dnfed at 30% because this was just a compilation of interviews with no new insights on the movies themselves. I was hoping for more behind-the-scenes of like how the iconic mask was chosen, not the pretty typical events that lead up to a movie being made

Like the author, Scream has been my favorite movie for as long as I can remember and I am a die-hard fan of the franchise and the horror genre in general. It was clearly written for horror lovers. This book was such a fun, insightful experience, and felt like nerding out with a friend who happened to have connections to the industry. I loved getting so many behind the scenes looks at the creation of the film, especially quotes and interviews from those involved. I also appreciated that the author followed the franchise from its conception to its impact on culture and the horror genre and the future of the franchise and the genre as a whole.

As a millennial horror fan, Scream was a big part of my introduction into the genre. It was different than everything that came before it, and it's the bar I hold up a lot of other horror films against. Your Favorite Scary Movie is a must-read for fans of the franchise with deep dives into the production of the films through interviews with cast and crew. Cullins breaks up the franchise chronologically, using interviews to paint a picture of what brought the films to life.

I was so excited to receive this book in an advanced reader copy! Thank you to netgalley for proving me to read this book!

I am a huge Scream and Ghostface fan so this was so cool to read

This was such an amazing read! All the behind the scenes moments and cast interviews were so interesting. a if you love the scream franchise you're gonna love this book. Plus the cover is so cute !! I just wish there were pictures because I kept clicking out of the book to look up pictures and videos to go with the scenes.

As a fan of scary movies, I loved this book. It was fun to see quotes and behind the scenes of Scream. Definitely made me want to watch the movies. Well done!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I love the Scream movies and this book was awesome!! I loved learning behind the scenes and the impact the franchise has had on the cinema. Anyone who loves the Scream movies should check this out.

as a horror genre fan, and a lover of the scream franchise this was a really great read! a lot of fun information i didnt know and a nice ode to wes craven.
thank you netgalley and publisher!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This was such a fun read! It was the perfect love letter to an incredible franchise. My only constructive feedback was I felt like many more pages were given to 5 + 6 and I would've loved the same amount to be about the first one. Also, with Scream 7 about to come out and how everything is being pulled together with Neve coming back and Williamson finally directing I would've loved to have waited to read this and get more of the behind the scenes of 7. At this time since it hasn't come out yet all that is on lockdown.

Loved my time reading this!

This book is the deep dive into the Scream films that every fan wants:

1. Interesting history tidbits about the making of the films
2. Heartfelt homage to Wes Craven
3. The thought processes behind who was the killer and why
4. Dissection of the impact of the Scream franchise and what sets its apart from other slasher franchises
5. Looks toward the future of the franchise

I had such a great time reading this book, and I’m only sad it’s not longer.

Disclosure: I received a gifted ARC and eARC from the publisher

What's your favorite scary movie? Because mine has always been Scream. I loved the first movie as a kid and love them all more and more with every watch. The fact that Ghostface could be anyone made this franchise more exciting than any other scary movie/franchise.

When I saw this book was coming out, I was immediately excited about it. I really loved the in depth look at each movie and I think any fan would. I especially liked learning more about the cast and crew of each movie and how they felt about everything. A lot of this book was a love letter to Wes Craven and I found myself tearing up through a lot of it.

I don't know where the franchise will go or how many more movies will be made but I'll watch them til the day I die. And I also can't wait to buy this book.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC of this book! :)

"Your Favorite Scary Movie" is exactly what it says on the dripping-blood cover: a love letter to the "Scream" franchise written with the kind of reverence usually reserved for religion or Taylor Swift. Ashley Cullins doesn’t just walk us through the Ghostface cinematic universe — she lays out the guts, cleans up the mess, and then invites us all to gather around the crime scene and cry about it. If you’ve ever whispered “I want to be Neve Campbell when I grow up” or wanted to physically threaten someone for ranking "Scream 3" too low, this is your sacred text.

This isn’t some dry production recap. This is behind-the-scenes with heart, blood, and an emotional autopsy of a genre that refuses to die. Cullins covers "Scream" 1 through 6 with the kind of care that shouts “final girl energy,” giving us deep dives into the creators, actors, and the behind-the-camera chaos that made this franchise not just iconic but personal. And yes, Harvey Weinstein is mentioned — briefly, honestly, appropriately. He’s treated like the human biohazard he is and then immediately shoved back into the dark closet where he belongs. This story isn’t about him. It’s about the people who survived his shadow and made art anyway.

