There will be blood
Scream revitalised horror in the mid-90s. Issuing a much-needed shot of wake-up juice to the tired genre, director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson gave audiences a reason to be scared at the movies again. Gone were the masked killers watered-down by years of pointless sequels who provoked cheers and chuckles instead of terror and screams. A new wave of villain began to terrorise teens, decked out in the iconic Ghostface mask, clutching that glistening hunting knife.
With this week's premiere of MTV's Scream TV series, we thought it the perfect time to return to those four original movies to celebrate Ghostface's handiwork. His methods for butchery and mayhem may have varied from utterly twisted to somewhat comedic, but there's always buckets of blood involved. Here's our rundown of every death in the Scream series - including those of the killers - ranked from least to most horrific. Brace yourself, this might make your stomach turn....
Angelina Tyler
The movie: Scream 3
The death: The plucky ingenue whose dreams of stardom come true finds herself at the wrong end of Ghostface's knife. So much for breaking a leg.
Life mirrors art in the film's final act, when the killer stalks the cast and isolates the terrified Miss Tyler. Her attempts at fleeing Milton's house come up short, as Ghostface ices her offscreen moments after she screams that she's not gonna die. The death itself isn't seen, but the eerie manner in which we see her body pulled away sure is creepy...
Steven Stone
The movie: Scream 3
The death: The bodyguard muscle tasked with protecting the diva starlet Jennifer Jolie falls short of his duties when Ghostface comes a'knockin.
The pair fight in Dewey's trailer and Stone is delivered a ton of whacks upside the head with a cast iron skillet. He collapses to the floor and is stabbed repeatedly in the back, the killer leaving the knife in for one more smack with the pan...
Debbie Loomis
The movie: Scream 2
The death: Billy's equally-unhinged mother tries to complete her revenge cycle by offing Sidney onstage at the college theatre. Things never quite work out for her though.
With a knife at Sid's throat and Cotton's gun trained on her, Debbie fudges her way through reasoning with Mr. Weary. Thankfully, he comes around and shoots her down. Sidney fires one right in her forehead "just in case."
Christine Hamilton
The movie: Scream 3
The death: Cotton Weary's girlfriend is convinced that it's her boyfriend trying to kill her, as this time around Ghostface has somehow created a voice changer that allows him to mimic, well, everyone.
That fact alone imbues her death with even more melancholy, as if she'd realised Cotton was trying to help her - she wouldn't have been Ghostface's first victim of the movie. She's stabbed in the back a few times and left to die on the floor.
Kate Roberts
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Most of Mary McDonnell's scenes were excised from the movie to keep the running time brisk, but as Sidney's aunt Kate, she had one important moment that had to stay in - her death.
Another example of Ghostface's fast-thinking, Kate is stabbed in the back through the mail slot in her front door. Blood gurgles from her mouth as she tells Sidney to let her daughter know she's sorry. If only she knew who was wielding that knife....
Officer Ross Hoss
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Outside of the movie-lovin' teens, Officer Hoss is one of the only adults who takes into account the rules of the slasher genre.
Still, knowing the rules doesn't mean you're immune to them, as he soon finds out when Ghostface pops up out of nowhere and stabs him in the back over and over.
Jennifer Jolie
The movie: Scream 3
The death: Legging it down a dark, spiral staircase doesn't seem like the brightest idea when there's a crazed killer on the loose. But the diva of the show does it anyway, and meets Ghostface at the bottom.
She's soon lost in the maze of Milton's mansion, finding herself trapped behind a one-way mirror -- with Dewey and Gale mere feet away on the other side. Ghostface tracks her down and stabs her in the back. Her lifeless body smashes through the glass.
Trudie
The movie: Scream 4
The death: In the 'film-within-a-film-within-a-film' Stab 6, Trudie's Facebook stalker comes to collect on her innocent online flirtations.
She tries to stop her friend Sherrie from opening the front door after an unknown visitor rings the bell. It turns out, that doesn't matter -- her killer appears by her side seconds later and stabs her right in the throat.
Charlie Walker
The movie: Scream 4
The death: The smug murderer, obsessed with the actions of Billy and Stu, thinks he and Jill are gonna get away with everything.
Jill's psychotic tendencies show no loyalty whatsoever, as she intends to make her plan foolproof by getting Charlie out of the picture. When he thinks they're about to embark on the "let's inflict some surface wounds" part of proceedings, she has other ideas. Namely stabbing him right in the heart. That'll do it.
