5 Ways Heart Eyes' Killer Copies Scream's Ghostface (& 5 Ways It's Different)

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Heart Eyes!

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Though Heart Eyes clearly took inspiration from the Scream franchise, Ghostface and the Heart Eyes Killer have just as many differences as they do similarities. The 2025 horror-comedy Heart Eyes has quickly solidified itself as a great new addition to the slasher genre, focusing on a masked villain called the Heart Eyes Killer who attacks couples every Valentine’s Day. While watching the film, commenters and critics, including myself, noticed the similarities between Heart Eyes and the Scream franchise.

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It’s obvious that the producers of Heart Eyes previously worked on the Scream franchise, as they borrowed some of the best elements from the other meta-horror-comedy. This includes characteristics of Ghostface, one of the best slasher villains of all time. However, the Heart Eyes Killer also sets itself apart from its predecessor in many ways.

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Similarity: Ghostface & The Heart Eyes Killer Wear Unorthodox Masks

The Scream & Heart Eyes Villains Don’t Have Ordinary Masks

Most of the best traditional slasher villains wear a mask that’s distinctive, so the mask alone isn’t necessarily odd. However, the masks aren’t ordinary masks, like Jason’s hockey mask and Miner’s gas mask, and they don’t look humanoid, like Michael Myers and Leatherface.

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Instead, Ghostface’s mask is elongated and sheet white, with odd-shaped eyes, nose, and mouth holes. They almost resemble a more exaggerated version of The Scream by Edvard Munch.

Heart Eyes is similar to a BDSM mask, but it has some significant changes that make it feel unusual. Most notably, the mask includes heart-shaped eyes that protrude slightly like goggles, and they glow bright red when turned on. Plus, the mouth has a permanent smile that’s unhuman and eerie.

9

Difference: The Heart Eyes Killer Has Night Vision

The Heart Eyes Killer Can Navigate The Police Precinct In The Dark

One of the most exciting parts of the Heart Eyes Killer’s costume is the fact that the eponymous mask feature has a practical purpose. When the eyes glow, the killer can see in the dark. This practical and unbelievably cool ability makes it easier for them to hunt at nighttime or see when the lights go out.

In contrast, Ghostface has slightly impaired vision because the mask has black mesh over the eyes. The killers behind the Ghostface mask have never been particularly coordinated in the dark. Unfortunately, the costume would need a serious redesign to integrate night vision into the mask, and fans would revolt because of a mask design change.

8

Similarity: Ghostface & The Heart Eyes Killer Are More Than One Person

The Scream Franchise & Heart Eyes Use The Same Killer Twist

Out of all six Scream movies, only Scream 3 had a single actor playing Ghostface. Most of the movies boasted two Ghostface killers, and Scream VI has three different killers. The films including multiple killers help maintain the mystery. Killers can keep their identity a secret if they just orchestrate a fake attack by another killer in a public place.

Movie	Killer 1	Killer 2	Killer 3
Scream (1996)	Billy Loomis	Stu Macher	N/A
Scream 2 (1997)	Mrs. Loomis	Mickey	N/A
Scream 3 (2000)	Roman Bridger	N/A	N/A
Scream 4 (2011)	Jill Roberts	Charlie Walker	N/A
Scream (2022)	Amber	Richie	N/A
Scream VI (2023)	Detective Bailey	Quinn Bailey	Ethan Landry

Heart Eyes uses the same technique and twist for the Heart Eyes Killer. The villains include Detective Janine Shaw, David, and Eli. The movie hints heavily at Janine Shaw being the killer, but it throws off suspicions by having either David or Eli attack Shaw alongside Ally in the police precinct. Unfortunately, future slasher films should hesitate to reveal two killers since that could become predictable and ruin the twist.

7

Difference: The Heart Eyes Killer Marks The Kills With Holiday-Themed Calling Cards

The Heart Eyes Killer Marks His Crime Scenes With Valentine’s Day Symbols

Many horror villains leave calling cards as an egotistical way to claim a kill, gain attention, threaten survivors, and taunt the police. Both Ghostface and the Heart Eyes Killer fall into this category, which speaks to the mentality of the murderers. However, their killing cards differ in one significant way.

Ghostface’s calling cards are almost always the same, with them marking the majority of their kills with a white Ghostface mask near the body. The Heart Eyes Killer differs in that they don’t always have the same calling card, but they’re all Valentine’s Day-themed. This includes arrows and throwing knives with hearts in them, a heart made out of rose petals, and a wedding ring.

6

Similarity: Ghostface & The Heart Eyes Killer Inspire Fanboy Killers

Scream & Heart Eyes Comment On The Fanboy Phenomenon

Scream and Heart Eyes both make meta-commentary on horror, crime, obsession, and the psychology of killers. Because of this tone, I think it’s fitting that both franchises choose to highlight the disturbing phenomenon of individuals obsessing over serial killers.

In Scream (2022), Richie Kirsch is a fan of the in-universe Stab movies, which Ghostface inspires, and he takes it upon himself to emulate the killer. Similarly, Jason Carvey and Greg Bruckner want to finish Kirsch’s Stab movie by copying Ghostface at the start of Scream VI.

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Heart Eyes takes the same tactic, revealing that the killer unmasked at the drive-in theater is a man named Eli. He is a fan of the Heart Eyes Killer, who joined David and Janine’s relationship, making them a throuple. However, David and Janine never saw him as anything other than a disposable fanboy.

