They said the parody movie was dead. Someone forgot to tell the Wayans brothers.
After a 20-year hiatus from the franchise they created, Marlon and Shawn Wayans are back — and they brought everyone with them. Scary Movie (2026), directed by Michael Tiddes, reunites the original core four: Anna Faris as Cindy Campbell, Regina Hall as Brenda Meeks, Marlon Wayans as Shorty, and Shawn Wayans as Ray Wilkins. It's the first time the complete original cast has shared the screen since 2006 — and audiences showed up in a massive way.
A Franchise-Best Opening Weekend
Let's talk numbers, because they tell a story of their own. Scary Movie debuted to a staggering $55 million domestic and $50.5 million international in its opening weekend, landing a $105.5 million global launch — the best in the franchise's history. It topped the weekend box office, easily defeating Masters of the Universe ($29.3M) and Backrooms ($25.9M). For a horror parody in 2026, that's not just a win — that's a statement.
What the Critics Are Saying
The critical reception has been, let's say… complicated. The New York Times called it a film that "takes a predictable and dismaying turn, even if it feels like the right time to bring the series back." The Guardian was sharper:
"Successful jokes are thin on the ground in the musty sixth installment of the once-popular parody franchise."
Variety took a more measured stance, saying the film "has a few choice gags, but mostly it's so meta it's meh."
Rotten Tomatoes' first reviews noted it "has moments, but relies too much on pop culture references" and that "attempts at transgressive humor are juvenile" — though critics did acknowledge there are "some big laughs."
The Wayans Flavor Is Back — Sort Of
For longtime fans, the reunion factor alone is worth the ticket. Marlon Wayans had been vocal about wanting to restore what he called the original "Wayans flavor" — the raw, irreverent energy that fans felt had been missing from installments 3 through 5.
The plot centers on Cindy's daughters being terrorized by a new Ghostface killer, pulling the original crew back together to protect a new generation. The story brings surprising emotional stakes to an otherwise absurdist premise, with Cindy portrayed as a John Wick-style survivalist who has spent 26 years preparing for Ghostface's return.
The film also features a stacked cameo roster: Kai Cenat, Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Anderson, and Kenan Thompson all appear as themselves, giving the film a chaotic, internet-era energy that previous sequels lacked.
Should You Watch It?
If you go in expecting a tight, sharp comedy, you may leave disappointed. But if you're a fan of the original films — if you remember watching Anna Faris stumble through horror tropes in the early 2000s — there's a genuine sense of nostalgia in seeing these characters return. Scary Movie (2026) is imperfect, uneven, and sometimes juvenile. It's also, somehow, the highest-grossing entry in the franchise's history.
Audiences clearly don't just want nostalgia. They want this kind of nostalgia — loud, self-aware, and unapologetically silly. And on that front? Ghostface delivered.
Scary Movie is now playing in theaters nationwide.
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