After dropping out of the last movie over a pay dispute, Neve Campbell has announced that she will return as the iconic horror franchise's OG final girl, Sidney Prescott, for the still very much in-development Scream VII.
“Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!!” Campbell posted on Instagram. “It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. 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.”
Campbell's return comes on the heels of the news that Melissa Barrera (Sam Carpenter) was fired from the movie for sharing "anti-Semitic" comments on social media, with Spyglass Entertainment releasing a statement explaining why they decided to drop her from the film shortly after, citing "rhetoric that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech."
We'd later learn that her co-star, Jenna Ortega (Tara Carpenter), had also parted ways with the horror sequel, but actually left the project some time before Barrera's firing. We still don't know exactly why, but the usual "scheduling conflict" reason was given to the trades.
More recently, director Christopher Landon announced that he had also decided to step away from the movie, but a replacement has now been found in Scream creator and writer Kevin Williamson.
“It’s been nearly 30 years since my very first script, Scream, was directed by the legendary Wes Craven,” Williamson wrote in an Instagram post of his own. “I never would have predicted what it would become. Or that I would be directing the seventh installment of the franchise. I am overcome with gratitude and excitement, and I can’t wait to take this journey with Neve and the entire ‘Scream’ family as we bring back Sidney Prescott in the next chapter of the ‘Scream’ franchise. Thank you to all the ‘Scream’ fans. You are the gift that keeps giving.”
Guy Busick, who wrote the fifth and sixth Scream films with Jared Vanderbilt, is taking over screenwriting duties.
While some Scream fans are delighted to have Campbell back, others feel that she should have supported Barrera by refusing to work with SpyGlass, and there has been a significant amount of backlash to the actress' decision to reprise her role after everything that's gone down.
We're sure you guys are going to have a lot to say about this development, so check out Campbell and Williamson's statements in full below, and drop us a comment in the usual place.