And that is what makes this book feel like you’re being handed a bloody knife by someone who says, “Here. Now you tell the story.” You get Craven’s quiet genius, Williamson’s whip-smart dialogue, the meta-magic that made horror self-aware without being self-obsessed. You see how this franchise kept evolving — even when the rules changed, even when it shouldn't have worked. Even when they had to make "Scream 6" without their queen. And somehow, it still worked.

If you’ve been on this ride since Sid was leaning out her bedroom window channeling "Dawson’s Creek" — a little wink from Kevin Williamson to the Joey Potter who was just around the corner — you might already know most of the facts. But Cullins still makes them feel new. This isn’t an info dump. It’s a dinner party with the horror kids, and everyone’s passing around stories like wine and trauma. Even if you've heard the anecdotes before, the way they're told here? You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll text your horror group chat at midnight just to say “Remember when Tatum got garage-doored?”

And here’s the thing: this book doesn’t just celebrate horror, it understands why people need it. My 13th birthday was 9/11. I don’t even remember the cake. What I remember is that Friday night, when my friends stayed over in the basement and we watched "Scream" and "Scream 2" on rented VHS tapes from Blockbuster with “Be Kind Rewind” stickers on it. The neighborhood boys banged on the windows trying to scare us, and it worked — but it also released something. That night, we let go of the fear we couldn’t name and grabbed onto the fear we could. Ghostface was terrifying, but at least he made sense. That was the moment horror stopped being just entertainment. It became therapy. It became ours.

It doesn’t try to sell you on "Scream" with stats or box office numbers. It just reminds you why you already loved it. It makes you excited for "Scream 7" in that heart-racing, pre-trailer, please-don’t-screw-this-up kind of way. It honors Wes, lifts up the creatives still building on his bones, and celebrates the weird, unkillable magic of horror fandom at its best.

Four and a half stars. It’s smart, stylish, and just messy enough to feel personal — like a slasher written by someone who knows exactly what fear tastes like and still goes back for seconds. The only thing notably missing? Any mention of the "Scream" MTV/VH1 series, which is treated here like the franchise's moody exchange student — interesting, atmospheric, and quietly left off the group text. Season 1 especially earned its place — not canon, sure, but still part of the legacy. A sharp little detour that understood the assignment and bled for it. Because scream queens come in many forms — and sometimes they show up on basic cable and still leave a mark.

The culmination of research and interviews makes this feel like the book version of those Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street retrospective docuseries. It's very well done. It honors the cast, crew and Wes Craven in a very respectful way that is the perfect vibe for horror fans. It also made me want to rewatch all the movies, and now I'm extra excited for Scream 7, which gets a few neat look-ahead chapters as well.

Title: Your Favorite Scary Movie
Author: Ashley Cullins
Publisher: Penguin Group Dutton / Plume
Release Date: August 19, 2025
Genre: Nonfiction / Film History / Pop Culture
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Your Favorite Scary Movie is a nostalgic, fan-forward tribute to the Scream franchise—a book that, at its best, reads like an extended bonus feature on a Blu-ray box set. Ashley Cullins assembles a sprawling oral history of the series, anchored by interviews with cast, crew, and creatives from all six films (plus early notes on Scream 7), offering a heartfelt look at how a self-aware slasher reshaped modern horror.

Thank you to NetGalley, Plume, and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cullins’ love for Scream and especially Wes Craven is palpable. The book shines brightest when reflecting on Craven’s legacy as both a director and mentor. Anecdotes from stars like Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox bring warmth to the page, and the reverence with which collaborators speak about Craven gives this project real emotional weight. Horror nerds will find plenty of joy in these passages—especially if you’ve memorized the rules of surviving a scary movie.

That said, once you get past the fan-service veneer, cracks begin to show.

The book leans so hard into its celebratory tone that it often forgets to offer critical insight or structure. Despite collecting a massive number of interviews (over 80), Your Favorite Scary Movie sometimes reads more like a PR packet than a cohesive narrative. Cullins rarely steps in to frame or interrogate the material, resulting in long stretches of uncontextualized quotes that lose momentum. It’s an oral history in theory, but not always in practice—there’s little connective tissue to elevate the commentary into deeper analysis.

