The ShadySide nightmare returns once more, but this time it takes a different turn, even though the events seem all too familiar.
Fear Street: Prom Queen is the latest installment based on the classic R.L. Stine novels, following the 2021 trilogy of slashers.
Director Matt Palmer removes the story from the original trilogy, delivering something new, although leaving traces of the curse from before.
But how well does this particular sequel do compared to the previous ones we’ve seen? Let’s take a look.
The Setup: A Prom Night Turn Disaster
The movie is set in 1988, between the 1978 and 1994 timelines. It dives deep into ShadySide High School, where the students are preparing for Prom Night.
Lori Granger (India Fowler) is running for Prom Queen, but is the underdog compared to the other contestants. Even more discouraging is her past, connected to the murder of her dad.
Lori’s antagonist is Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza), the leader of the “wolf pack.” Tiffany is the frontrunner for Prom Queen and is doing it to satisfy a family dream.
But just before the event kicks off, the killings begin, and Christy Renault is the first victim.
From there, more horror unfolds as the slasher is let loose, targeting each of the candidates for Prom Queen. Fear Street: Prom Queen becomes a high school bloodbath, and in the end, it reveals a shocking tie with the original trilogy.
✅ What Works
A decent standalone story. The movie, while inspired by R.L. Stine’s books, doesn’t lean into the original trilogy or the curse of Sarah Fierce. It’s not groundbreaking, but it avoids being a lazy rehash.
A last-minute sting. The film drops a handful of twists before the killer reveal, but just when you’re ready to switch off, a post-credit tease ties things back to the familiar witchy pattern of the Goode family.
Some gnarly kills. Not every death lands, but a few make you grin at the sheer audacity. The boy who loses both hands? The electrocution scene? Messy, brutal, and fun.
❌ Where It Falls Short
A flimsy plot. The story races by without weight, leaving no room to breathe. The rushed pacing and flat ending make it feel both too fast and somehow exhausting.
Paper-thin characters. No one has emotional depth. You barely learn who’s who before you’re shoved into the next scene. Instead of building investment, the movie piles on confusion.
Predictable and awkward. The kills are often telegraphed, with the first murder (a girl stabbed while conveniently facing away) being the worst offender. Logic gaps don’t help: no one notices the missing contestants, and Lori’s mom — a cop — is a no-show right after the killer is caught.
Kills are too easy. Many — if not most — of the killings in Fear Street: Prom Queen are too easy. There’s no attempt to fight, even when the slasher enters the hall to kill Lori.
Some twists are bland. A few “shockers” are a bit dull and easily anticipated. Some events that should form the anchors for something new end up disappointing everyone.
Final Verdict: 2/5
Fear Street: Prom Queen doesn’t give us the thrill and scare of the previous trilogy, and its messy sequences make it hard to even follow through to the end.
The story is set in 1988, which means Fear Street: 1994 has not happened yet. With that in mind, the writer(s) and Director should have done better to tie it to the original saga that we know and love.
So watch it for the love of teenage drama, and keep your eyes peeled for all the twists in there.
