Ghostface sightings are attracting the attention of law enforcement ahead of the premiere of Scream 6. The notorious slasher killer, whose identity shifts with each new installment of the Scream franchise, will return in the sixth thriller. In the next film, which serves as a direct sequel to last year’s Scream, the Carpenter and Meeks siblings leave Woodsboro to start a new chapter of their lives in New York City, only to be haunted by a new Ghostface killer hiding behind the iconic white mask.
Numerous media outlets are reporting Ghostface sightings nationwide in advance of Scream 6; these sightings are attracting the attention of local law enforcement. In the first instance, KRON4 News reported on a ghostface costume worn by a person at Sonoma Plaza in California, a block from the original Scream movie’s filming location. The second sighting in Arizona occurred as another Ghostface costumed individual was spotted out and about in a blizzard.
Some have questioned if the official marketing effort for Scream 6 or some miscreants in costumes are to blame for these Ghostface sightings. Unsurprisingly, the sighting in Sonoma’s bustling town square led to numerous concerned citizens alerting the local police, who then looked into the matter. According to the Sonoma Police Department, Paramount hired the guy wearing the Ghostface outfit to advertise Scream 6, and the situation has been correctly handled.
In the past, Paramount had success with viral marketing for another of their recent horror films, Smile, which featured paying people to go to MLB games and smile ominously in the stands. In contrast to Paramount’s most recent attempt at viral marketing with Scream 6, which some believe has gone too far, that campaign was innocent and contributed to Smile’s enormous box office success. Rather than generating interest in Scream 6, Ghostface sightings are resulting in calls to the police from frightened citizens.