Scream 7 has undergone a great many changes in recent months, losing its cast and director in quick succession. Now, though, it looks like the plan is for the next instalment to be a fan-pleasing family affair.
According to scooper Daniel Richtman (via FearHQ.com), "They are looking to cast [Sidney Prescott's] two kids. It seems like the movie will focus on Sid's family as all 4 (her, her husband and 2 kids) are listed as leads."
This appears to confirm that Spyglass is moving on from the younger cast, meaning the fan-favourite "Core Four" will likely never get a definitive ending to their story beyond a passing mention. Still, for many slasher fans, the spotlight returning to the franchise's original leads is incredibly exciting.
After declining a role in Scream VI due to the lack of money on the table, Neve Campbell is now expected to reprise her role as Sidney. Courteney Cox and Patrick Dempsey are also being lined up to return as Gale Weathers and Detective Mark Kincaid, respectively.
The latter is Sidney's husband and her relationship with Mark - and the fact they have two kids together - was referenced in the last two Scream movies.
Original plans for Scream 7 called for the movie to revolve around Sam Carpenter. That all changed when actress Melissa Barrera voiced her thoughts on the Israel-Hamas war, prompting the studio to fire her. Co-stars and directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin have rallied around Barrera, as have many fans. Hayden Panettiere was among the first to describe her co-star's dismissal as "very unfair and upsetting."
"We got exited," Gillett previously said, with Bettinelli-Olpin adding, "We'll be sad that there's not going to be an end to the Sam Carpenter story, but in our minds, we designed Scream VI so that the story feels complete."
The filmmakers, also known as Radio Silence confirmed they "reached out to Chris [Landon] and just commiserated a little bit." In the same interview, Barrera addressed Landon's exit from the film, saying, "I actually don't know what happened. He was very excited about it, and he had great ideas for it, so it makes me sad."
Original Scream writer and franchise co-creator Kevin Williamson has since been tapped to take the helm of the movie from a new screenplay penned by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick.
Scream 7 doesn't currently have a confirmed release date. However, with the cast quickly being assembled, we expect production to begin later this year.