3. Scream
From one Wes Craven-created franchise to another, Scream is another of our best horror movie franchises for stunning simple reasons. The franchise follows multiple characters who find themselves at the center of strings of murders, each being committed by a person wearing a white mask and black robe. It’s frighteningly plausible, and that’s part of what has secured Scream such lasting success.
As well as being relatively traditional slasher fare, each film takes on an element of the classic whodunnit. By introducing an element of mystery to its violence, the franchise ensures that audiences will come back for more to continue guessing at the identity of the later Ghostface killer. With an over-arcing connected narrative that also manages to be a meta examination of horror movie franchises, Scream carries a deceptive level of depth.
The murders are brutal, and the mysteries are always a good deal of fun. The true horror of Scream lies in how mundane its violence is, and how it demonstrates the relatively simple business of murder and revenge. It’s dark and it’s clever, making Scream one of the best horror franchises out there.