Scream VI might be establishing Sam as the most important character in the modern Scream movies. The Scream franchise is one of the longest running slasher movie series, with the first Scream being released in 1996 and five sequels being produced, in addition to the Scream MTV series. The Scream movies are unique in being both horror movies and meta satires on the horror genre, which continued in Scream 2022.
Scream 2022 was a passing of the torch of sorts, with the Scream franchise's heroine Sidney Prescott (Never Campbell) returning alongside Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Dewey Riley (David Arquette). Scream 2022 also introduced many new, younger characters, including Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), the daughter of Sidney's old boyfriend, and Billy Loomis (Skeey Ulrich) one of the original Ghostface killers. Sam will return in Scream VI, and the movie's marketing is already hinting at her great significance to the film.
All Routes In The Scream 6 Subway Poster Lead To Sam's Name
Scream VI will take place in New York City, with the new poster presenting a map of the New York subway system in the form of the Ghostface mask. The poster includes the names of different characters from the franchise (even Billy's seemingly dead partner, Stu Macher, is also on Scream VI's poster). Sam's name and spot on the map are visibly larger than anyone else's. Additionally, every route on the map in some way leads back to Sam's name.
In essence, Scream VI's poster is presenting a subtle message of "All roads lead to Sam", which indicates she is being positioned as the Scream's most central current character. That designation once undeniably went to Sidney, and with Sam fully on board the series, Scream VI might be completing the transition that Scream 2022 began.
Why Sam Is The Most Important Character In The Scream Franchise (Right Now)
Aside from Scream 2022 itself passing the franchise on to a new lead cast, Neve Campbell herself also chose not to return for Scream VI over a pay dispute. In the absence of Sidney and the death of Dewey in Scream 2022, the movie's story makes it necessary for a new protagonist to take center stage in the Scream movies. Scream 2022 already made Sam the most obvious choice to succeed Sidney, but her connections to past Scream characters make that change even more significant.
Going by Scream VI's poster, Sam could have some hidden connection with a slew of past Ghostfaces, including Roman Bridger (Scott Foley), Mickey Altieri (Timothy Olyphant), Debbie Loomis (Laurie Metcalf), and Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts). With Sam experiencing haunting visions of her father Billy in Scream 2022, she could find herself going through even more such PTSD with the many other Ghostfaces Sidney has killed. However, Scream VI chooses to reveal it, the movie's poster makes clear that its story very much revolves around Sam Carpenter.
