Scream 6 is continuing the new era of the Scream franchise, but it still refuses to cut ties with the original movies and let Billy Loomis die. The Scream franchise started with the first movie in 1996 and was a success due to its ability to twist the horror genre clichés and have their characters use them to survive. The big twist of Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) and his friend Stu (Matthew Lillard) being the original Ghostface has stayed iconic in the horror/slasher genre, and the Scream movies continue to deconstruct the horror genre, staying unique.
Billy Loomis died in Scream but reappeared in Scream 2022 as a vision his daughter, Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), that helps her against the new Ghostface attacks. The connection to the original movie is a clever way to tie the franchise together while also bringing Scream into a new era and start to become independent of them. Scream 6 is the direct sequel to Scream 2022 and sees Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera returning as Tara and Sam Carpenter. Scream 6 follows the survivors of Scream 2022 leaving Woodsboro for New York, where they are still terrorized by a new Ghostface.
Billy Loomis Is Still Heavily Connected To Scream 6 & The New Ghostface
Sam Carpenter as the lead of Scream 6 provides a good connection to the original Scream but having Billy haunt her in Scream 2022 keeps too much focus on Billy Loomis and the original Scream movies. The recent Scream 6 Experience event revealed the new Ghostface mask is the original one that Billy Loomis wore in Scream, implying Billy has some connection to the newest Ghostface. This, alongside Stu’s name appearing discolored on Scream’s subway poster suggests even more of a connection to the original Scream characters.
Although these connections to Billy Loomis could just be Easter Eggs, and a way to honour the original Scream movies, it means Scream’s story is too dependent on its origins. Revealing Billy’s mask has also led fans to believe Sam Carpenter is the next Ghostface and could be spoiling its own biggest twist for itself. Scream’s story of the murderer being someone close, and unexpected, started with Billy Loomis but Scream 6’s reveals suggests he is being brought back too much.
Why Scream Needs To Move On From Billy Loomis
Scream has so far kept the characters connected to Billy Loomis in some form, and it has worked well using his daughter, although it ruined Billy’s arc, as the main character as a way to pay homage to the original Scream movies. However, staying so heavily connected to Billy risks the Scream movies becoming too predictable and unoriginal, something which the Scream movies have always been praised for not being. Bringing back Billy, and potentially Stu, does provide Easter Eggs, but the Scream movies have always been tied together and do not need the nostalgia hit for fans.
Plus, with Scream 6 moving to New York City, it is the perfect opportunity for Scream to start fresh. The legacy of Ghostface will be shown to a whole new city of people who can continue the murderous rampages without being tied to anyone in Woodsboro. Billy Loomis may be Scream’s original murderer, but has not been properly involved in the events of Scream since so keeping him connected is blocking the franchise from developing, and even having a wider universe. Scream 6 is expected to be a success, but for the franchise to continue this and stay fresh, it needs to let Billy Loomis die.