The adventures of Sidney Prescott and Ghostface have captured the affection of horror fans since Scream's premiere in 1996. Screenwriter Kevin Williamson used his passion for horror movies to create the ultimate meta slasher film. Directed by horror mastermind Wes Craven, the first Scream was a hit and inspired several sequels, becoming it's own brand.

RELATED: 10 Things We Need To Happen In Scream 6

The new Scream continues the tradition of satirizing itself and the slasher genre while also having some legit jump scares. The new Scream may have garnered some new fans, but the ones that may get the most enjoyment out of the film will want to have seen these horror essentials. The unique aspect of the new film is that it paid obvious tribute to horror movies new and old, and to films that aren't even in the same genre.

Warning: Spoilers For Scream 2022 and many other films are included in this article. 

10 Psycho's Shower Scene Spawned The Slasher Film Genre

The famous shower murder scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

There are a ton of movies that come to mind that pioneered the slasher genre, but all of those movies were inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 classic Psycho. Aspects of this early horror movie can be seen in Scream, from the creepy musical score to the depravity of Norman Bates to the famous shower scene. There are clear homages to Hitchcock's horror classic in the Scream franchise, such as the first film where Billy Loomis quoted Norman Bates by grimacing "we all go a little mad sometimes." In the new Scream, the scene where Wes Hicks is showering gave a creepy ambiance that was a clear homage to this film. Psycho is considered the greatest thriller ever made and is a high recommendation for anyone that doesn't have an Oedipal complex.

9 A Nightmare On Elm Street Is A Good Introduction To Wes Craven's Work

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Most people even vaguely familiar with horror know who Freddy Kruger is. But many may not know the name Wes Craven unless they're cinephiles or horror fans. Craven, who passed away in 2015, directed the first four Scream films, and the new movie was dedicated to him. Fans interested in exploring Craven's filmography have a lot of digging to do, but the film to start with is the 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street.

RELATED: 8 Wes Craven Movies That Deserve The Silent Treatment

The film used a ton of '80s slasher cliches, but it also helped create many of them and it introduced the world to arguably the most heinous and terrifying villain in horror history with its sadistic killer. If a viewer planned on doing a deep dive into Wes Craven's work, A Nightmare on Elm Street is a solid place to start.

8 The Witch Helped Re-Define "Elevated Horror" That Tara Carpenter Loved

Anya Taylor-Joy's character prays in The Witch.

Tara Carpenter, the current victim of the Ghostface legacy, revealed that she's a fan of elevated horror in the first scene of the new Scream. Elevated horror is a fairly new term that arose when studios such as A24 debuted movies such as Hereditary, Midsommar, and The Witch. The Witch is a must-see for anyone who revels in being moved by emotional performances. The film is not necessarily gory but the story of the haunting of this colonial family is one of the most unnerving films to appear in the past decade. It's also a good way to get aquatinted with director Robert Eggers' style before The Northman premieres this year.

7 Get Out Mixed Comedic Moments With A Legitimate Horror Story

get out

Horror and comedy are similar genres in plenty of ways, and they can blend together in certain films. Fans of the sharp and witty humor in Scream films may also enjoy Jordan Peele's horror debut Get Out. While Scream satirizes the horror genre, the film industry, and its own existence as a film, Get Out satirized racism in America.

There's laugh out loud moments such as when Bradley Whitford's supposedly liberal character told his daughter's boyfriend Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) that he would've voted for Obama a third time if he could. But there are severely chilling moments such as when LaKeith Stanfield's character wakes from his hypnosis to warn Chris. Wes Craven, who loved adding elements of humor to his horror films, would've been pleased to see Peele take up the mantle as a new purveyor of horror.

6 Hereditary Included Family Trauma That Also Occurred In The New Scream

hereditary

Much like The Witch, Hereditary re-defined horror and helped coin the term "elevated horror."While Hereditary has the age-old monsters of devils and demons, it's much more of an unsettling family drama that deals with a horrific tragedy. Much like Samantha Carpenter dealing with her traumatic family history, Hereditary dealt with family trauma in a much more perturbing way. Ari Aster continued this theme in his next movie, Midsommer, but it was Hereditary that cemented Ari Aster as a horror genius to the world.