John Milton
The movie: Scream 3
The death: A film producer who kickstarted the "film-within-a-film" slasher craze by backing the Stab movies, John Milton is also the man responsible for starting Maureen Prescott's moral descent. So, you could say, without him we'd have no Scream.
As Roman holds him a knifepoint, he promises the young director anything he wants. "I'll give you final cut!" he cries, before the killer replies "I've already got it" and slashes his throat.
Anthony Perkins
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Seconds after his partner is despatched, Officer Perkins is offed via a knife plunged directly into the centre of his brain. Blood pours down his face.
It might seem implausible - especially given that he manages to open the car door, lift himself out of the vehicle and walk several steps before collapsed - but apparently Wes Craven saw a documentary with a man who survived the same injury.
Tom Prinze
The movie: Scream 3
The death: The cocky upstart hoping to make it in Stab 3, Tom's destructive streak finds him running into a house where the killer most likely lies in wait.
As the rest of the film's cast wait outside for Tom to read the next fax from the killer, his heroic turn becomes deadly. He lights a zippo to read the note -- and the entire house is blown to smithereens. Including Tom, who blasts into a thousand pieces.
Mickey
The movie: Scream 2
The death: The "freaky Tarantino film student", as Randy dubs him, loses his grip on reality when he stresses that he's quite happy to get caught.
Even his partner-in-crime doesn't believe his "I'm gonna blame the movies" tactic. Debbie Loomis shoots the optimistic psycho, sending his body flying into the Windsor College theater sets. In true Scream fashion he pops up later on, and gets plugged full of lead by Sidney and Gale.
Tyson Fox
The movie: Scream 3
The death: The massacre at Milton's doesn't end well for Tyson, whose eagerness to escape drives him right into the arms of his killer. He tries to run but Ghostface yanks the rug from under him, crushing his neck.
Certain to extinguish all signs of life, the killer slams him into a glass cabinet before tossing him over a balcony.
Robbie Mercer
The movie: Scream 4
The death: The updated 'Randy' for the new generation. Robbie's insistence on wearing a live streaming webcam at all times turns his death into a Kenny-esque tribute slaying.
Rambling around alone outside Kirby's house, drunk, he drops his headset and takes a moment to secure it again. To test it he checks his iPhone to see Ghostface stood right in front of him. He gets stabbed. A lot.
Sherrie
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Another victim of the Stab 6's Facebook killer, Sherrie watches as her friend is stabbed to death. She tries to make an escape out the front door, but as we know all too well....
... there's always two killers. The second Ghostface steps up and slashes her throat, sending a gushing river of blood down her front. It's pretty damn horrific, and a welcome change after the more restrained gore of Scream 3.
Officer Andrews
The movie: Scream 2
The death: The police tasked with guarding Sidney Prescott rarely last very long. Officer Andrews, along with his equally unlucky partner (more on him later), are escorting Sid and her best friend to a safe house when they come up against that dastardly villain.... the red light.
Like the law-abiding cops they are, the car comes to a halt allowing Ghostface to smash the window and slash Andrews' throat. If only it ended there for Sid and Hallie...
Roman Bridger
The movie: Scream 3
The death: Sidney's unstable half-brother reveals his true identity, and, despite being her flesh and blood there's nothing Miss Prescott likes better than taking out the killer.
She stabs him over and over in the neck and chest with an icepick. Somehow, even though it appears he's lost a substantial amount of blood he returns to life, charging at Dewey with his knife raised. After the Deputy empties most of a clip into his bullet-proof vest, he's shot in the head.
Cotton Weary
The movie: Scream 3
The death: Moments after watching his beloved girlfriend get stabbed in the back by Ghostface, Cotton's number is up. He's already compromised after Christine beat him with a golf club - leaving him a little worse for wear when the killer comes for him.
They tussle briefly. Then Cotton dies after receiving multiple stabs to the chest.
Jill Roberts
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Jill's utter lack of soul and grip on reality isn't without question. But her commitment to becoming a star is pretty steadfast - as she proves by hurtling herself into glass tables, punching herself and stabbing her own torso.
While that landed her in the hospital, it was Sidney who finished her off by giving her a good blast to the head from the heart defibrillator followed by a bullet to the brain.
Derek
The movie: Scream 2
The death: Poor frat brother Derek really had everything going against him. Eyed by the killer as a possible scape goat AND without the trust of his girlfriend, it doesn't end well for the lad.
