In a flashback prior to the original Scream, Casey Becker, a sweet teenage girl from the town of Woodsboro, lives with her parents in the Sonoma County hills fifty miles from San Francisco. She is talking on the phone with her best friend, Judy Evans, about how much she likes being with her new boyfriend, Stu Macher, explaining to her that he makes her feel special and safe. Another flashback later shows the moment when Casey is killed by the original Ghostface duo composed of Billy Loomis and Stu Macher.
In present day, 17-year-old Camilla Becker, the daughter of Katie Becker (who is the cousin of Casey's late mother) is heading back home after having been dropped off by a school bus from Woodsboro High School. As she sits down at her desk to do her homework, she fondly looks at a photo of then 10-year-old Casey, her parents and Camilla's mother Katie smiling at the Beckers' country estate 30 years ago. Katie enters the room and sees her daughter staring at the photograph. They embrace each other, a few tears flowing down their cheeks at the thought of this terrifying event that Casey's death was for their whole family.
In San Francisco, Samantha Carpenter and her younger sister Tara are leaving the house of Samantha's new boyfriend, radio host John Smithers, after a dinner party. Once they've left, Tara mentions to Sam that she likes John's personality. While preparing to go to bed, John receives a phone call from a mysterious individual with a sinister voice, which reveals himself as a new Ghostface. The killer threatens to murder John as revenge against Samantha. John hangs up and promptly locks all doors, but Ghostface smashes through his patio door and corners him before murdering him in cold blood in his living room. Before leaving, Ghostface leaves an ominous, blood-splatted note reading: "Death to the Loomis criminals".