5

Difference: The Heart Eyes Killer Doesn’t Have One Weapon

Heart Eyes Pays Homage To Numerous Iconic Killer Weapons

Even though different characters have taken on the role of Ghostface in the Scream franchise, one thing has remained the same – the weapon they use. The iconic villain primarily uses a Buck 120 hunting knife, which was a nod to the posters for Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The New Blood, and Jason Takes Manhattan. This provides a distinctive visual that’s recognizable across all the movies.

On the other hand, Heart Eyes’ weapons are homages to iconic slasher villains. Across the course of the film, the Heart Eyes Killer uses these weapons:

Machete
Throwing knife
Crossbow
Hunting knife
Tire iron
Flag pole
Handgun

While marketing and headlines for Heart Eyes have leaned into the crossbow as the villain’s preferred weapon, the machete gets just as much screentime and kills. As such, the Heart Eyes Killer doesn’t have a standout weapon.

4

Similarity: Ghostface & The Heart Eyes Killer Make Taunting Phone Calls

Heart Eyes Mirrors Scream’s Phone Calls

Throughout the Scream franchise, the villain is known for making taunting phone calls to their victims. Most of the best quotes from Ghostface happen over the phone when the character is using a voice modulator. Heart Eyes gives an obvious nod to the previous meta-horror-comedy villain by having the Heart Eyes Killer call Ally on the phone when she’s at the airport trying to catch Jay.

The character uses a voice modulator and delivers the line, “Roses are red; violets are black. Guess who’s with me and not coming back?” The mix of whimsical and threatening tones feels very Ghostface-esque. Luckily, Heart Eyes didn’t overdo it by having the Heart Eyes Killer make repeated phone calls that sound like Ghostface.

3

Difference: The Heart Eyes Killer Doesn’t Have A Personal Connection To The Victims

The Heart Eyes Killer Chooses Couples At Random

One of the consistencies with each leading person under the Ghostface mask is the fact that they’re targeting the victims for personal reasons (minus the fanboy killers). The sidekicks have less driving force or motive against the specific victims, but they still connect somehow.

The Heart Eyes Killer is drastically different in that there’s little rhyme or reason to their victims. The only throughline is the fact that the victims are in a relationship, except for Ally and Jay, and the Heart Eyes Killer chooses between all the couples seemingly at random. This proves a very different psychological profile between the two groups of serial killers.

2

Similarity: Ghostface & The Heart Eyes Killer Are Surprisingly Human

The Scream & Heart Eyes Killers Make Interesting Choices

One characteristic of slasher villains that can decrease the stakes of the films is the fact that they seem impossible to defeat. Even human slasher villains have an almost supernatural quality to them, making them seem omnipresent. However, Scream and Heart Eyes prove that slasher villains can be extraordinarily human and still scary.

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Heart Eyes’ 19 Romantic Movie Easter Eggs & References

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Ghostface has always felt like a human inside a costume rather than a superhuman being. They stumble or trip, make mistakes, and struggle to hit their victims with their Buck 120. Still, Ghostface manages to induce fear through some vicious murders and psychological games.

While the Heart Eyes Killer is more coordinated with their weapons than Ghostface, they also feel like a human inside a costume. The fact that they hit Adeline in the leg at the start of Heart Eyes, instead of killing her, sets the tone that the villain still experiences human error. Moments like the murderer taunting Jay instead of killing him right away reaffirm this in my mind. That’s an extremely human, emotion-driven decision rather than being practical.

1

Difference: The Heart Eyes Killer Murders Recklessly

The Heart Eyes Killer Will Kill Anybody Without Forethought

The final big difference between Ghostface in the Scream franchise and the Heart Eyes Killer is the fact that the latter villain murders without much forethought or strategic planning. Even though the audience doesn’t get to see their perspective, Ghostface seems to have a plan most of the time, thinking through who they want to murder, when, and how. Having seen the Scream movies many times, I don’t remember many kills that appeared reckless or impulsive.

In contrast, the Heart Eyes Killer feels absolutely reckless and impulsive. The murderer has to take out individuals like the cleaning staff, the cab driver, and the police officer because they didn’t seem to think about whether others would be present during the attack. Then, at the drive-in, Heart Eyes’ killer seems to attack anyone and everyone at random, acting on impulse instead of logic. By making the Heart Eyes Killer so impulsive, the writers introduced a different kind of danger than what’s seen in Scream.

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Heart Eyes

Comedy

Horror

Romance

5/10

13

7.4/10

Release Date

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February 7, 2025

Director

Josh Ruben

Writers

Michael Kennedy, Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon

Cast
- Olivia Holt
  
  Ally
- Mason Gooding
In Heart Eyes, two co-workers working late on Valentine’s Day are mistaken for a couple by the infamous Heart Eyes Killer. Directed by Josh Ruben and written by Michael Kennedy and Christopher Landon, the film stars Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt.

Main Genre

Horror

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Scream

R

Crime

Horror

Mystery

13

9.1/10

Release Date

December 20, 1996

Runtime

111 minutes

Director

Wes Craven

Writers

Kevin Williamson

Sequel(s)

Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, Scream, Scream 6

Cast

See All
- Drew Barrymore
- Kevin Patrick Walls
Wes Craven flips the horror-slasher genre on its head with the 1996 release of Scream, the first in the long-running franchise. The residents of Woodsboro discover a series of murders are being committed by a dangerous ghost mask-wearing killer with an obsession for classic horror movies. To survive, a group of high school students, a reporter, and a town deputy will have to subvert horror expectations and stay one step ahead of the killer.

Main Genre

Horror

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