Scream has spent years taking some of the most memorable tropes of the horror and slasher genre and creating something aware yet still terrifying. Lately, the horror genre has gone through an evolution as the final girl trope grows from just being a lucky or clever survivor to a protector of others. It was first seen with Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in the Halloween reboot and is now featured in the new Scream film with Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). But the similarities run deeper than just being a new trope.
Since 2018's Halloween, classic franchises are getting a more modern reinvigoration that doesn't try to erase what came before, like the Friday the 13th or A Nightmare on Elm Street reboots. Instead, creators are taking what has worked in past films and using that to create a whole new era of terror in a classic franchise. This often involves bringing back iconic survivors like Laurie Strode.
For the first four Scream films, Sidney and her allies from the original movie have faced off against every iteration of the Ghostface killer. As a result, she has grown far colder to those that threaten her and others she cares about. While she isn't as obsessed with the killer as Laurie in Halloween and Halloween Kills, Sidney is still just as prepared. This is proven in the trailer for the new Scream with Dewey asking if she has a gun and Sidney responding, "I'm Sidney Prescott, of course, I have a gun."
Laurie Strode's new iteration has shown audiences how a traumatic event can change a person. But rather than break them down, it can make them stronger and, in her case, tread dangerously close to becoming just as dangerous as the killer. But survivors like Laurie and Sidney know how close they can get to the abyss with each encounter. So rather than become like their tormentors, they use their strength to help others that aren't as versed in the art of survival. Now, they see their enemy as a vendetta that they will stop by any means.
The new Scream and Halloween films perfectly display their determination, with Halloween Kills having Laurie express a desire to remove Michael's mask so she can see the life leave his eyes. In the new trailer, Sidney follows a similar sentiment by stating, “I won’t sleep until he’s in the ground.” There's a degree of exhaustion to these characters who are sick of seeing people they care about die. However, it motivates them to end the killing forever, even if they're the ones that have to do it.
The final girl trope is just as effective as ever, and now audiences are seeing a new evolution of it. Rather than these heroines cracking under the trauma of their experiences, they become protectors and heroes. This is shown in Halloween Kills with Haddonfield fighting back and Sidney in Scream helping these new victims survive the attacks. Being one of the few to understand how these killers operate, they fight back with their knowledge and inspire others to do the same.
The new Scream movie hits theaters on Jan. 14, 2022.