What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedScream
Film · 1996
If you loved Scream, start with Scary Movie (2000) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Scream across media.
What hooked you in Scream was the way the sharp, self-aware deconstruction of horror tropes mirrors your own obsession with pop culture.
Start with the source
Inspired by
Scary Movie
Film · 2000
Books on the same thread
Fear Street
R. L. Stine · Book · 1989
Shares a thread with Scream: Teen Angst.
If you enjoyed the teenage vulnerability and small-town danger found in Scream, this series captures that same sense of looming threat amidst the familiar backdrop of high school life.
Psycho
Robert Bloch · Book · 1959
Shares a thread with Scream: Slasher.
Scream owes much of its DNA to this classic, which explores the same dark obsession and hidden identity issues that make the masked killer in your favorite movie so terrifying.
Ring
Kōji Suzuki · Book · 2003
Explores: Technology and Society, Urban Legends, Contagion.
Like the meta-commentary on scary movies in Scream, this story examines the dangerous power of media and urban legends, proving that the things we consume can truly haunt us.
Misery
Stephen King · Book · 1987
Shares 2 threads with Scream: Trauma, Survival.
You loved the high-stakes survival game in Scream, and this intense psychological thriller delivers a similar feeling of claustrophobic obsession when a fan turns their fixation into a deadly trap.
Series on the same thread
Twin Peaks
Mark Frost · Series · 1990
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Doppelgangers, Good vs Evil.
Much like the whodunit mystery at the core of Scream, this series peels back the layers of a quiet town to reveal the unsettling secrets hidden beneath its surface.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Joss Whedon · Series · 1997
Explores: Coming of Age, Good vs Evil, Female Empowerment.
Scream subverts the final girl trope, and this show takes that same spirit of female empowerment, placing a young woman at the center of a battle against supernatural darkness.
Freaks and Geeks
Paul Feig · Series · 1999
Explores: Social Outcasts, High School Angst, Identity Crisis.
The sharp focus on teen angst and social dynamics in Scream is mirrored here, providing an authentic look at the pressures of high school without the looming masked killer.
Goosebumps
R.L. Stine · Series · 1995
Explores: Overcoming Fears, Monsters, Small Town Secrets.
If you appreciated the way Scream makes horror accessible and fun for a younger audience, this anthology series offers that same entry-level thrill through its focus on classic monsters.
Podcasts on the same thread
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: mental health awareness, female friendship, coping mechanisms.
Scream thrives on our cultural fascination with the macabre, and this podcast captures that same conversational obsession with true crime stories, blending dark subject matter with a relatable tone.
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
You were drawn to the tension in Scream, and this podcast offers a similarly compelling look at human behavior and moral ambiguity, perfect for any fan of investigative storytelling.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Scary Movie a direct sequel to Scream?
Scary Movie is not a direct sequel to Scream. While it references the 1996 film, it serves as a parody rather than a continuation of the original plot involving the teenage girl and the masked killer who uses scary movies in his deadly game.
What is the plot of Scream?
Scream follows a teenage girl who is terrorized by a masked killer one year after her mother was murdered. The killer targets the girl and her friends by incorporating knowledge of scary movies into a deadly game played against them.
Should I watch Scream before watching Scary Movie?
Watching Scream before Scary Movie is recommended to understand the references. Because the 2000 film acts as a parody of the 1996 movie, knowing the plot about the masked killer and the deadly game makes the humor and satirical elements more effective.
Is Scream based on a true story?
The 1996 film Scream is not based on a true story. The plot describes a fictional narrative about a teenage girl targeted by a masked killer who plays a deadly game using scary movies as inspiration for his attacks against her and her friends.