Scream 6made history in 2023 for being the first film in theScreamfranchise to feature five Ghostface killers, one of whom was Quinn Bailey. Throughout the film, Quinn had the potential to bethe best Ghostface killer in the whole franchise. Quinn was cunning, smart, manipulative and brutal, all the qualities a successful Ghostface killer should have. However, despite her promising set up, Quinn Bailey and her brother Ethan had their impact and potential limited by the fact that their revelatory twist repeated a 26-year-old franchise storyline.
Quinn’s credentials as Ghostface are beyond doubt. She commits two of the most intense attacks of the film, first on Gale in her penthouse, and then on Mindy in the subway. Quinn even faked her own death towards the beginning of the film to take away any suspicion from herself, leading toone of the most shocking Ghostface revealsat the end of aScreammovie. However, not only did the film lessen her impact through a lack of screen time, but the source of her motivation became a disappointing retread of previous stories – wasting her character’s potential to be the best Ghostface killer.
Scream 6 Set Up Quinn As One Of The Franchise’s Smartest Ghostface Killers
Quinn was probably one of the smartest Ghostface killersever seen. She builds herself into Sam and Tara’s lives by becoming their roommate, keeping her enemies close. While living with the Carpenter sisters, she is able to gain their friendship and trust – demonstrating her aptitude for manipulation. Like Roman inScream 3, she also fakes her own death early in the movie – allowing her to go around freely attacking her victims without the need for an alibi. This makes her both extremely dangerous and highly strategic.
Quinn was also responsible for Mindy’s iconic attack on the subway, which Quinn planned for Halloween so no one would be suspicious of her wearing a Ghostface costume in public.
InScream 6,Quinn planned and committed some of themost horrific attacks in theScreamfranchise.She was intelligent enough to send the group on a wild goose chase around Central Park while she was at Gale’s penthouse, carrying out an attack that almost killed the news reporter. Quinn was also responsible for Mindy’s iconic attack on the subway, which Quinn planned for Halloween so no one would be suspicious of her wearing a Ghostface costume in public. All this identifies her as a potential top-tier Ghostface. And yet, her legacy will forever be tarnished because of her preempted twist reveal.
Scream 6’s Family Twist Reveal Hurt Quinn’s Impact
Quinn’s lack of drive and motivation for being a Ghostface killer was a slight weakness in her character. Quinn claimed that she committed the attacks as a way to avenge her brother,Richie (Scream 5’s Ghostface). However, it was clear by the final act of the film thatthe real mastermind behind the attacks was her father, Wayne Bailey.It became obvious that Richie was Wayne’s favorite child, and he just used his other children to avenge his death. While the children’s involvement was an interesting development, the parental angle meant thatScream 6felt like a rehash of the franchise’s original sequel,Scream 2.
WhereasScream 6saw Wayne Bailey twisted by grief,Scream 2turned Billy Loomis' mother, Nancy, into an antagonist. Nevertheless, the similarities between the stories are undeniable. Both feature a corruption of the parental archetype and explore how horror can pass from generation to generation. However, as interesting as these themes are, they have already been addressed by the franchise.
It would have been much more interesting if Quinn had orchestrated everything without her family’s help.
The fact that Quinn was acting on orders from her father not only feels repetitious, but it also takes away from her character. It would have been much more interesting if Quinn had orchestrated everything without her family’s help, and if she had her own motivation for committing the evil acts.Her actions prove she had the potential to be an iconic Ghostface, yet familiar story beats negatively impacted her characterization.
How Copying Scream 2’s Family Twist Impacted Scream 6’s Potential
It’s no secret that the reboot has taken ideas from the originalScreamfilm. However,it seems that these newer films are trying to re-make the original trilogy.The killer ofScream 5was revealed to be the boyfriend of the main character, Sam Carpenter. Similarly,the 1996 filmScreamrevealed the killerto be the boyfriend of the main character, Sidney Prescott. InScream 2,the killer is revealed to be Nancy Loomis, the mother of the previous Ghostface, Billy Loomis. Again, inScream 6, the killers are revealed to be the family of the previous Ghostface, Richie Kirch.
Scream 7 Will Follow Sidney Prescott, Neve Campbell Confirms
Franchise veteran Neve Campbell confirms that Scream 7 will follow Sidney Prescott, likening her return to another classic horror franchise.
The way that the newerScreamfilms are copying the main twists original films makes them too predictable. There is no point telling a story that has already been told unless something exciting and new is added, and these repeated revelations are really taking away the potential of these latestScreamfilms.Scream 6and Quinn Bailey had so much potential to become a staple in theScreamfranchise.However, lack of originality has really wasted their potential.
Scream VI
Cast
Scream VI, the next installment in the Scream horror franchise, follows four survivors of the latest Ghostface killings as they leave Woodsboro in search of a new beginning. Released in 2023, the film explores their efforts to escape their past while facing new threats in a different setting.
