The horror genre has some of the most rabid fans. There’s an extra level of celebration that’s surrounded the Scream franchise. Scream has endured for more than 25 years because of its clever meta commentary on the horror genre. This commentary actively strives to help slasher films evolve into something new.
In addition to gruesome kills and clever writing, the Scream films stand out because they all chronicle the continued story of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott. Sidney has grown into one of the horror genre’s most iconic final girls. The Scream movies have allowed her character to change in some interesting ways since the original.
10 She Gets A Lovely Dog Named Cherokee
Scream 3 is frequently seen as the outlier in the franchise. Scream 3 has gained a heavy appreciation in recent years, featuring some of the most interesting changes of Sidney’s character. Scream 3 begins with Sidney living off the grid, in seclusion. One small comfort that she’s found is a golden retriever named Cherokee. Cherokee isn’t a big part of Scream 3. Thankfully he doesn’t become a casualty, but it’s comforting to see Sidney with a pet and learn that she’s a dog person.
9 She’s Married With Kids
2022’s Scream takes some time to arrive at Sidney. When it does, it’s very satisfying to see that she has found a healthy and adjusted life where she’s built a family. Sidney heads over to Woodsboro quickly, but she mentions her husband, Mark, and that she has young children. Scream 4 doesn’t dig too deep into Sidney’s personal life. Considering that Scream 3 concludes with Patrick Demspey’s Mark Kincaid hanging out with Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, it’s very likely that Mark is Sidney’s husband.
8 She Works As A Crisis Counselor
Slasher franchises that feature one final girl, carried over between films, often become meditations on trauma and how to deal with this internal pain. Scream 3 shows that Sidney has opted for a solitary life in seclusion that allows her to feel safe and have peace of mind.
However, she’s also shifted her efforts to working as a crisis counselor for an abused women’s hotline. It’s quite inspiring that Sidney uses her own traumatic experiences to help others process their pain and to turn into something productive.
7 She Owns A Gun
This detail may seem a little redundant. Sidney experiences so much trauma over a lengthy period of time that she gets used to carrying a weapon around with her. She's prepared at all times. Scream begins with Sidney as an innocent teenager.
In Scream 2, she’s still trying to live a normal life, unaccustomed to the idea that death seems to follow her around. Sidney grows more hardened. She reaches a point where it’s comical when she reiterates in 2022’s Scream that she of course owns a gun. It’s a part of life that she’s grown to accept.
6 She Comes To Terms With Her Mother’s Past
Maureen Prescott, Sidney’s mother, is a raw topic back in the original Scream. Her actions turn out to inspire Billy Loomis to turn to his slew of vindictive murders. Scream 3 returns to Sidney’s mother in a major way. Scream 3 digs up her past and again makes it a motivating factor for the killer, Roman Bridger.
Bridger turns out to be Sidney’s half-brother. Sidney is literally haunted by her mother’s ghost in Scream 3. She finds peace by the end of Scream 3, and is able to comfortably move on from this painful piece of her past.
5 She Sues The Stab Franchise And Is Removed From The Movies
The Scream films are allowed to reach an even greater level of meta commentary and subversion because of the “Stab” films that exist within the movies’ universe. And, of course, how they replicate the original Woodsboro murders.
Scream highlights how the “Stab” movies increasingly lose their way and even stoop to time travel by the fifth entry. By 2022’s Scream it’s revealed that Sidney sued the “Stab” producers to stop using her as a character. This leads to the reboot of “Stab” with its eighth entry, which enrages the fanbase.
4 She Becomes A Killer
Sidney is incredibly innocent in the original Scream movie. Tragically, she’s pushed to defend herself and turn to murder when she becomes the target of the killers. Sidney is incredibly emotional when she pulls the trigger in Scream. It’s fascinating that Scream movies depict her growing more comfortable with this. Sidney only turns to these extreme actions when it’s necessary, but it’s a line that she’s absolutely willing to cross. In Scream 4 she even violently defibrillates her cousin’s head.
3 She Leaves Woodsboro
Woodsboro is Sidney’s home. She goes through so much trauma in the area that it’s not surprising she eventually leaves the place in her rearview mirror. By Scream 3, Sidney has left Woodsboro. Her subsequent returns in Scream 4 and 2022’s Scream are only after the past begins to repeat itself.
It’s nice that Sidney doesn’t feel some strange sense of obligation to Woodsboro and that she’s able to escape from it as she focuses on her future. There are too many painful memories that remain there.
2 She Becomes A Drama Student
Scream features Sidney in high school. There’s never a real look at what her passions - education or what she’s interested in doing with her life. Scream 2 looks at Sidney’s college years and she’s made theater a big part of her life. Sidney is only a freshman, but she seems to have the lead role in the drama department’s Greek tragedy.
This piece of theater becomes an effective backdrop for some frightening setpieces. It’s interesting to learn that Sidney doesn’t just have interest in theater, but also seems to be quite talented in the area.
1 She Gets Ahead Of The Curve When It Comes To Phone Technology And Security
There are many signature elements of the Scream movies. The use of phones is essential and something that’s never going to disappear. Sidney is completely helpless to the killers’ attacks and calls in the first Scream. As early as Scream 2 she’s already started to take advantage of technology to have greater agency.
Sidney makes use of caller ID technology and puts up more safeguards that don’t leave her as vulnerable. It’s a logical progression for her character, but it’s satisfying that Scream films take the time to cover her growing savviness in the area.