Scream Composer Marco Beltrami Says ‘Scream 4’ Is the “Weakest” and “Most Uninspired” of the First Four Films

Marco Beltrami, who wrote the musical scores for Scream 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, has shared some candid thoughts about his work on the franchise in a new interview with Deadline published Oct. 7, 2026.

via: JoBlo

Scream 4

Scream 5 and VI seemingly revitalized the franchise with new blood. Did the series need to be revived after Scream 4? Composer Marco Beltrami thinks so. Deadline caught up with Beltrami to talk scoring the series and he reveals why Scream 4 may feel a bit more soul-less than the first three movies, which were all also directed by Wes Craven. Beltrami reveals that he and Craven didn’t have the passion for that entry since the studio pretty much forced them to do that installment. He explains,

I have to be honest. It was not a project I wanted to do. In fact, I’m not even sure Wes really wanted to do it. Like it was something that Dimension was really forcing, and I wasn’t really writing music for Wes then. It was like I was writing these cues, and they would be approved by some clown in an office in New York. And even though the franchise had done really well, they had no budget for orchestral instruments. We had to do some little quick session in Eastern Europe. The whole thing was, I have to say, uninspired. I think the movie, of all the first four, is the weakest, and musically too, it’s the most uninspired. It’s a shame, but it’s the reality.”

Courtney Cox wants to direct Scream 8?

Scream 7 saw the return of Neve Campbell and was a big hit for the franchise, becoming the highest-grossing installment. So, what are the plans for a follow-up? When it was suggested to Courtney Cox that she step up to direct, she was pretty enthused about the idea. She said, “I think I should, honestly. Nobody knows more about that movie than I do. I mean, and the creator, and Wes Craven, and the writers, and everybody who’s been in it. But I think it’d be great and fun and a good publicity thing. Get on it.”

While Scream 4 is the lowest-grossing film in the franchise to date, critical reactions were more positive than they were for Scream 3. Earlier this year, Scream 7 marked new highs and new lows for the series; it became the highest-grossing entry and also scored the worst reviews.

A Scream 8 is on the way, with Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman attached as writers.