“Scream 7,” is the latest addition to the “Scream” franchise. After its release, it was the highest grossing film for seven days in a row according to Box Office Mojo. But all I could wonder is why Hollywood saw the need for yet another “Scream” film.

My parents practically dragged me to the theater to watch this with them. I was completely unaware that I was even going until they told me to put my shoes on.

My biggest concern walking into the theater was that I wouldn’t understand a single thing in regards to the plot due to not having watched any of the other six films in the series. However, when I reached the end of the film, rather than being confused by the plot, my confusion was entirely directed towards why this film exists in the first place.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a victim of Hollywood’s tactic of seemingly endless sequels, and the “Saw” and “Final Destination” franchises are some of my favorites. I love when my favorite series or film gets more love through another movie or season. But sooner or later, it all starts to get repetitive and unenjoyable if nothing new gets added.

I get why the film industry does this. Remakes, reboots, sequels and overall additions to preexisting films are safer than entirely new ones. They’re already beloved and are safer bets regarding revenue, both points made by Stylist, a news site and magazine primarily targeted towards women but also covers things in the entertainment field, such as books, films and tv.

In all honesty, I do believe these claims. We get to see recognizable and beloved characters throughout a series, and we also have an idea of how the film will be structured.

But when it comes to new films, they don’t have that safety net. Viewers won’t entirely know who or what to expect. They’re only able to refer to a trailer for information until the actual film’s release.

Now, I understand the fear when it comes to making an original story. Filmmakers can spend millions of dollars on a single film only for it to fail miserably and make no profit, sometimes even lose profit. Examples of this are LAIKA Studios 2019 film “Missing Link,” and even, at the time of its release in 1999, “The Iron Giant” by Warner Bros.

But I believe that new ideas should have the chance to shine in the sea of films and franchises since some may not want to see repetitive films. This is why I love indie shows, such as “The Amazing Digital Circus,” an indie animated series published on both YouTube and Netflix because while it does take inspiration from the short story “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,” it puts its own fun and unique twist and plot into it.

The creator of the series, Cooper Goodwin, more commonly known as Gooseworx, openly said that while they could make the show run for as long as they wanted and have as many episodes and seasons that they wished for, they only wanted “The Amazing Digital Circus” to have one season with nine episodes, each having their own purpose rather than “waste peoples’ time with filler.”

While this can be upsetting to fans, it is extremely comforting to know that the creator cares for quality over quantity when it comes to their creation, especially when big time studios exploit a series for all it’s worth without adding anything new.

Do I believe that writing this will change anything in regards to the film industry? No, not  at all. 

For this to even possibly have the chance of happening, everyone would have to stop watching remakes, reboots and squeals and only watch things of originality. 

Additions to preexisting series isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s fun to know what happens next. But Hollywood can’t stay on repeat forever. So before you watch the tenth movie of a series, maybe take some time to sit down and watch something new.