In restraints and helpless to defend himself, Mickey plants the seed of doubt in Sidney's mind that Derek could really be the killer - until he shoots him right in the chest. She rushes to his aid but there's nothing to be done.
Sarah Darling
The movie: Scream 3
The death: Lured to the Sunrise Studios offices by the killer, the smart n' sassy Sarah realises that the man on the phone isn't her director - it's someone out to butcher her.
Rather unwisely, she chooses to run deeper into the building and hide in a props room with racks of Ghostface costumes. As expected - one isn't empty. The killer steps out, chasing her across the room before landing a catastrophic punch that sends her crashing through a glass door. He tops it off with his signature 'stab in the back' move.
Rachel
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Rachel appears in the second 'film-within-a-film' of Scream 4's opening sequence, Stab 7 and proceeds to bemoan the current state of self-aware horror movies to her pal Chloe.
A bit sick of Rachel's whining Chloe delivers an unexpected twist by stabbing her friend in the gut twice. Blood gushes into her lap and gurgles from her lips - it's pretty brutal.
Rebecca Walters
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Sid's recently-fired publicist storms off into the hospital parking garage where she receives a call from the killer.
The cat-and-mouse routine follows, with Rebecca trapped in her car, fleeing her car and then wishing she'd parked her car anywhere else. She's stabbed in the gut - in a strangely personal way - then tossed off the roof onto a news van.
Hallie
The movie: Scream 2
The death: After escaping a crashed car, complete with a knocked-out killer in the front seat, you'd think Hallie was a stayer. It's one of the series' most tense moments that's made all the more frustrating when Sid's best mate bites it seconds later.
The pair finally flee the cop car when Sid decides to go back. Hallie hesitates, and out from nowhere Ghostface pops up and punctures her over and over in the chest. You should've run...
Jenny Randall
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Discovering the body of her friend, Jenny charges off to try and escape a similar fate. Ghostface tracks her down, stabbing her in the back and tossing her down a flight of stairs, before delivering a crushing blow: a garage door to the spine. That'll do it.
The last we see of her is the knife coming down before it flashes black and cuts to the title screen. However, in a deleted scene - cut for time - she's shown bound to a chair, in an homage to Steve's death from the first movie.
Trevor Sheldon
The movie: Scream 4
The death: The red herring dangled in front of the audience throughout the entire film? Turns out he's just really sorry he didn't call Jill.
His apology means nothing so his ex-girlfriend shoots him in the crotch, watches him writhe around in agony, then pops him one in the head.
Marnie Cooper
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Although we don't see Marnie's death onscreen in the theatrical cut, her lifeless corpse thrown through a window at Jenny implies she was stabbed in the chest a few times.
In an alternate scene, when Dewey and his deputies arrive at her house, we see her body hung from the ceiling fan - a throwback to Casey Becker's death in Scream.
Stu Macher
The movie: Scream
The death: Stu is well on his way to the grave when Billy gets a little knife happy with him. The increasing pool of blood beneath him doesn't quite sap him of the strength required for one last fight, however.
A good punch-up between Stu and Sidney ensues after she discovers he's one of the killers. She knees him in the crotch, smashes a vase over his head and then tops it off with a neat twist on the 'TV is killing the youth of today': she drops a television set on his head, electrocuting him.
Kirby Reed
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Reeling off every horror remake from the last ten years is impressive - but doesn't save Kirby from getting knifed.
Nope. Apparently, taking a few years to realise she quite fancies Charlie is an offense punishable by death. A bloody, painful death that lasts - as her killer says - 'longer than it does in the movies.' Sick bastard.
Officer Richards
The movie: Scream 2
The death: The second cop assigned to protect Sidney and Hallie from the college killer, Officer Richards meets an even more grisly fate than his partner.
His head is used as a battering ram against the car window, after which Ghostface tosses him across the hood then gets into the driver's seat. Richards' attempt to stop the killer is thwarted when Ghostface crashes the car - with Richards still clinging to the bonnet. A pipe from a construction site skewers the cop right through the eye.
Billy Loomis
The movie: Scream
The death: A nasty end for a nasty piece of work, Billy's sadistic mission to murder his girlfriend comes to a halt when she stabs him in the chest with the pointy end of a very large umbrella. He retaliates by raising his knife, ready to plunge, when Gale shoots him in the chest.
... but that still doesn't manage to stop him. He comes to briefly before Sid fires one off into his brain.
