Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dense, extra-brutal slasher sequel has strong characters.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Scream VI
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 27 parent reviews
Parents say the film is a mixed bag regarding its suitability for younger audiences, with many praising it for its engaging storyline and character development, while warning of excessive violence, gore, and strong language. Most reviewers suggest a minimum age of 12 or 13 for viewers, but several parents found it too disturbing for younger children, emphasizing the importance of parental discretion when deciding if it's appropriate for teens, especially those sensitive to graphic content.
- violence concerns
- age recommendations
- graphic content warnings
- mixed parental opinions
- character development
- engaging storyline
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 87 kid reviews
Kids say that the movie features excessive gore, violence, and strong language, making it unsuitable for younger viewers; however, many fans of the franchise still find it entertaining and exciting. While some praise its thrilling elements and character development, others criticize the plot and character depth, suggesting it's not the best entry in the series.
- gore and violence
- language issues
- thrilling elements
- plot criticisms
- suitable age range
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In SCREAM VI, Tara (Jenna Ortega) and her friends Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding) have moved to New York City following the terrible events of Scream. Tara's older sister, Sam (Melissa Barrera), has tagged along and is putting a crimp in Tara's social life with her overprotectiveness. Nevertheless, they're all sharing a house with some new roommates, Mindy has a new girlfriend, and they're all trying to move on. Unfortunately, the terror of Ghostface isn't finished with them yet, and they start to experience deadly new attacks. Mindy tries to establish the rules this time, while police detective Bailey (Dermot Mulroney) and Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) -- who's now with the FBI -- discover that the new killer is referencing all of the previous killers. So Tara and her friends must prepare for what they hope will be one final showdown.
Is It Any Good?
While this slasher sequel is bogged down by complicated lore and is far more brutal than it is actually scary, the strong characters and an effective mystery come together to make it a cut above. Fans of the franchise will likely want to rewatch the previous five movies before tackling Scream VI, as it has many, many references to them. In the last movie, 2022's Scream, Mindy cleverly proclaimed that they were in a "re-quel," but here her efforts to establish the rules are headache-inducing. Additionally, perhaps as the result of the number of kills getting ramped up, each one lacks the suspense it might have had (with the exception of a terrific, extended sequence on the subway). Still, filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (of the Radio Silence collective) do manage to use their 123-minute running time to more deeply explore the characters and their relationships. We can feel their trauma and their wounds and easily empathize with them. Plus, not only is the mystery in Scream VI satisfying and clever, but it's also a logical extension of the previous movie. There actually was a good reason for another sequel; it's more than just a stab in the dark.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Scream VI's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? Does it concentrate more on fright, suspense/mystery, or clever references? What would make the movie scarier -- or less scary?
How does the movie depict underage drinking and drug use? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
What is a "meta movie"? Do the Scream movies benefit from being self-aware? What might be missing?
How do the characters handle trauma? How are communication and family involved in this process?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 10, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : July 11, 2023
- Cast : Jenna Ortega , Melissa Barrera , Courteney Cox
- Directors : Tyler Gillett , Matt Bettinelli-Olpin
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 123 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence and language throughout, and brief drug use
- Last updated : January 11, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate