Fans flock to iconic ‘Scream’ house ahead of ‘Scream 7’ release

By Michael Lee Simpson

Fans flock to the iconic "Scream" mansion - filled with Ghostface masks and Woodsboro jackets - ahead of the new film.

The seventh instalment of the franchise is set to arrive in theaters on Feb. 27.

The Spring Hill Estate Mansion, also known as the Macher House, has transformed from a vacant property into a must-visit destination for film enthusiasts worldwide.

The Victorian-style Macher House in Tomales now offers tours, overnight stays and themed events after opening to the public in 2022.

The home, built in 1990 and later used extensively in the 1996 film, sat vacant before filmmakers transformed it into the movie’s iconic party house.

Stu Macher, portrayed by Matthew Lillard, was thought to be killed at the end of the original film after being exposed as a Ghostface, along with Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich).

Lillard is set to return as Stu Macher in the upcoming film, sparking fan debate over whether he appears as a hallucination, a flashback, or actually survived being crushed by a TV.

The property is set to appear in "Scream 7" as an Airbnb dubbed the “killer B&B,” fueling renewed interest from horror fans.

Franco Caramelino, the mansion's social media and event coordinator, said the 1990-built Victorian home in Tomales, California, was "used fully in the first movie" when Wes Craven's team descended upon the property in 1996.

"The house sits on a hill," Caramelino said. "It's by the ocean, so you always get that fog that comes in. It also has that Victorian look to it.

"So anybody who would see it in the middle of the night would think this is probably haunted."

The mansion's journey to horror fame began tragically. Built by Jack and Carolyn MacPhail, the couple, both 59, died inside the house in 1991.

Jack died after a brief illness on March 6, and Carolyn died on November 12 after being in ill health for several years, according to reports.

"They barely had any time to enjoy the house," Caramelino, 34, said. "It was not even fully finished. So after that, the house kind of went to the kids."

When Craven's production arrived five years later, "the house was basically vacant because the kids didn't know what to do with it," giving filmmakers extensive creative freedom, he said.

"They brought in furniture, a lot of stuff to make it look like people lived there," Caramelino said of the original production.

Since changing hands twice, the current owners made a surprising discovery.

"They didn't know that they bought the 'Scream' house," he said.

"As it got closer to the release of 'Scream 5,' it's when they realized that they actually owned such a big piece of history."

The mansion began offering tours in 2022, upon the release of "Scream 5."

Tours include a "whole walkthrough of the entire house, room by room," Caramelino said.

"And then there's a lot of time for photos, and people might want to do TikToks and all of that fun stuff.

"We also have props around as well," he said, noting Woodsboro jackets and Stu Maker's famous red robe he wore at the party in the original film's last act.

"We have some Ghostface masks here and there, but it's mainly about the house."

While the franchise returned to recreate the house "on a set" for "Scream 5," the mansion appears poised for another spotlight moment.

Though Caramelino remained coy about "Scream 7" details, he acknowledges the house appears in the new film as an Airbnb.

"They call it the killer B&B," he said.

The property now balances its role as "an active residence" where "people live there full-time" with its role as a venue for horror fans through overnight stays and special events.

Previous overnight experiences cost $500 per person, though pricing may shift toward "group type" rates due to increased interest following the new film.

The estate hosts "multiple 'Scream' weddings" in its barn and partners with the historic Washoe House restaurant, which features a "Scream menu" and the local creamery, offering "killer ice cream" for visiting fans.