Fear Street: Prom Queen
| Fear Street: Prom Queen | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | Matt Palmer |
| Written by |
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| Based on | The Prom Queen by R. L. Stine |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Márk Györi |
| Edited by | Christopher Donaldson |
| Music by | The Newton Brothers |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Fear Street: Prom Queen is a 2025 American slasher film directed by Matt Palmer from a screenplay he co-wrote with Donald McLeary, based on the novel The Prom Queen (1992) from the Fear Street book series. Produced by Chernin Entertainment, it is the fourth installment in the Fear Street film series. The film stars India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Chris Klein, Ariana Greenblatt, Lili Taylor and Katherine Waterston. Set in 1988, the plot focuses on a masked killer who targets the prom queen candidates of Shadyside High on the night of their senior dance.
Following the release of the original trilogy, discussions began about future films set within the same continuity. In October 2023, Stine announced further films to be in development, with the fourth installment being a standalone story and Chloe Okuno expected to direct. By March 2024, casting had been announced for principal characters, with McLeary and Palmer hired to adapt The Prom Queen and Palmer as director. Filming took place in Toronto and Hamilton from March to May 2024.
Fear Street: Prom Queen was released on Netflix on May 23, 2025, and has received negative reviews from critics.
Plot
[edit]In 1988, the senior class of Shadyside High School prepares for their prom. Lori Granger signs up to run for prom queen against the popular girl group nicknamed the "Wolfpack", consisting of ruthless queen bee Tiffany Falconer and her friends Melissa Mckendrick, Debbie Winters and Linda Harper.
Lori is outcast by fellow students due to rumors of her mother allegedly murdering her father, though she was deemed innocent. Vice Principal Brekenridge intends for the prom to reinvent Shadyside in spite of the town's poor reputation. The night before prom, candidate Christy Renault, who is also a local small-time marijuana dealer, is stabbed and killed by a masked assailant.
The following day, Lori attends the prom with her best friend Megan Rogers. Later, Megan stages a prank using a moulded copy of Tiffany's head, creating a rift between her and Lori. Meanwhile, Linda and her boyfriend are mutilated and killed by the assailant in a nearby classroom.
Lori receives flowers from an anonymous sender before Tiffany harasses her about her mother's past. Debbie and her boyfriend Judd head to the basement where the assailant kills Judd and Debbie is electrocuted in the power room.
After Melissa helps Lori fix her makeup, Tiffany ends their friendship and ruins Melissa's dress. Lori and Tiffany engage in a dance-off, during which Lori wins over the crowd and Tiffany is left embarrassed. Her boyfriend Tyler breaks up with her and approaches Lori, who harbors feelings for him.
Meanwhile, Melissa is killed in the girls' changing room, revealing there to be two masked assailants. Megan interrupts Lori, suspecting the disappearances of the prom candidates to be a serial killing carried out by Brekenridge's devoutly religious son, Devlin. Lori rejects Megan's theory and the two distance themselves.
Later, Megan investigates the basement where she finds the bodies of Debbie, Judd and janitor Stoker. Lori and Tyler head to the auditorium where Tyler tries to initiate sex. However, the assailant plunges a knife into Tyler’s skull, killing him, and chases Lori.
Lori finds Megan screaming in the basement, but they are locked inside. After a brief chase, they escape through a window, but Megan cuts her hand on a piece of broken glass, and they rush to the prom room to warn everyone.
Lori is announced as prom queen as she tries to warn the school. The assailant arrives, killing students Claire and Gerald while dismembering Principal Wayland’s arm. Lori stabs the assailant with the tiara crown, who is revealed to be Tiffany's father, Dan Falconer.
The police arrive and Dan is arrested while Megan is taken to the hospital. Lori returns home and stays with Tiffany who apologizes for her behavior. Nancy, Tiffany's mother, returns and reveals herself to be the second killer. As Lori and Tiffany hide, Tiffany tries to stab Lori, revealing that she was also involved.
Nancy explains that she killed Lori's father after he broke up with her for Lori's mother. Lori pushes Tiffany through the stairwell, impaling her on the hallway decoration below. Nancy and Lori engage in a brief struggle before Lori bludgeons her with a trophy and leaves the house. As Nancy dies, her blood forms the Witch's Mark.
