Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for Fear Street: Prom Queen.
Summary
- Fear Street: Prom Queen's disappointing killer reveal lacked freshness, thrill, and scare.
- The Falconer family's motives and the reveal's corniness hindered the horror aspect.
- The potential for a Fear Street: Prom Queen sequel sparks interest despite its flaws.
As a horror fan who grew up reading Goosebumps and watching the TV adaptation (and other fun and corny yet scary '90s kids shows), I was excited when Netflix released a Fear Street trilogy in the summer of 2021. The first movie explores a classic slasher story set in the 1990s, the second is set at Camp Nightwing in 1978, and the third goes back in time to the 17th century. While I appreciated the first one the most thanks to the fun tropes and Maya Hawke's opening scene that was a callback to Scream, any R.L. Stine adaptation is fine with me, and I looked forward to Fear Street: Prom Queen, which was released on May 23rd, 2025.
While I enjoyed the 1980s prom night setting and performance from India Fowler as main character Lori Granger, I was left disappointed by the end Fear Street: Prom Queen, and I think the movie could have been stronger without one particular element.
Fear Street: Prom Queen Has A Disappointing Villain Reveal
As a slasher fan, I think there are two essential elements to any good movie: the final girl and the killer reveal. If those aren't done well, then the whole story suffers. While Lori Granger is a great horror movie final girl since she's smart, tough, and misunderstood, I think the killer reveal in Fear Street: Prom Queen is lackluster.
As the movie marches toward its conclusion, viewers find out that mean girl Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza) and parents Dan (Chris Klein) and Nancy (Katherine Waterston) are the three killers. They wanted Tiffany to win Prom Queen, and they're also getting revenge because Nancy once dated Lori's father, but he wanted to be with Lori's mother instead. While it's often smart when a slasher movie breaks free of the genre's conventions and traditions and has more than one masked killer, Fear Street: Prom Queen's reveal doesn't feel fresh, thrilling, scary, or interesting.
Horror fans who enjoy the Scream franchise are used to seeing several Ghostface killers and wonder if Scream 7 could have a large group. It would have been fine if Fear Street: Prom Queen had just one killer instead of three, as long as the motive made more sense. Sure, most slasher villains want revenge, so that part of the story works. However, it's hard to ignore how corny it is that the Falconer family killed so many people because they hoped their daughter would be crowned Prom Queen. This makes the movie feel much less scary, which isn't ideal.
I would have preferred to see another character as the killer in Fear Street: Prom Queen. Perhaps the Vice Principal, VP Dolores Brekenridge (Lili Taylor) could have been behind the killing spree on this big and memorable night.
However, there will be three more Fear Street movies, as R.L. Stine told The Hollywood Reporter in January 2025, and I'm looking forward to seeing them. I think the next films should lean more into the campy tone of the Goosebumps TV show and the original Fear Street book series. Goosebumps season 2 has some body horror, and that would be new and different for the next movie in the Netflix franchise. I like the creepy setting of the small town of Shadyside and think it works as well as Woodsboro, California in Scream. The next Fear Street movie should explore even more of Shadyside's past and if it was also set in the 1980s, I would be happy with that.
Will There Be A Fear Street: Prom Queen Sequel?
Although I didn't enjoy the killer motive reveal in Fear Street: Prom Queen, I would be open to watching a sequel, especially since there is so much nostalgia surrounding the best 1980s horror movies. Several fans are curious about whether this dark story could continue.
In an interview with Variety, Matt Palmer, co-screenwriter and director, shared his thoughts on a second movie about the same universe. Palmer said:
“Potentially. But I also got to make an ’80s retro slasher, and in the ‘Fear Street’ universe. So I don’t want to be greedy. I would gladly go back and play in the sandpit again, but I’m also excited to see other directors, because the producers are looking for filmmakers with vision and I’m excited to see what the future brings for the franchise too.”
- Release Date
- May 23, 2025
- Runtime
- 90 minutes
- Director
- Matt Palmer
- Writers
- Donald McLeary, Matt Palmer
- Producers
- Jenno Topping, Peter Chernin
Cast
-
India FowlerLori Granger -
Suzanna SonMegan Rogers
WHERE TO WATCH
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