I’m developing a script for a U.S. film. I hope something comes out of all this! You never stop chipping away at the stone in this business, at least in my case. My dream project is to make films for a living.
If you can talk about this, what’s next for you?
As I’ve told you, I have my own projects, some commissions, but nothing’s confirmed. We’re working on it, looking for money, investors, you know, that tedious phase of looking for money under every rock. But I assure you, the films made will be as talked about, if not more so, than The Coffee Table.
End of Interview
It was great to get an opportunity to ask Casas questions and get insight on this darkly funny project. The Coffee Table will live rent-free in the minds of Horror fans everywhere. We must fund and support independent filmmakers. If Casas could make something like The Coffee Table on such a small budget, imagine what he could do given ample funding.
Independent filmmaking is where some of the most unique ideas live. I hope we are able to see what Casas has in store next. If we want to see new and refreshing films, we have to support the teams behind them.
Movies
This Queer 2015 Slasher Desperately Deserves A Cult Following
Dive into “You’re Killing Me,” a 2015 queer horror slasher that’s equal parts romance, comedy, and bloody thrills. Follow Joe, a budding serial killer, as he navigates love and West Hollywood’s apathetic social scene in this vibrant, satirical coming-out allegory. A must-watch for queer horror fans!
This Pride Month on Horror Press, one of our main missions is to spread the word about queer horror movies that have actually, explicitly queer characters. Throw your queer theory textbook out the window today and put away those notes about the subtext of Fright Night. Today we’re diving deep into an example of one of my favorite movie genres (slasher) that features one of my favorite human genres (queer people). That’s right, we’re here to talk about 2015’s You’re Killing Me, a movie that celebrates the 10th anniversary of its OutFest premiere in July and desperately needs to have developed a proper cult following by the 20th anniversary, if there is any justice in the universe. Or the 15th anniversary. Or hell, the 11th.
The Queer Classic That Is You’re Killing Me
In brief, You’re Killing Me is a romantic comedy about social misfit Joe (Matthew McKelligon) meeting George (Jeffery Self). The pair fall in love and Joe insinuates himself with George’s West Hollywood friend group, including George’s co-star in his online videos, Barnes (Bryan Safi). It’s all very sweet, except for one wrinkle. Joe is a budding serial killer, and every time he talks about coming into his own as a murderer, his new boyfriend – who is too busy thinking about his favorite subject, himself – just assumes that he’s kidding.
Not only is You’re Killing Me a movie jam-packed with queer characters, it tells an entirely unique queer story through the allegory of Joe’s murders. Its true intentions may be hidden behind rivulets of blood, but it’s a coming-out story, too. It’s a rather unique “hero killer” story (to steal a phrase referring to movies that have their killer as the protagonist from Brian Collins, who may – in all fairness – have stolen it from somebody else). While the story does have a strong dash of Dexter to it, it’s got a much more focused coming-out metaphor, about trying to self-actualize and live one’s truth while surrounded by people who aren’t pushing back but rather could not give a shit about anything beyond the surface level of a person or a situation.
A Slasher With Heart
While the movie clearly has a lot of affection for the characters that it is lovingly satirizing, it harshly critiques their inability to connect with Joe properly, and their punishment for not listening to him is an increasingly deadly rampage. Joe mistakes their lack of processing as actual encouragement, and his self-actualization is allowed to spin wildly down a destructive path. However, by making the scenes where Joe commits his murders more lush, colorful, and beautiful than everything else, the movie hints that the character is much more alive than the dead-eyed WeHo-ites who surround him, by dint of actually living his truth.
While I’m not saying the movie justifies murder, per se, it definitely calls out the evil inherent to apathy, and that’s another way that it is much more queer and textured and interesting than the average slasher movie. So why isn’t it a cult classic just yet? You tell me! It just boils the blood. But I’m trying to build said cult here, so allow me to continue my pitch.
The Queer People Behind You’re Killing Me
As much as there is ample queerness to be seen in You’re Killing Me, there is just as much offscreen. Just like the West Hollywood culture the movie heavily satirizes, this group of gay people has a strong tendency to trend white, cis, and male (though longtime ally and LGBTQ+ advocate Mindy Cohn is also floating around the cast!), which, sure, could be a knock against it, but let’s take a quick journey through who we have here!
Director/Co-Writer/Producer Jim Hansen
Jim Hansen (not to be confused with the muppet pioneer of almost the same name) is primarily known for his work in the costume department of various major projects, including being the costume designer for Another Gay Movie and a costumer for Bring It On, Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2, and Wizards of Waverly Place.
He is also the co-creator of The Chloe Videos, which feature Drew Droege (who also appears in You’re Killing Me) in drag as Chloë Sevigny. Currently, You’re Killing Me is his final directorial feature, because the moral arc of the universe does not bend toward justice. However, his career is still ongoing, and more recently he has been the costume supervisor for shows like One Day at a Time, Bunk’d, and Happy’s Place.
Co-Writer/Star/Producer Jeffery Self
Comedian, actor, and writer Jeffery Self is best known to me as Liz’s gay cousin from 30 Rock, but he has a wide range of credits under his belt. Star of Search Party, author of the young adult novel A Very Very Bad Thing, host of the MTV aftershow Scream: After Dark, writer of salacious Fire Island recaps where he details the fact that he used to date one of the stars… this man has done it all. He’s also currently in theaters playing a supporting role in Christopher Landon’s Drop!
Notably, his Self-insert character (so to speak), George, is perhaps the most wicked person in this movie about a serial killer. This speaks to a willingness to make oneself the butt of the joke that is refreshing in screenwriters providing parts for themselves.
Star Matthew McKelligon
McKelligon is a mainstay of YouTube web series turned Logo TV web series turned Netflix series EastSiders, which was created by Kit Williamson and co-starred Constance Wu!
Star Bryan Safi
Actor and general man-about-town Bryan Safi played a major role in You season 3, but he is perhaps best known as the co-host (with Erin Gibson) of the LGBTQ+/women’s news comedy podcast Attitudes! (formerly Throwing Shade).
Supporting Cast
In addition to Drew Droege, of course, You’re Killing Me also features notable queer supporting players including Matthew Wilkas (star of Gayby and thus former onscreen love interest for Adam Driver, as well as being a former real-life love interest for gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy), Jack Plotnick (who has lived the gay dream, starring in both Gods and Monsters and Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Sam Pancake (gay character actor extraordinaire who you’ve seen everywhere from Friends to Arrested Development to Search Party to Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde).
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