Scream 7 has a “really specific” reason to bring back Sidney Prescott.
Actor Neve Campbell did not return for the sixth film, which moved the action from Woodsboro to New York, due to a pay dispute.
After Melissa Barrera was dropped from the film and Jenna Ortega declined to return in solidarity, Campbell was announced to be coming back.
Writer Guy Busick spoke to ComicBook.com to promote Final Destination: Bloodlines, and said: “I don’t want to give anything away about the reason [Scream 7] had to be a Sidney movie because there’s a really cool reason.
“In all these movies, you have to ask, ‘Why now? What is the thing Scream is commenting on now?’ Scream is always in a conversation with the audience about the state of movies, the state of horror movies and in particular, franchises.”
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Related: UK film release dates
“There is a really specific reason why Sidney is in this movie,” he continued. “I will say there is a reason and we were happy with it when we cracked it.
“We went to Neve Campbell and said, ‘This is why. This is why Sidney now.’ Neve was like, ‘Oh, I get that.’ I pitched Kevin [Williamson] this first, too. He got it and then I pitched the studio. I came up with the story with my co-writer on [Scream] 5 and 6, James Vanderbilt.”
Paramount Pictures
Related: ‘An unpleasant experience’: Original Scream 7 director reveals why he really left horror sequel
Scream VI revealed that Sidney had moved somewhere safe after the events of the fifth entry, but Busick won’t reveal where that is or whether this new film will take place there.
He did reveal it won’t take place in New York, but that it’s set about two years on from the last film.
Scream 7 will also bring back Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers and David Arquette as Dewey Riley.
Community actor Joel McHale is joining the franchise as Sidney’s husband Mark, while Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Sarah Michelle Gellar has called for a comeback (despite her character being dead).
Scream 7 is currently scheduled for release on February 27, 2026.
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Joe Anderton is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy, having worked there since 2016. In his time, he’s covered a host of live events and interviewed celebrities big and small.
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