When a new killer wearing a Ghostface mask appears in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has made her life, her worst nightmares come true. The target of the madman (or madmen, as the story of “Screams” teaches us) is her daughter Tatum (Isabel May). Determined to protect her loved ones, Sidney must face her past and end this nightmare once and for all.
For Campbell, it’s a return to “Scream” after her absence from the sixth installment of the series. The actress resigned from her participation because she did not agree to the amount offered to her. “As a woman, I have had to work extremely hard throughout my career to assert my value, especially when it comes to… ‘Scream'” – she said about the reasons for her decision. – “I think that the offer made to me did not translate into the value I brought to the series.”
“The decision to leave was very difficult. To all the fans ‘Screaming’: Love you. You have always been incredibly supportive of me. I am grateful to you and everything this series has given me over the last 25 years,” added the actress in 2022.
Campbell also didn’t plan to appear in the seventh horror film about a killer with a distinctive mask. However, the production encountered major problems. First, it lost its stars, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. Later, