Scream’s most overlooked mastermind might have been hiding in plain sight all along

For just under 30 years, the Scream series has been the undisputed champion of horror franchises that not only rewrite the rules of slasher films but also turn audience expectations on their head. With each new film comes a brand-new surprise Ghostface—sometimes even two—keeping everyone guessing.

However, diehard fans who pay attention to details are starting to consider one enduring question: What if the true puppet master was outside the frame?

As the franchise moves closer to Part 7, some fans are beginning to theorize that one character deeply intertwined with the story has not received an adequate reveal. While the movie Scream is famous for its sharp social commentary and clever killers, one of its greatest tricks may be concealing its real creator right under our noses.

One character, amidst all the chaos and satirical humor, shows up in several cameos but never gets accused of anything sinister—still, he always seems to be conveniently nearby when things get out of hand. This has led many to wonder whether a careful plan was meticulously crafted that spans Woodsboro, Hollywood, and beyond. What if the true Ghostface is someone we wouldn’t imagine pondering about?

Joel the Cameraman: The ghost who walked away—or walked free?

In Scream 2, Joel, Gale Weathers' cameraman, is classified as a hilarious character because he chooses to quit and completely disappear from the story when people begin dying one by one.

At face value, this seems like amusing escapism - some witty fellow devoid of newsworthy voyeurism choosing survival instead. But with the perspective of the third killer theory, his conveniently timed exits, coupled with his strange absence of panic onscreen, begin to feel suspicious.

He escapes a killing spree that consists of countless cops, students, and media personnel, not just surviving but emerging completely unharmed. For someone who spends most of his time in front of a camera, he appears to know exactly when to step out and avoid danger. What makes this even more interesting is the lack of detail given to Joel's departure.

In a franchise that almost always accounts for or executes characters, Joel walks away and is never referenced again. If a third killer staged things to look like an accident, masquerading as a crew member capturing the chaos, what better way to go undiscovered?

He had access to gear, places, and timetables—everything a puppet master would need. Regardless of its validity, his shift from comic relief to suspiciously under-scrutinized survivor in Scream shifts dramatically.

The case for Angelina: Scream 3’s abandoned killer may have never left

As far as the records show, Scream 3 only featured one Ghostface: Roman Bridger. However, there is a different story when it comes to production history. Some early drafts and even some shot sequences included Angelina Tyler—Sidney’s Stab double—as a secondary killer.

While she was due to play a more prominent role than she did in the movie’s ending, traces of more unfinished work are present.

For instance, she can be seen creeping around the sets right before and after pivotal murders. The way she vanishes during her last scenes is vague by any standards; She does not get killed on screen, which means tons of room for interpretation.

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What if Angelina didn’t die? What if she just left the limelight and faded into the background of the franchise? With her relationship to Roman, knowledge of Sidney, and her seemingly random outbursts, Angelina would fit the profile of someone who could come back—or may have already helped shape later developments.

The Scream series is infamous for legacy reveals and long-game killers. If any character were to be set up to orchestrate things from behind the scenes, it’s possible that Angelina is one Ghostface who never truly took off the mask because no one realized she had worn it.

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