Netflix’s Fear Street franchise, a bloody love letter to R.L. Stine’s teen horror novels, made waves in 2021 with a trilogy that zipped through the ‘90s, ‘70s, and 1600s, blending nostalgia, gore, and clever storytelling. Fans were pumped for Fear Street: Prom Queen, a standalone slasher set in 1988, based on Stine’s 1992 novel The Prom Queen. Dropping on May 23, 2025, and directed by Matt Palmer, the film promised a nostalgic ‘80s prom-night massacre. But despite some gnarly kills and a killer cast, it’s a letdown that feels more like a generic teen flick than the vibrant horror fans expected.
Set in the cursed town of Shadyside, Ohio, Prom Queen follows Lori Granger (India Fowler), a high school outsider running for prom queen against the mean-girl clique “The Wolfpack,” led by the vicious Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza). Lori’s got baggage—rumors swirl that her mom (Joanne Boland) killed her dad years ago, making her a social pariah. As prom night nears, a masked killer in a red raincoat starts picking off the queen candidates with axes, knives, and even a paper cutter. Lori, joined by her horror-nerd bestie Megan (Suzanna Son), scrambles to survive as the body count rises. The cast is stacked with talent like Lili Taylor as Vice Principal Breckenridge, Katherine Waterston as Tiffany’s overbearing mom, and Ariana Greenblatt as stoner Christy, but the script doesn’t give them much to work with.
The 2021 trilogy, directed by Leigh Janiak, won fans over with its mix of brutal kills, rich lore, and period-specific vibes. Prom Queen, though, feels like it’s coasting on autopilot. Critics have called it a “bloody mess” and a “massive nothingburger,” pointing to its predictable plot and shallow characters. Lori’s a bland final girl, lacking the spark of past Fear Street heroes, and Tiffany’s mean-girl shtick is so over-the-top it’s more cartoonish than menacing. The film nods to the franchise’s lore—like the 1978 Camp Nightwing massacre—but barely ties into the Sarah Fier curse that made the trilogy so gripping. Instead, it leans hard on ‘80s slasher clichés without the campy charm or irony to make them fun.
The kills are a mixed bag. A paper-cutter death and a buzzsaw-to-the-face moment deliver the gore fans crave, but the execution often feels flat, with weak sound effects and cheap-looking effects that don’t match the trilogy’s polish. The ‘80s vibe is another sore spot. The costumes—think basic A-line skirts and ruffled shoulders—lack the bold, tacky flair of real ‘80s prom fashion, and the cinematography is so dark it buries any period charm. The soundtrack, packed with hits from Bananarama and Billy Idol, is a highlight, but it’s not enough to save the film from feeling like a modern teen drama dressed in weak retro drag.
Some bright spots shine through. Suzanna Son’s Megan steals scenes with her fierce loyalty and quirky edge, hinting at a deeper story that never fully blooms. Katherine Waterston chews the scenery as Tiffany’s unhinged mom, and a few reviews, like one from IndieWire, praise the film’s “flirty and fiendish” energy, calling it a “gnarly winner” for its commitment to gore. But with a 34% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 44/100 on Metacritic, most critics agree that Prom Queen doesn’t live up to its predecessors. It’s a “rote slasher” that fails to scare or surprise, with a climax that’s more laughable than shocking.
For fans hoping for a fresh spin on Fear Street, Prom Queen is a bummer. It’s got the gore but misses the heart, style, and suspense that made the trilogy a hit. If you’re craving a prom-night slasher, you’re better off revisiting Carrie or Prom Night. Fear Street: Prom Queen is streaming on Netflix now, but don’t be surprised if you’re reaching for the skip button.