Actress Neve Campbell took to Instagram on Tuesday to announce her return to the “Scream” franchise to star as Sidney Prescott in “Scream VII.”
Campbell starred in every “Scream” film until part six, when she bowed out due to failed salary negotiations. Campbell felt that the studio’s offer for the film did not align with the value she brought to the franchise.
The news of Cambpell’s return is bittersweet as the production of “Scream VII” has been plagued with controversy since late 2023. In late November, Melissa Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter, the daughter of Billy Loomis, in 2022’s “Scream” and “Scream VI” was fired from the production after Spyglass, the studio behind the rebooted franchise, felt her social media posts in support of Palestine were antisemitic, equating her remarks to hate speech. The move lead many to call for a boycott of the film. Barrera later responded by condemning anti-semitism and Islamophobia, saying,” I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.”
Barrera’s firing was quickly followed by the news that Jenna Ortega, who played Tara Carpenter in the reboot films, would not return for “Scream VII” due to scheduling conflicts with the filming of season two of Netflix’s “Wednesday” and “Beetlejuice 2.”
Then, in December, director Christopher Landon, who was taking over directing duties from Radio Silence for “Scream VII,” exited the production, calling the film “a dream job that turned into a nightmare.”
Campbell’s return to the franchise was paired with the news of a new director. In her post, Campbell also noted that “Scream” writer Kevin Williamson had signed on to direct the project—something Campbell says she’s “dreamt of for many years.”
It’s unclear what direction the franchise will go in, with two core characters from the reboot gone and Campbell returning after her “Scream VI” hiatus. However, Variety reported back in November that a reboot of the franchise reboot was already in the works.
