Scary Movie 2026’s Best Movie Parody Isn’t About Horror At All

This article contains mild spoilers for “Scary Movie.”

When it comes to discussing the best jokes or bits in a parody film, obviously everyone’s mileage may vary. Throwing a ton of gags at the wall and seeing what sticks has long been part of the formula for the parody film, and that goes double for the “Scary Movie” franchise. It’s practically a feature of them, as the series has prided itself on punching down, up, and every which way with its deluge of jokes ever since the 2000 original.

“Scary Movie,” the self-titled latest installment in the series (parodying the “back to basics” titling convention adopted by 2018’s “Halloween” and 2022’s “Scream”), carries on the franchise’s tradition of blending together parodies of (mostly) recent horror movies, pop culture references, topical humor, and the like. Another tradition that the Wayans family haven’t shied away from upon their return to the series is its penchant for ribald, gross-out, and just plain offensive jokes.

While the film resorting to lowest common denominator gags certainly isn’t commendable, it does create a tone where audiences are expecting the worst. Thus, when the movie makes a surprisingly highbrow (or at least not lowbrow) joke, it feels that much more clever than it might otherwise. This is exactly the case with the best movie parody in “Scary Movie,” which isn’t about horror at all. It’s a faux trailer parodying the recent box office sensation “Michael,” and compared to a lot of the rest of the movie, the main gag in it could actually be called wholesome.

Whatever the “Scary Movie” screenwriters’ (which include Marlon, Shawn, Keenen Ivory and Craig Wayans, along with Rick Alvarez) thoughts are about Michael Jackson and the allegations against him, they’re certainly aware of the controversy surrounding the feature film. Antoine Fuqua’s movie (backed by a portion of the Jackson family themselves) is notably toothless in the way it doesn’t go anywhere near the more unsavory elements of the pop star’s life. So when a trailer that recreates shots from “Michael” pops up during in the middle of “Scary Movie,” when a hospitalized Tuesday (Savannah Lee Nassif) is watching TV in her room, it’s easy to expect that the Wayans and company might take such a parody uncomfortably far. In the screening I was in, loud groans, moans, and shocked laughter rippled around the auditorium as everyone collectively braced themselves.

Instead, the movie pulled a fast one on us. Rather than make any obvious jokes, the fake trailer reveals Kenan Thompson in a recording studio in Jackson garb, being told by various friends and cohorts about all the ways he’s not as good as Michael (he can’t sing or dance as well, looks awkward, etc.). After some more riffing and a climactic fall down some stairs, the punchline is revealed by the film’s title: “Jermaine,” meaning Kenan was actually playing Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s less successful brother.

It’s a great gag on a couple levels: it implicitly makes fun of the “Michael” movie’s hagiography; it’s a straightforward parody of a real-life celebrity; and it can be inferred that the Wayans are poking some fun at themselves, too, as they’re also part of a Black entertainment dynasty. “Scary Movie” may revel in being dumb, but it can also be just plain clever, too.

“Scary Movie” is in theaters now.