If you’ve ever found yourself in a late-night debate about whether Scary Movie and Epic Movie are part of the same cinematic universe, don’t worry. You aren’t alone. It’s a mess out there. The early 2000s were basically a fever dream of "Movie" movies, with every genre from date nights to disasters getting the spoof treatment. But when we’re talking about the actual, official franchise—the one that started with Ghostface getting high in a basement—the answer is specific.
So, how many Scary Movie movies are there exactly?
As of right now, there are five released films. However, if you're reading this in early 2026, you're likely hearing the buzz about the sixth one. After over a decade of silence, the franchise is officially coming back from the dead. And no, this isn't some low-budget straight-to-DVD knockoff. We're talking about a full-scale theatrical revival.
The Official Count: 5 Released, 1 Incoming
To keep your trivia nights accurate, here is the current breakdown of the mainline Scary Movie series.
- Scary Movie (2000): The OG. Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, it took a massive chainsaw to Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It was a box office juggernaut, making over $278 million on a tiny $19 million budget.
- Scary Movie 2 (2001): Rushed out just a year later. It pivoted to haunted houses and The Exorcist. This is the one with the "my strong hand" butler. Iconic, even if the critics hated it.
- Scary Movie 3 (2003): This is where things changed. The Wayans family left the building, and David Zucker (of Airplane! fame) took over. It went PG-13 and focused on The Ring and Signs.
- Scary Movie 4 (2006): More of the same Zucker energy. It spoofed War of the Worlds, The Grudge, and Saw.
- Scary Movie 5 (2013): The "black sheep" of the family. No Anna Faris. No Regina Hall. It tried to parody Mama and Paranormal Activity, but most fans agree it lacked the soul of the earlier entries.
- Scary Movie 6 (Scheduled for June 12, 2026): The big one. The Wayans brothers—Marlon, Shawn, and Keenen Ivory—are back. They’ve officially wrapped filming as of late 2025 at Tyler Perry Studios.
Why the Number "5" Is Often Confusing
Honestly, the reason people get the count wrong is because of the "spoof-pocalypse" that happened between 2006 and 2014. Studios realized they could make a quick buck by slapping "Movie" on the end of any word.
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You’ve probably seen Date Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, or Vampires Suck. While these were often made by the same writers who worked on the later Scary Movie sequels (Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer), they are not part of the Scary Movie franchise. They don't feature Cindy Campbell or Brenda Meeks. If you include those, the list grows to nearly 15 films, but in terms of the actual "Cindy and Brenda" saga, we’ve stuck to five for a long time.
What’s the Deal With Scary Movie 6?
The 2026 reboot is a massive deal for horror fans because it marks the return of the original creators. Marlon Wayans has been pretty vocal about "bringing the band back together." For years, there was bad blood after the Wayans brothers were essentially pushed out of the franchise they created following the second film.
But things change. Miramax (under new leadership at Paramount) made the call to bring them home.
What is Scary Movie 6 parodying?
Since the last movie came out in 2013, the "Elevated Horror" genre has given the Wayans a goldmine of material. Marlon Wayans has already teased that they are looking at some of the biggest hits from the last decade. Expect to see some very "Wayans-style" takes on:
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- Get Out and Nope (Jordan Peele's work is ripe for this).
- Longlegs (The Nicholas Cage energy is basically a parody already).
- M3GAN (Because a dancing killer doll is too easy to ignore).
- Five Nights at Freddy’s.
The Legacy of Cindy and Brenda
You can't talk about how many Scary Movie movies there are without mentioning Anna Faris and Regina Hall. They are the glue. Even when the scripts got thin in the mid-2000s, Cindy’s oblivious nature and Brenda’s "I’m done with this" attitude kept people coming back.
Interestingly, while Scary Movie 5 ditched them, the 2026 reboot has reportedly confirmed their return. Seeing Anna Faris and Regina Hall back on screen together as Cindy and Brenda is probably the biggest selling point for the new film. It’s a bit of a "legacy sequel" vibe, similar to what Scream (2022) did, which—ironically—the new movie will almost certainly parody.
The Financial Reality
Why does this franchise keep coming back? Money. Simple as that.
Even the "bad" ones made a profit. Scary Movie 5 was the lowest-grossing entry, yet it still cleared nearly $80 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. In Hollywood, that’s a success. The first film remains one of the most profitable R-rated comedies of all time.
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The horror genre is currently more popular than it has been in decades. With movies like Smile 2 and Terrifier 3 crushing the box office in recent years, the market for a movie that makes fun of those tropes is huge.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're planning a marathon before the 2026 release, here’s how to handle it:
- Watch the first two for the raunch: If you want the original, "no-holds-barred" Wayans humor, stick to the first two. They are R-rated and significantly more "adult" than the others.
- Watch 3 and 4 for the slapstick: If you like Naked Gun style humor, these are your best bet. They are lighter, faster, and rely more on physical gags.
- Skip 5 (Unless you're a completionist): It’s a tough watch. Without the original cast, it feels like a different series entirely.
- Track the 2026 Release: The official release date is set for June 12, 2026. Keep an eye out for the first trailer, which is expected to drop in early spring.
Knowing how many Scary Movie movies are there helps clear up the confusion between the official franchise and the endless sea of parodies from the 2000s. Whether you're a fan of the Wayans' original vision or the Zucker-led slapstick era, the franchise remains a weird, gross-out cornerstone of pop culture history. With a sixth movie on the horizon, the count is only going up.