Behind the Mask
Scream is unique amongst slasher franchises because its signature villain isn’t a single individual. Each entry features a different killer inside the Ghostface costume, which makes each film a fun murder mystery guessing game.
So far there have been twelve killers behind the Ghostface mask. Here are my picks for the best ones. I’m not ranking these in order because that would prove too challenging.
Mickey: Scream 2 Ghostface
Mickey is a quirky film student that harbors a dark side. He’s left handed and wanted to distinguish himself from his predecessors. Whereas Billy and Stu tried to get away with their crimes, Mickey wanted to get caught. He wanted to become a media sensation, the focus of a big trial where he could blame his crimes on the movies. That’s right. Mickey wanted to spark a public debate about the effects of cinema violence on society.
Roman: Scream 3 Ghostface
Roman is the only killer to commit his crimes by himself. He didn’t have a partner. He’s also Sidney Prescott’s half-brother and the cause of all the conflict in her life. Their mom, Maureen Prescott, rejected Roman after he attempted to reconnect with her, so he filmed her private affairs, and showed the footage to Billy. Then he capitalized on Billy’s anger at his father’s infidelity and gave Billy the blueprint to commit the Woodsboro murders. Without Roman, Ghostface wouldn’t exist at all.
Stu: Scream (1996)
Stu is one of half of the original Ghostface duo. Other than Casey Becker, he has no motive for his any of his crimes. He simply tags along for the thrill ride. During the final act, he expresses excitement at the possibility of planning a sequel to the Woodsboro murder spree. Stu is a lunatic.
Jill: Scream 4 Ghostface
Jill’s motive is a hybrid-remix of Mickey and Roman’s. She’s attention hungry, jealous of Sidney, and wants to be famous. She plans her entire murder spree just so she can gain a reputation as a survivor girl and become a household name. She even beats herself up and stabs herself to stage a fake crime scene and appear like an innocent victim.
Billy: Scream (1996)
Billy Loomis is the other half of the original Ghostface duo. He killed his girlfriend’s mother and then plans to kill his girlfriend the following year. He’s out for revenge. Sidney’s mother broke up his family and ever since then Billy has had a vendetta to settle. He’s a cold-blooded psychopath that likes to torment his victims and wear them down mentally.
