Scary Movie (2026, Paramount Pictures/Amazon Prime Video) is the sixth entry in the Wayans Brothers' horror-parody franchise, reuniting Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall as the Core Four — now 26 years after the original — against a new masked killer. The film is rated R for crude sexual content, graphic nudity, strong violence, and drug content and language throughout. The franchise was always built on transgression — its appeal is deliberately pushing past acceptable content for shock laughs — and the 2026 entry continues that tradition. 5/100 Avoid.
Scary Movie (2026) is the sixth entry in the Wayans Brothers' long-running horror-parody franchise, released June 5, 2026, in theaters and now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall reunite as Shorty, Ray, Cindy, and Brenda — the Core Four — 26 years after the original 2000 film. Directed by Michael Tiddes (who also directed Scary Movie 5), the film parodies contemporary horror franchises including reboots, remakes, prequels, and elevated horror with the franchise's characteristic crude comedy approach. The cast also includes Kenan Thompson, Damon Wayans Jr., Heidi Gardner, and a cameo from Kai Cenat.
The film was released to mixed-to-negative critical reception, earning 23% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, while audience scores were more forgiving at 65%. It has been described as a mostly unfunny return to the franchise.
The MPAA rating for Scary Movie (2026) is R for: crude sexual content, graphic nudity, strong violence, and drug content and language throughout. Each of these deserves specific attention:
Crude sexual content and graphic nudity: The Scary Movie franchise has always derived a significant portion of its humor from sexual content that goes well beyond what most R-rated films include. Common Sense Media specifically flags graphic sex-related dialogue and female nudity in the 2026 entry. This is not incidental content that appears briefly — it is a structural component of the franchise's comedy approach. Strong violence: Violence is played for humor throughout — stabbings, beheadings, impalings, and other horror-genre violence are presented as punchlines. The combination of graphic violence and comedy is itself a specific concern for Christians: normalizing violence by making it funny. Drug content and language throughout: The Shorty character (Marlon Wayans) has always been defined by marijuana use as a running joke. Language is strong throughout. Sexual violence: Amazon Prime Video's content advisory specifically flags sexual violence in the 2026 entry, which is a more serious concern than crude comedy content.
The Scary Movie franchise occupies a specific category of concern that differs from straightforward horror. Horror films can have redemptive or cautionary value — they depict evil as evil. Scary Movie's approach is different: it presents graphic sexual content, drug use, and violence as comedy, which has the effect of desensitizing and normalizing them through humor. Philippians 4:8 — "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — think about such things" — speaks directly to the content Christians choose to dwell on. Content designed to make sexual violence and drug use funny is not incidental to Scary Movie; it is the product.
The 2026 entry also deliberately signals its intent to cross every line: the official marketing describes it as "Nobody is safe, nothing is sacred, and every single line will be crossed." This is an accurate description and a clear content warning.
See our guide on Should Christians Watch Scream 7? for another 2026 horror franchise entry. See our guide on Should Christians Watch Evil Dead: Burn? for the year's most extreme horror release. See our Christian TV Reviews hub. Common Sense Media's full parent guide provides scene-by-scene detail. Plugged In reviews all Scary Movie entries.