As it moves into the later sequels (Scream 5 and 6), the tone shifts into full-on self-congratulation. There’s not much scrutiny, no exploration of fan backlash, and a surprising lack of commentary from recent key players like Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera—whose absence in both the franchise and this book is glaring, even if addressed indirectly.

While the early chapters do a solid job of exploring the franchise's cultural impact and box office significance, the book starts to feel lopsided as it progresses. Scream 1–3 get the depth they deserve. Scream 4–6 feel rushed and promotional, less like history and more like a warm-up for a press junket.

Final Verdict:
Your Favorite Scary Movie is a heartfelt tribute to a beloved horror franchise, packed with behind-the-scenes nostalgia and insider love. For diehard Scream fans, there’s enough here to satisfy a craving. But as a serious nonfiction work, it falls short of being definitive. The emotional beats hit, the reverence is real—but this one could’ve used a sharper edit, more critical distance, and a deeper cut.

Recommended for readers who enjoy:

Oral histories of major film franchises

Tributes to Wes Craven and 90s horror

Behind-the-scenes tidbits and production gossip

Collectible fan books with heavy nostalgia appeal

A look into the movie that restarted the slasher genre.

This is truly a love letter to the Scream franchise, but even moreso a love letter to Wes Craven.

The true love and delight in these pages as people who worked with talk about how wonderful a director and human he was in palpable.

A must read for any Scream or Craven fan.

Loved everything about Craven's movies, but it all got a bit press kit when it reached the new era. Still, for fans of the franchise this is essential: passionate, fast-paced, entertaining, just like the best of the films it covers.

Your Favorite Scary Movie is an absolute treat for Scream fans, and it’s hard to imagine anyone who’s a die-hard follower of the franchise not getting completely sucked in. The level of detail here is incredible, and Ashley Cullins does a masterful job of blending the history of the films with insightful commentary and behind-the-scenes stories.

The interviews with the cast and creators, especially from the iconic Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette, offer personal perspectives that give this book real heart. It’s not just a timeline of events—it’s a look at how these films transformed the horror genre, combining brutal violence with self-aware humor that reinvigorated an entire industry. Cullins also dives deep into the impact of Scream on the genre, making it clear why this series became a cultural touchstone.

As a horror lover, cinephile, and longtime fan of Scream, I found myself devouring every chapter, even more so for the new interviews and fresh behind-the-scenes revelations that you won’t find elsewhere. The nostalgia is there, but there’s also a genuine appreciation for what the series did for horror storytelling.

Highly recommend this one if you’re obsessed with Scream or just love reading about how movies are made—especially those that leave an undeniable mark on pop culture.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

I think the best compliment I could give this book is that I wanted more. Just more of everything - the oral histories, the conversations with crew and cast, and the behind the scenes crafting of some of the most iconic modern horror movies. I'm a horror nerd in so many forms, and a former makeup effects artist, so I loved all the info about what was going on with the day-to-day on set and the choices that were made. But gosh, I could have read twice the amount of everything from the cast and crew of all the films. It felt like we got a lot of the breakdown of controversy from the later films (4-6), but not a lot of the same sort of interesting information like we had on the writing from the first three films. The book also assumes that the reader is extremely familiar with all the films while reading. A plot breakdown / summary would have been nice for each.

I would definitely recommend it for a horror nerd, a film nerd, or someone just interested in how a beloved movie and franchise was made.

If you're a diehard Scream fan, this one's a fun ride. It’s packed with interviews from cast members and creatives across the whole franchise. As someone who lives for collecting random behind-the-scenes facts (mainly so I can drop them at exactly the right moment during a rewatch), I was hoping for even more quirky production tidbits. I definitely picked up a few new ones for my arsenal, but I wouldn’t have complained if the book leaned even harder into that side of things. Still, it gave me a deeper appreciation for the series—and honestly, now I really want to queue up a full Scream marathon.

I grew up in the 90s and with the Scream movies. When I saw this, I knew I had to read it. I love all the tidbits about the industry, the background of what really happened on set and as the movies were coming together. I can't wait to wait all the movies again to see what I pick up on that I didn't before after reading this. It's packed with so many highlights that all movie fans will appreciate!