Scream 7’s Development Issues & Sidney Return Reports Addressed By Neve Campbell

Sidney’s possible return in the slasher sequel Scream 7 has been addressed. The movie has been wracked with production issues, starting with the controversial firing of returning star Melissa Barrera (who played lead character Sam Carpenter in 2022’s Scream and 2023’s Scream 6) after she shared pro-Palestine posts on social media. That was followed by the announcement that her co-lead Jenna Ortega, who played Sam’s sister Tara, would also not be returning. Shortly after that, director Christopher Landon (who was replacing Scream and Scream 6 duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) dropped out of the project as well.

Variety recently spoke with Scream franchise star Neve Campbell, who played final girl Sidney Prescott in the first five movies. When asked about reports that she has been approached to return for the upcoming Scream 7, she said that she would consider it “under the right circumstances.” However, for the moment, she says she has “no idea what their plans are,” indicating that they may not have reached out to her about a return just yet. Read her full quote below:

[I would come back] under the right circumstances. I honestly have no idea what their plans are. I know a lot has gone on around it and I’m sure they’re spinning a little bit at the moment. These movies mean a lot to us and they mean a lot to the fans. I go to these conventions sometimes and I meet the fans and they’re frantic about these films. They love them. These films mean a lot to them and these characters mean a lot to them. So even for their sake, I would love to see it continue.

Is Scream 7 Dead in the Water?

With no leads, no director, and no indication that the former lead has been contacted, it seems unclear if the Scream movies will get a sixth sequel any time soon. This hailstorm of controversies around Scream 7 also compounds with the singular major Scream 6 controversy, which involved Campbell herself. Although the star had expressed interest in returning as Sidney for that installment, Campbell declined to return, saying that their offer “did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.”

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Why Sidney Isn’t In Scream 6

Scream 6 is already here, but its main character, Sidney Prescott, isn’t in it. Star, Neve Campbell, has some good reasons not to return.

So far, no major updates on the next sequel have come from producers. It seems possible that they are biding their time waiting for the various controversies surrounding the movie to blow over. Once that period is over, the movie could either quietly be made with the remaining returning cast members (which could potentially include Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown) or they could attempt to rehire Barrera and Ortega. It is currently unknown why Ortega left the project, but it has been reported that her commitments to other projects like Wednesday season 2 presented scheduling issues.

If the studio wishes to walk back their firing of Barrera, they may be waiting in order to save face, as well. They may also be biding their time until the release of her new horror movie Abigail in April, to see if audiences have the negative response to the star that they imagined. Regardless of how they choose to progress with the project, the ever-expanding timeline for Scream 7 seems like there will be a much longer hiatus between Scream 6 and its follow-up than anticipated.