Summary
TheScreamfranchise had two major updates recently when it was announced that Neve Campbell would return as Sidney Prescott inScream 7,with franchise creator, Kevin Williamson set to direct the upcoming sequel, from a screenplay written by Gus Busick. However, not all fans have been happy with the news, as many have taken to social media to stand in solidarity with Melissa Barrera after she was fired from the project by Spyglass last year,leaving fans with a lot of questions that need answering aboutScream 7.
Neve Campbell hasn’t been without her issues with Spyglass, after she was absent forScream 6after a pay dispute with the production company, and some have chosen to turn on the original star of the franchise for signing on forScream 7. Nobody really knows what has happened behind the scenes, but thereturn of Sidney Prescottcan only help the horror franchise after a troubled few months in production.
Fans aren’t happy with Spyglass over Barrera and Ortega’s exit
There is no doubting that it was a massive blow to lose Melissa Barrera forScream 7, after her character,Sam Carpenter, became the main focus of the horror franchise inScream (2022)andScream 6. It felt like the franchise had successfully passed the baton to the new generation when the Core 4 was established, consisting of Sam, her sister Tara and Randy Meek’s nephew and niece, Chad and Mindy.
The production was further hit by the announcement that Jenna Ortega, who plays Tara Carpenter, would also not be returning forScream 7, complicating plans for the sequel. To add to the problems,Christopher Landon exitedthe project as director, leaving fans wondering ifScream 7would even happen. But Spyglass insisted the project was still moving forward, and the search was on for a new director, with rewrites of the script taking place.
Rumors circulated that Spyglass were keen tobring back Neve Campbellas the ultimate final girl, Sidney Prescott, with the plans clearly to return to the series' roots. Some fans felt this would be a step in the wrong direction for the franchise, after establishing popular brand-new characters, who the audience were keen to see return inScream 7. Melissa Barrera initially received backlash for her portrayal of Sam Carpenter inScream (2022), but fans warmed to her when her character was further explored inScream 6.
Will fans boycott the new film?
It now appears that some fans are turning on Neve Campbell for signing up forScream 7, leading to the possibility of a boycott of the upcoming sequel. Campbell can’t be blamed for coming back to the franchise she helped to launch, instead of appearing to stand in solidarity with Barrera. The cast ofScream 6didn’t pass on the project in support of Campbell when she was experiencing her own issues with Spyglass, so why should she do so now? Campbell ended up not appearing inScream 6over a pay dispute, but the sequel went on to become a massive success without her.
There is every possibility that Barrera and Ortega could return in aScreamsequel in the future, especially if Spyglass sells the rights, but for now, it’s time for Neve Campbell to take center stage again against a new iteration of Ghostface, with the possibility of her being joined by fellow legacy cast members, Courteney Cox asGale Weathersand Patrick Dempsey as Mark Kincaid.
Some fans may choose to boycottScream 7over the treatment of Melissa Barrera, and it is their right to do so, but there has been overwhelming support for Neve Campbell’s return, especially with Kevin Williamson at the helm.Choosing to supportScream 7doesn’t mean that fans have to agree with the treatment of Barrera and Ortega, it just means they want to see a kick assScreammovie.
Will Sidney Prescott be the focus of Scream 7?
Neve Campbell shot to fame in the originalScreammovie back in 1996, when she portrayed the final girl, Sidney Prescott. She was the central figure of the franchise and reprized her role in four sequels. However, when she appeared inScream (2022), she was no longer the central focus, and instead played a supporting role to the new heroine of the story, Sam Carpenter. With the announcement that Campbell would be returning forScream 7, it has got fans questioning whether Sidney will once again be the focus of the movie, especially as Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega will not be returning.
It appears extremely likely she will once again be the focus of the story for a few different reasons. Campbell was the one to announce her return on Instagram, and the creator of Scream, Kevin Williamson, is directing the upcoming sequel, and he was the one who created the character of Sidney Prescott, and it’s unlikely he would’ve signed on to a movie where Sidney wasn’t the focus.She is also the only confirmed cast member signed up to return, suggesting she will be central to the plot.
Will Mark Kincaid return?
There is a possibility that Sidney will be joined by fellow legacy characters inScream 7, with plenty to choose from. The most intriguing rumor surrounds Patrick Dempsey returning as Mark Kincaid, after last appearing inScream 3. It was confirmed inScream (2022)that Kincaid had married Sidney in the years since the events of the third movie, making his re-appearance even more likely.
Dempsey has also returned to the horror genre recently with the Eli Roth slasher flick,Thanksgiving, once again making him a recognizable face in the horror sub-genre. If, as expected, Sidney Prescott is central to the plot ofScream 7,it’s likely Mark Kincaid will be back alongside her to fight off another iteration of Ghostface.
Will Melissa Barrera ever reprise her role as Sam Carpenter?
Melissa Barrera has spoken out about her firing fromScream 7, following her pro-Palestine posts on Instagram, and she defended her right to free speech. It appears unlikely that Barrera will return to the Scream franchise, while Spyglass has the rights to it, but there was so much planned for Sam Carpenter inScream 7, it’s clear that her story is not yet completed. In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Barrera said:
I don’t think I’ll be able to get away from horror, and I also don’t want to
This is a promising statement that suggestsBarrera would be open to returning to the Scream franchise one day in the future. Neve Campbell didn’t return forScream 6, but is now back inScream 7, so anything could happen.
Scream
The Scream movie and TV franchise began with the release of the first film in 1996. Directed by horror master Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, the deconstruction of slasher movies was an instant cultural, critical, and financial hit. Neve Campbell, who plays ongoing final girl Sidney Prescott, has become a horror icon in her own right, along with Ghostface, the only horror villain whose identity is always changing. Nearly three decades later, the Scream franchise shows no signs of slowing down.
