Ghostface in Scream VIPhoto: Paramount Pictures/Spyglass Media Group
If there’s one mistake the graveyard’s worth of victims keep making throughout the Scream franchise, it’s that they don’t believe they’re in the movie until it’s too late. The smug teenagers who so often fall prey to Ghostface early in the game can critique the screen saps in Stab, the metafictional film series set in the Scream universe, as they please; after all, they will be no different.
A new marketing stunt, Scream VI, ups the ante on this blunder. So far, reruns of the masked, knife-wielding killer have popped up in Sonoma (where portions of the original Scream were filmed), New Orleans, and St. Louis. The AV Club has reached out to Paramount Pictures for comment.
When webcam footage of the Ghostfaces Across America surfaced on Twitter, the scary flick became obsessed itself answered from his (alleged) account. “Just minding my business,” he replied to photos from his stay in Sonoma via verified name @GhostfaceTalks_; He responded to another set of images: “I’m watching you #ScreamVI.”
The tactic appears to be based on a similar (and successful) ploy recently used to encourage smiles. In September 2022, eerie so-called “Smilers” attended three different Major League Baseball games with the film’s signature sinister grins, startling game participants who caught a glimpse of them in the Jumbotron. The stunt went viral and terrified the internet; Ultimately, Smile became a box office hit, grossing a surprising $200 million.
Though Variety confirms the Ghostface sightings are part of a coordinated marketing campaign, not everyone loves scary movies, and the stunt has reportedly resulted in multiple 911 calls. Perhaps viewers are finally starting to learn a lesson from the franchise’s six films; Even the most avid horror fans probably don’t want to risk starring on their own staff.
Scream VI hits theaters on March 10th.