How a parody franchise turned horror tropes into a billion-dollar cinematic empire

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: From spoofing slasher classics to battling alien invasions, the Scary Movie series has become a massive cultural force. With over $1 billion in worldwide box office earnings, these films have navigated shifting ratings, legal threats from pop stars, and a decade-long hiatus to become a staple of the parody genre.

Launched by director Keenen Ivory Wayans, the first Scary Movie set a high bar for the franchise, grossing $278,019,771 worldwide. It focused on the slasher genre, specifically mocking Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer by following a group of teenagers stalked by a bumbling killer. The series has since evolved through various directorial hands and shifting targets, moving from supernatural spoofs in the second installment to sci-fi and alien invasions in later entries.

The franchise has faced significant shifts in tone and production. While the first two films were R-rated and featured the Wayans siblings, the third film marked a departure, becoming the first to receive a PG-13 rating and the first to operate without Wayans involvement. This trend continued into the fifth film, which was the only installment not to star lead actresses Anna Faris and Regina Hall. The series also encountered legal friction, such as Michael Jackson's planned lawsuit regarding a parody of him in the first film.

After years of development, the franchise is seeing a resurgence. Following the shutdown of Dimension Films in 2018, the series moved to Miramax. A new film was announced in April 2024, featuring a reunion of the Wayans brothers for the first time in 18 years. This upcoming installment, slated for a June 5, 2026 release, is expected to return to its roots by primarily parodying Scream, while also skewering modern horror hits like Get Out and M3GAN.

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