“Roman Bridger, director….and brother.”
With that line, Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) reveals himself to Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), both as the killer of Scream 3 and as Sid’s long-lost brother.
However, in a way, that line also declares Roman as the instigation for the entire Scream franchise.
After he unmasks himself, Roman explains to Sid how he tracked down their mother, Maureen Prescott, four years before the events of the third film. Maureen had worked in Hollywood in the 70s as an actress, known as Rina Reynolds, in several films produced by John Milton (Lance Henriksen).
During her time in Hollywood, it is implied Maureen was gang raped, resulting in Roman’s conception.
When Roman tracked down Maureen, he “knocked at her door thinking she’d welcome (him) with open arms,” but Maureen “slammed the door” in his face, telling Roman that he was Rina’s child, and that Rina was dead.
Instigating the Ghostface murders
With that rejection, Roman started to stalk his birth mother. He learned of her affairs, including with Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) and Hank Loomis (C.W. Morgan). Though not stated explicitly, Roman implies he stalked Sidney too, as he was able to work out that Sidney’s boyfriend, Billy (Skeet Ulrich), was the son of Hank.
Roman describes Maureen’s affair with Hank as “the key.” He showed Billy footage of Maureen and Hank’s love affair, likely after Nancy Loomis (Laurie Metcalf) left her husband, effectively abandoning Billy. Indeed, Roman reveals that once he supplied the motive, all Billy needed was a few pointers.
Roman reveals he is ultimately responsible for all the Ghostface murders in the first three films. He literally gave Billy the fuel that sparked Billy’s rage against Maureen, inciting Maureen’s murder. It’s possible Billy and Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) acted on their own by starting the Ghostface killings a year later. However, they would not have done so without Roman’s initial influence.
In addition, Roman is also responsible, either directly or indirectly, for the Ghostface murders at Windsor college as seen in Scream 2. Although Roman does not say if he spoke to Mrs. Loomis about Billy’s death, it’s possible he did meet with her.
It would not have been difficult to influence Mrs. Loomis, who was heavily grieving her son’s death in the original film. Even if Roman did not directly influence Mrs. Loomis, his revealing Hank’s affair to Billy ultimately led to Mrs. Loomis succeeding her son as Ghostface, prompting the events of Scream 2.
Roman’s Legacy
Although it would be ten years before another Ghostface killing spree, Roman still had an indirect hand in the events of the Woodsboro Reboot killings depicted in Scream 4.
Ghostface Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts) reveals to Sidney that the Reboot killings were never about killing Sidney. Rather, it was about becoming Sidney. Indeed, Jill says during her reveal, “All I ever heard was ‘Sidney this’ and ‘Sidney that’ and ‘Sidney, Sidney, Sidney.’ You were always just so fucking special! Well, now I’m the special one.”
Roman’s legacy effectively set into motion the events of Scream 4. Had Roman never sought Maureen out and provoked Billy, the events of the first trilogy never would have happened. Thus, Jill wouldn’t have become jealous of Sidney and taken up the Ghostface mantle.
Likewise, Roman indirectly had a hand in the Woodsboro Legacy Killings of Scream (2022). In Scream, Ghostfaces Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison) and Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid) reveal their motive for their murder spree: to give Hollywood new ideas for the Stab films.
It’s implied in the fourth and fifth Scream movies that the Stab films have gone off the rails. Amber and Richie seek to have a Stab film based on their actions made, one that goes back to the original.
The Stab films would never have been made without the Ghostface killings. Thus, Roman is the catalyst for the in-universe films, too.
Scream VI’s killers followed a similar path to Mrs. Loomis. Those three are family members of Richie. Like Mrs. Loomis, they would not have become killers had Richie not been killed.
Richie would not have become Ghostface without the Stab movies and his frustration with them. His family would not have become killers without Richie becoming Ghostface. Thus, once again, Roman had an indirect influence on these films.
The Future
At least one more Ghostface killing spree is coming. Series creator Kevin Williamson is taking the director’s helm.
In March, Neve Campbell announced she would return for the seventh film. Courteney Cox is in talks to reprise her role as Gale Weathers, too.
Although details of the seventh film are largely nonexistent, it is likely Roman will have some sort of influence on the plot. All the events of the Scream films are a direct result of Roman’s actions prior to the series’ beginning.
Roman is the catalyst for the entire film series. In a way, he is the Emperor Palpatine of the Scream films. He’s the ultimate villain responsible, either directly or indirectly, for all of the Ghostface murders. His legacy lives on decades after his death.
Scream 7 is set for release on February 27, 2026.
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