“What’s your favorite scary movie?” 1996’s meta-horror classic Scream influenced generations of scary movie fans. Horror icon Wes Craven revived the slasher genre in the ’90s and beyond with his story about high school student Sidney Prescott and her friends being targeted by a masked, knife-yielding slayer in a thin black cloak. Through four feature films and an anthology TV series, the latter of which updates the killer’s mask, the Scream universe has remained relevant.
The masked killer has developed quite a reputation. Ghostface, whose mask was designed specially by Wes Craven and Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson, is inspired by the famous Edvard Munch painting The Scream. What was supposed to be a terrifying horror villain, though, has been transformed into a parody courtesy of meme culture and spin-offs like Scary Movie.
Below are ten of the most hilarious memes about Scream and its lead antagonist, Ghostface.
Aussie Ghostface
This cartoon meme highlights one of Ghostface’s favorite activities: calling people on the phone to taunt them before they are slain. Regardless of the movie or TV episode, Ghostface is all about getting friendly on the telephone.
Completely removed from the Scream cast of regulars, what’s on the other end of the phone for Ghostface after asking for Sidney Prescott is a koala. How’s the masked madperson supposed to respond to that? The world may never know.
Zillow Listing
Zillow is the number one resource for buying houses, and potential buyers flock to its website and app in order to find their next domicile. It turns out quite a few folks have donned Ghostface costumes and created fake listings for homes all over the country.
This meme demonstrates such a scenario. This ranch home with a nice tire swing in the front yard comes not just with a high price tag, but with an iconic slayer. The asking price of $750,000 may seem a bit steep, but think about all the attention the new homeowners will receive. Talk about curb appeal!
Ghostface On The Job
Now that the Ghostface mask has been mass-produced, people all over the world wear the signature Scream killer mask in all kinds of strange and interesting scenarios.
According to this photo, Ghostface has become quite the office worker. Cubicle life can be pretty lame. However, when you have a double-screen display, endless paperwork, and an overwhelming urge to kill, it’s possible to take the edge off the doldrums.
Ghostface On Drugs
Four years after Scream debuted, the Wayans responded with their Scary Movie franchise. These parody films highlight the absurdity of the original movie’s premise, making the cast of confused and bloodied white teenagers look like a group of complete fools.
Instead of “What’s your favorite scary movie?,” Scary Movie relied on the now long forgotten quip, “Wazzzup?” The serial slayer isn’t only fueled by insanity and deplorable urges; Ghostface, according to the Wayans, is a druggy and a doofus. Hence this meme.
The Rules Of Survival
Randy Meeks, the only member of the gang to survive the first Scream film alongside Sidney, makes it to college in Scream 2. While he meets an unfortunate end in a van parked on campus, Randy does have a enough time to wax poetic about horror movies during his pre-death screen time.
One of his biggest blabbering episodes involves listing off the ways in which people die in horror films, and this meme is a parody of that. Even though Randy doesn’t survive the franchise, his dialogue contributes to the meta-horror vibe that makes the Scream movies stand out. Lesson: don’t assume anyone or anything is what they seem.
Ghostface Is A Greyhound?
The Edvard Munch painting that inspired the Ghostface mask is defined by existential dread and absurdity. The screaming man on a boardwalk clutching his face symbolizes the fear and disappointment many people suppress. This emotionally heavy imagery hasn’t necessary aged well, and most folks think of the Ghostface mask as a hilarious and playful costume.
On level with a yawning greyhound, Ghostface is less of a ghastly presence and more of a strangely skinny and lanky dog. According to this meme, at least, there’s nothing especially high-flatulent and expressionistic about Ghostface’s getup.
I’m Lovin’ It
The stalking, serial killer life probably builds up quite an appetite. It’s hard to imagine what Ghostface eats, especially considering the Ghostface mask has no mouth hole, but a surge of protein and fat from a McDonald’s special probably won’t hurt.
Whether Ghostface is fresh from a slaughter, about to venture into the murderous unknown, or having a night off from the killing, there’s always time to stop and say hi to Ronald McDonald while munching on a Quarter Pounder with cheese. The most important question, though, is whether or not Ghostface plays the annual Monopoly game.
XXL Ghostface
According to this meme, Ghostface isn’t aging well. In other words, file this cosplay under “fail.” In the Scream world, Ghostface is thin and fits under the cloak without issue. In this photo, however, the ghoul’s extra pounds are very obvious.
Body shaming isn’t cool, but this costume is definitely many marks off from the look conceived of by Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. While the iteration of Ghostface pictured here might not be the fastest, the bulky, brute look might not be so bad.
Murdering Doors Since 1996
Ghostface’s signature move throughout the Scream franchise is to chase potential victims through homes and other enclosed spaces until they think they’ve found sanctuary behind a closed, locked door. From there, Ghostface slams and slashes at the door until the person on the other side meets the blade.
The mad slasher trope comes to life with these sequences, and it almost seems like many of these moments in the Scream universe are throwbacks to Jack Nicholson’s infamous “Here’s Johnny!” moment in The Shining. Regardless of where the influence comes from, Ghostface made the monster behind the door a mainstream horror construct. Whether they’re laughing at the plausibility or screaming at the horror, moviegoers love this masked monster.
A Slayer With Many Talents
Whichever band geek decided to dress up like Ghostface for a marching band tribute during a football game is a genius. Whichever meme geek decided to use this photo to highlight the viral nature of this moment is also a genius.
Like it or leave it, Ghostface is a cultural icon whose position among the legions of other horror legions stands out. Honestly, though, it’s really hard not to recognize the creep in the corner wearing a black and white screaming mask.
