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'Scream 5' directors want to 'honour legacy' of Wes Craven with sequel, says Neve Campbell

Neve Campbell has been the protagonist of the 'Scream' franchise since its 1996 debut. (Credit: Dimension Films)
Neve Campbell has been the protagonist of the 'Scream' franchise since its 1996 debut. (Credit: Dimension Films)

Neve Campbell says she was convinced to return to her most memorable role for Scream 5 thanks to the commitment of the directors in honouring the legacy of original helmer Wes Craven.

Campbell told fellow horror legend Jamie Lee Curtis in a chat for Variety that she was “really apprehensive” about doing another sequel following Craven’s death in 2015.

Read more: Drew Barrymore explains shocking Scream death

“I always felt like it’d be too difficult to do it without Wes,” she said. “He was the master of these films. He did such a beautiful job on them. We were a family.”

Ready Or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are set to walk in Craven’s footsteps for Scream 5 and Campbell revealed they wrote her a letter affirming their respect for the filmmaker.

Watch: Campbell and Curtis discuss their horror legacies

“They said they basically are directors because of these films,” she said.

The 47-year-old added: “They’re really so excited to be a part of these films and what an honour it is to do them, and that they really want to do justice to Wes and honour his legacy.”

Read more: David Arquette takes blame for Courteney Cox’s hair in Scream 3

Campbell said the letter “meant a lot” to her and that she was happy to work with directors who were “doing it for the love of these films”.

Nightmare on Elm Street creator Craven directed all four of the previous Scream movies, with 2011 outing Scream 4 serving as the final film he made before his passing.

Wes Craven and Neve Campbell on the red carpet for 'Scream 3' in 2000. (Photo by Rat Romuald/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Wes Craven and Neve Campbell on the red carpet for 'Scream 3' in 2000. (Photo by Rat Romuald/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Campbell will reprise the role of “final girl” Sidney Prescott for Scream 5 and will be joined by her long-time co-stars Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers and David Arquette as Dewey Riley.

As well as the three big screen sequels, a TV series loosely based on the franchise has run for three seasons since 2015.

Read more: Campbell turned back on Hollywood after Scream

This new movie, however, will be the first time the central cast has appeared together since Craven passed away.

Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett scored a major genre hit last year with Ready or Not, which raked in $58m (£44.3m) worldwide from a budget of just $6m (£4.6m).

Scream 5 is due to be released into cinemas in January 2022.

Watch: Neve Campbell confirms Scream return