Cast
[edit]- India Fowler as Lori Granger
- Suzanna Son as Megan Rogers, Lori's best friend
- Fina Strazza as Tiffany Falconer, Lori's rival
- Chris Klein as Dan Falconer, Tiffany's father and a teacher
- David Iacono as Tyler, Tiffany's boyfriend
- Ella Rubin as Melissa Mckendrick, Tiffany's friend
- Ariana Greenblatt as Christy Renault
- Lili Taylor as Vice Principal Dolores Brekenridge
- Katherine Waterston as Nancy Falconer, Tiffany's mother
- Darrin Baker as Principal Wayland
- Rebecca Ablack as Debbie Winters, Tiffany's friend
- Ilan O'Driscoll as Linda Harper, Tiffany's friend
- Damian Romero as Judd, Debbie's boyfriend
- Dakota Taylor as Bobby, Linda's boyfriend
- Eden Summer Gilmore as Claire, a Tiffany's supporter
- Brennan Clost as Gerald, a Tiffany's supporter
- Cecilia Lee as Harmony LaFay, the school's reporter
- Dale Whibley as Jimmy, Christy's boyfriend
Production
[edit]In July 2022, R. L. Stine stated that there are discussions for additional films being developed beyond the initial Fear Street trilogy.[2][3] In December, it was reported that Chloe Okuno would direct an upcoming Fear Street installment, and that Chernin Entertainment would return to produce.[4]
In October 2023, Stine stated that the film series will continue with additional Fear Street installments in development.[5] This was confirmed by Scott Stuber when he revealed that the next installment would be a standalone film from R. L. Stine's Fear Street book series.[6] In January 2024, Stine confirmed that the project was in the works and that it was adapting The Prom Queen, specifically, from the series.[7] In March, the film was titled Fear Street: Prom Queen. The screenplay was adapted by Donald McLeary and Matt Palmer, who would also direct.[8]
With the title announcement, the initial cast was revealed to include India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Chris Klein, Lili Taylor, and Katherine Waterston.[9] Additional reports revealed that Ariana Greenblatt had joined the cast as well.[10] Principal photography began in Toronto on March 25, 2024, continued into Hamilton and wrapped on May 14.[11][12][10]
Release
[edit]Fear Street: Prom Queen was released on Netflix on May 23, 2025.[13]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 27% of 56 critics' reviews are positive.[14] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 43 out of 100 based on 13 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews.[15]
Alison Forman writing for Indiewire, described the film as "flirty and fiendish", and graded it a B+. She wrote: "when total commitment collides with enough gore and guts, this wonderfully energetic soiree sidesteps tired tropes to reach a royally dark place". She also noted that Palmer's direction "rules as definitive proof there is more fun to be had adapting this spooky book series" and expressed the possibility of Netflix releasing future Fear Street films annually.[16] Clint Worthington for RogerEbert.com unfavorably compared the film to its predecessors, describing it as an "enormous step-down" and criticized Palmer's direction. He added: "Fear Street started as a series that tried to reinvent the wheel, even just by dint of its structure and nods to the innate curse of marginalization; this is empty-headed, straightforward slasher schlock on purpose".[17]
Dennis Harvey of Variety noted its influences, but argued that "Fear Street: Prom Queen never rises above its pedestrian concept, which simply lifts cliches from standard slice-and-dice opuses, as well as high school satires like Heathers and Mean Girls, without ever figuring just how seriously it wants to take them". In addition, he criticized the characters as one-dimensional and the final climax to be "over-the-top" and the film's lack of campiness. However, he commended the performances and added: "That's not the fault of the competent, generally well-cast actors — doing their best, even if you may lament the veteran talent wasted — but rather with the film's tonal uncertainty".[18]
Natalia Keogan of The AV Club was more critical, and graded the film a "D", describing it as "a drab, muddled mess, where trite clichés and tepid cinematography are what truly deserve to die". She especially criticized the film's cinematography for not capturing the 1980s' aesthetics and concluded: "Void of genre send-ups, visual finesse, '80s styling, or horror's requisite bloodshed, Fear Street: Prom Queen doesn’t even possess the distinction of attempting to emulate horror films from the decade it's set in. This Netflix Original dud could only ever aspire to be a copycat killer, but even then, it doesn’t have the guts."[19]
Luna Guthrie of Collider was more positive, saying that the film is "not breaking any new ground, but Prom Queen is a solid enough teen slasher that does a nice job of continuing the ever-expanding universe of R.L. Stine". She especially praised the performances of Strazza and Waterston, writing that "They're a great duo to watch, and the movie gives them just enough material to really make an impact". She also commends the film's characterization, adding that "even movies that aim to appeal to the most basic tenets of entertainment can do so with an element of sophistication".[20]
References
[edit]- ^ "Fear Street: Prom Queen (18)". British Board of Film Classification. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ "Goosebumps at 30: R.L. Stine on the blockbuster book franchise and why he's 'Stephen King for kids'". Yahoo! Entertainment. July 15, 2022. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ Miska, Brad (July 17, 2022). "'Fear Street' – Netflix Welcomes Fans Back to Shadyside; More Films in Development!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (December 15, 2022). "Exclusive: Watcher Helmer Chloe Okuno to Direct New Fear Street Movie for Netflix". Above the Line. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ Yandoli, Krystie Lee (October 14, 2023). "Goosebumps Author R.L. Stine: 'The World Has Gotten Scarier'". Rolling Stone. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ DeVore, Britta (November 9, 2023). "New Standalone Fear Street Movie in the Works at Netflix [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ Wu, Valerie (January 13, 2024). "New Fear Street Movie in the Works at Netflix, Author R.L. Stine Says". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (March 26, 2024). "India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza Join New Fear Street Movie at Netflix". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation.
- ^ Zee, Michaela (March 26, 2024). "Netflix's Fear Street: Prom Queen Sets Ensemble Cast". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Hamman, Cody (March 27, 2024). "Fear Street: Prom Queen cast also includes Ariana Greenblatt". JoBlo.
- ^ "What's Shooting". Archived from the original on 2024-05-08. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "In Production". Ontario Creates. April 19, 2024. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 30, 2025). "Netflix 2025 Movie Slate: Dates For Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein, Old Guard 2, Ben Affleck & Matt Damon's RIP, Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out Mystery & More". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025.
- ^ "Fear Street: Prom Queen". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
- ^ "Fear Street: Prom Queen Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ Foreman, Alison (May 23, 2025). "'Fear Street: Prom Queen' Review: Franchise Growing Pains Can't Hold Back Matt 'Gnarly Winner". IndieWire. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ Worthington, Clint (May 23, 2025). "Fear Street: Prom Queen movie review (2025)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ Harvey, Dennis (May 23, 2025). "'Fear Street: Prom Queen' Review: Death Stalks High School Halls in Overfamiliar Netflix Slasher Filled With Old Tropes". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ Keogan, Natalia (May 23, 2025). "Fear Street: Prom Queen fumbles the crown". AV Club. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ Guthrie, Luna (May 23, 2025). "'Fear Street Prom Queen' Review: Netflix's Slasher Is Your Average Prom Night Massacre With a Few Fun Surprises". Collider. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
