Sidney Prescott is back!
Almost 30 years after Neve Campbell first played the iconic survivor in the Scream franchise, she’s stepping into Prescott’s getaway shoes once again for the cult movie’s seventh instalment.
The news was heralded by Campbell in an announcement via Instagram. “It’s always been such a blast and an honour to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies,” the star wrote. “My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled!”
It’s a move fans never saw coming, after Campbell declined a previous offer to return for Scream 6 in 2022.
“I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this franchise, and have brought to this franchise, for 25 years,” Campbell explained to People following her decision.
The 50-year-old didn’t reveal what figure was put on the table, but she did say, “I honestly don’t believe that if I were a man and had done five instalments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man. And in my soul, I just couldn’t do that. I couldn’t walk on set feeling that – feeling undervalued and feeling the unfairness, or lack of fairness, around that.”
Franchise newcomers Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding reprised their roles from the fifth film into the sixth, without Campbell, or fan favourite Dewey Riley [David Arquette] who scriptwriters killed off.
“I don’t wish these movies ill will,” Campbell later said at Monster-Mania Con in late 2023, adding that she actually liked the sixth film despite not being on the call sheet. “It’s not like I’m sitting in my house going, ‘I hope it sucks, I hope it doesn’t do well.
“There’s someone at the top who only thinks about money and that’s their prerogative,” she added of the contract dispute. “But for the rest of them, everybody else, I care about these movies being good.”
Since then, however, Scream has been hit by controversy.
Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter – daughter of the original Ghostface killer, Billy Loomis – was fired by movie executives for social media posts that were critical of the Israel-Gaza war.
A day after her on-screen sister’s firing, Ortega pulled out. She blamed filming conflicts with her Netflix series Wednesday for her departure.
That all went down in November. Now, just four months on, Campbell has signed on to become Sidney once again.
“I’m happy Sidney hasn’t died,” Campbell said at Monster-Mania Con. “To be the gal who got to play a character who was not a victim, who overcomes, who is not your typical horror film female character, who is a fighter, who has inspired that in people, is a great honour,” she told the crowd.
Along with Campbell’s return comes the reprisal of Scream’s creator and writer Kevin Williamson. Two years after he demanded the powers that be pay Campbell what she so rightly deserved, Williamson will be taking over as director.
“I never would have predicted what it would become,” he shared on Instagram. “I am overcome with gratitude and excitement, and I can’t wait to take this journey with Neve and the entire Scream family as we bring back Sidney Prescott in the next chapter of the Scream franchise. Thank you to all the Scream fans. You are the gift that keeps giving.”
Here’s hoping Sidney doesn’t suffer the same fate as Dewey at the hands of Ghostface.
Where to stream the complete Scream franchise in Australia
Scream (1996)
Catch the original Scream movie on Binge and Paramount+, or rent the film on Prime Video.
Scream 2 (1997)
The second film of the franchise is available to stream on Prime Video, Binge and Paramount+.
Scream 3 (2000)
Itching for more? Stream the third Scream movie on Prime Video, Binge and Paramount+.
Scream 4 (2011)
Eleven years later, the franchise returned for a fourth instalment – stream it on Prime Video.
Scream (2022)
Rent the 2022 film, which is a reboot sequel, on Prime Video.
Scream VI (2023)
Scream VI is available to stream on Binge and Paramount+.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
