When die-hard horror fanatics and film buffs in general desire to take a break from the seriousness of most genres, nine times out of 10 they collectively turn their attention towards the ever-hilarious and wildly entertaining Scary Movie franchise.
Kickstarting back in 2000 with the OG Scary Movie project, the chaotically fun installment eventually spawned an entire franchise chock-full of equally absurd and amusing movies. In the early stages of the franchise’s success and popularity, the movies aimed to target cult classic horror flicks and established slashers — including Scream, The Exorcist, The Ring, and The Legend of Hell House. Over time, however, the franchise transformed slightly and also took aim at a variety of other movies from separate genres — including The Matrix, 8 Mile, and Charlie’s Angels.
Flash forward to now, and a fresh-faced Scary Movie reboot has already been confirmed and is soon to be on the horizon. So before the much-anticipated sixth movie is here, let’s dive in and rank every entry in the Scary Movie franchise.
5. Scary Movie V (2013)
Without sugarcoating it, the fifth entry in the long-standing Scary Movie franchise is undoubtedly the worst of the bunch. Without the inclusion of several fan-favorite characters and completely drifting towards a different direction of less authenticity and comedic brilliance, the fifth movie falls flat as a credible installment. Sure, it has its moments of chuckles and gags, but the quality of the movie simply doesn’t measure up when compared to the other entries on this list.
4. Scary Movie 4 (2006)
As the final installment in the franchise to feature veterans Anna Faris and Regina Hall, it’s hardly a major surprise that a fair amount of fans consider the fourth movie to be a guilty pleasure. That being said, the fourth installment was a speedy reminder that the film series was beginning to lose its originality and hype, relying on cheap gags, laughs, and scares to garner the same amount of attention and praise as the earlier movies did. So while the fourth flick isn’t necessarily bad, it also isn’t all that great either.
3. Scary Movie 3 (2003)
Truth be told, the third Scary Movie entry continues to be a guilty pleasure for many fans, and honestly, it’s often considered a sleeper hit in the franchise — solely for the fact of how absolutely silly it truly is. Heavily focusing on the narratives of both Signs and The Matrix, it goes without saying that the third movie definitely carried on the success of the first two films in a positive way, and even managed to find its footing and establish itself as a cult classic of its own. Along with general bits of comedy, Scary Movie 3 showcases literal laugh-out-loud moments that continue to resonate with audiences even years later.
2. Scary Movie 2 (2001)
Without a doubt, the bread and butter of the parody franchise is the first two movies — both of which heavily featured the Wayans’ brothers and initially kickstarted a campaign of spoofing classic horror projects. Sure, the second chapter definitely had some major shoes to fill — but with its inclusion of a star-studded cast featuring Tim Curry and David Cross, parodying some of the best horror movies ever, and delivering some genuine laughs, it makes perfect sense as to why the second movie fits perfectly in the second spot in this list.
1. Scary Movie (2000)
Was there ever any actual doubt? Very seldom does any actual sequel in a franchise surpass the first flick — although Scary Movie 2 does give it a good try. Regardless, Scary Movie was undoubtedly the first of its kind, and it certainly transcended the genre of horror-comedy and stood on its own two feet. From the initial jump, the movie perfectly spoofs major horror hits such as Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, borrowing inspiration from these movies and making fun of traditional tropes in the horror genre. And before you knew it, a legendary parody film was created, leading to an entire franchise and a whirlwind of fans.