Neve Campbell returning to Scream franchise after controversies

Neve Campbell is set to return to the Scream franchise.

The actor, who plays the role of Sidney Prescott, announced in an Instagram post that she was “excited” to be leading Untitled Scream 7, to be directed by Kevin Williamson who wrote the 1996 original.

“It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies,” she wrote. “My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned.”

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Campbell had played the role of Sidney in the first four films all directed by Wes Craven, with Scream 4 released in 2011. After the film-maker’s death in 2015, the franchise was rebooted in 2022 with Scream which saw Campbell and series regulars Courtney Cox and David Arquette return alongside new recruits led by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega.

After the film was a commercial success, a follow-up was announced, but Campbell decided not to return after a salary dispute. “I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise,” the actor said in a statement.

Today’s announcement also added: “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!!!”

While Scream VI was another commercial hit, breaking the opening weekend record for the entire franchise, the future of the series was put into question after lead Barrera was fired last November. The actor had shown support for Palestine on social media during the ongoing war while also criticising Israel. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict so far.

A statement from Spyglass, the company who is now behind the series, said at the time that they have “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form”. Soon after it was announced that co-star Ortega would also not be returning and then new director Christopher Landon would also no longer be involved.

In January, when Campbell was asked about a return to the series she said: “I know things are spinning at the moment, and I would imagine they are spinning at the top trying to figure out what they’re going to do. I would not be surprised to get a call. But at the same time, I made a strong statement a few years ago, which is I did not believe that the way that I was treated would’ve happened if I had been a male and that I deserve a certain thing for having carried this franchise for as long as I have.”

In a statement on Instagram, Williamson said he was “overcome with gratitude and excitement” to be directing. Williamson is also known for creating the show Dawson’s Creek and he recently signed a deal with Universal Television that will see him remake Rear Window and David Fincher’s The Game for the small screen.

The script will come from Guy Busick, based on a story from himself and and James Vanderbilt. The pair wrote the last two Scream movies.

The Scream series has made over $900m at the global box office.