5 The Babadook Is Mentioned Several Times In Scream For A Reason

The Mr. Babadook story book from the Babadook movie

In Scream, Tara Carpenter mentions several times that she's a fan of the movie The Babadook. The movie is worth a mention as it's in the same elevated horror family that Tara claimed an affinity for. While the haunting of the Babadook spirit is scary enough, the film also allowed the viewer to feel the pain of Amelia, a widowed single mother raising her son Samuel. The film has disturbing aspects and is also a family drama that displayed the trial and tribulations of a single mother. In these ways, the film is much like Hereditary, although some may argue The Babadook is scarier.

4 Halloween 2018 Was The Blueprint For Scream 2022

Halloween Michael Myers

There's a scene in the recent Scream where Mindy Meeks-Martin (played by Jasmin Savoy Brown) explained the concept of a "requel." Mindy described a "requel" as a hybrid of a sequel and reboot. Mindy of course mentioned the new Halloween reboot made by Eastbound and Down's Danny McBride and David Gordon Green. It's mentioned not only because it's the perfect example of the type of film Mindy describes, but it's also very good.

RELATED: 10 Times The New Scream Was The Best Sequel In The Series

The 2018 take on Michael Meyers brought back Jamie Lee Curtis to reprise her role as Laurie Strode, who now has a daughter and granddaughter. Laurie is written off as mentally ill by her daughter as Laurie tried to warn the family about Michael until he finally comes home. It's worth a watch as it's a compelling horror film in its own right.

3 Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Had The Exact Death Scene For Mikey Madison In Scream

once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood

Moviegoers who are fans of horror movies and Quentin Tarantino flicks may have picked up on a peculiar similarity in the two films. In Scream, Mikey Madison, who played Amber Freeman, is revealed as the killer with Sam Carpenter's boyfriend Richie. Gale Weathers and Sidney Prescott intervened to save the day, with Gale shooting Amber, which caused her to fall on a stove and be engulfed in flames. Amber lunged forwarded with a knife as she burned to death. The eerie thing about this scene is it mirrored Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In... Hollywood, where stuntman Cliff Booth fought off the Manson Family. Madison played Sadie, a member the Manson cult, and her character died in almost the exact same way as her character in Scream. Hollywood may not be a horror film, but it certainly has scenes that play in the genre.

2 Halloween 1978 Is A Bonafide Horror Classic That's Referenced Throughout The Scream Franchise

Michael Myers attacks in 1978's Halloween

There are plenty of references to the original Halloween in both the original Scream and the new one. That's because, like his slasher peer Freddy Kruger, most people know who Michael Meyers is. The Halloween franchise produced decades of sequels and remakes (and of course requels), but the original 1978 version is arguably the best and definitely worth a watch. The first Halloween has all the suspense that's displayed with a mastery worthy of Hitchcock, but it's way more terrifying. The film debuted scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis (daughter of Psycho's Janet Leigh) and horror icon John Carpenter. Besides Psycho, this film is the pioneer of slasher films that defined the genre of horror for years to come.

1 Scream 1996 Provides Viewers With All The Context Needed For The Reboot

Drew Barrymore screaming on the phone in Scream

It should go without saying, the first Scream is the best place to start. Kevin Williamson's screenplay for the original movie created a unique lane of meta-horror that completely explains the style of the 2022 film. The comparisons to the new film are obvious after a viewing of the '96 film. One prime example is the horror Tara Carpenter experienced with Ghostface is not unlike the horror Casey Becker (played by Drew Barrymore) also endured. But it's imperative to watch the original film because it'll provide context to the genesis of the franchise. The movie also still stands the test of time and is very fun to watch with friends.

NEXT: Scream: Dewey Riley's 10 Best Quotes, Ranked