Principal Himbry
The movie: Scream
The death: Added into the film at the behest of the Weinsteins, who felt too much time passed between slayings, Henry Winkler's principal meets the sharp end of Ghostface's knife. Repeatedly.
Stabbed a few times in the gut, he falls to the floor and is cut to ribbons off screen. While we don't see it, we later learn that he was gutted and hung from the goal posts on the football field.
Kenny Jones
The movie: Scream
The death: Gale Weathers' cameraman Kenny is in the wrong place at the wrong time, when he and Sidney are watching a 30-second delayed live feed of the party... which shows the killer headed straight toward them.
There's no time for Ghostface to exact one of his more sadistic killings, so he opts for a throat slash to get Kenny out of the way. Interestingly, the killers still find time to lift the hefty newsman onto the roof of his own van. Which scares the crap out of Gale later.
Randy Meeks
The movie: Scream 2
The death: The loveable film geek Randy manages to get a few good digs in before the killer comes for him.
As Dewey and Gale search for people on cell phones - aw, those days when they were a select few - Randy taunts Ghostface. Sadly, he doesn't spot the van door opening behind him and the killer snatches him into Gale's news truck. He's stabbed over and over.
Steven Orth
The movie: Scream
The death: Casey Becker's football star boyfriend Steven is used as bait for Ghostface's sick torture games. Gagged and bound to a chair on the porch outside her back door, he's already beat up by the time she realises what's at stake.
"Poor Steve, I'm afraid he's out," the killer intones over the phone as Casey watches her beau's entrails pour from the open wound in his gut onto the floor.
Phil Stevens
The movie: Scream 2
The death: Phil takes a toilet break during the premiere of Stab and finds himself in the cubicle next to someone whispering.
He chuckles and places his ear against the partition to get a better grasp on the loon next door. A mistake, as Ghostface plunges the knife straight through and right into his ear.
Cici Cooper
The movie: Scream 2
The death: While the rest of her roomies are at a nearby mixer, the 'sober sister' of Omega Beta Zeta Cici Cooper isn't alone in the gigantic sorority house.
Obviously, Ghostface is there to keep her company. After a brief chase up the stairs, he stabs her twice in the back then throws her from the balcony. She lands with a splat.
Olivia Morris
The movie: Scream 4
The death: Second from the barbaric butchery of Drew Barrymore's character in Scream, the murder of Olivia is the most stomach churning.
The killer hacks away at her guts, throws her through a window and then completely disembowels her. Sidney enters the room to find blood splattering every available surface, along with the poor teenager's body curled on her bed... glistening entrails wrapped in her lap.
Maureen Evans
The movie: Scream 2
The death: The Windsor College student is targeted by Ghostface on the basis of her name alone. This second killing spree begins with the offing of those who share the same name as victims from the first movie. Maureen Evans - Maureen Prescott, as Gale Weathers points out.
Maureen's emotionally-charged death takes place in a packed movie theater, screening Stab - the film-within-a-film recounting the events of the first film. She mistakenly thinks its her boyfriend trying to scare her - but as he plunges the knife into her gut and continues to rip at her while she tries to escape the tone is anything but funny. The cheers from the crowd soon subside as Maureen lets out a death wail on the stage and collapses.
Tatum Riley
The movie: Scream
The death: Tootling off to grab more beers for her loveable rogue of a boyfriend is the kiss of death for Woodsboro's feistiest teen. Ghostface locks her in the garage, and to be frank, she puts up a helluva fight.
Beer bottles, fridge doors, and a few well-timed punches are dished out to the masked killer, giving Tatum just enough time to sneak out through the doggy door. Sadly, the killer's quick hit of the garage door opener lifts her trapped body higher and higher until her head is crushed.
Casey Becker
The movie: Scream
The death: The most shocking death in the entire franchise is a jaw-dropper: how could anyone do such a thing to Drew Barrymore? As the sweet, innocent Casey Becker, Barrymore's wide-eyed teen is first provoked by Ghostface over the telephone into a game of movie trivia. The big twist is that if you guess right you live, and if you don't? You die.
Casey's hurried answer that Jason was the killer in Friday the 13th fasttracks her grisly end. The killers pursue her through the house, and capture her on the lawn - stabbing her over and over while her parents are mere feet away. Her body is disembowelled and hung from a tree - a disturbing sight that signalled the return of old school horror with a new-era twist.
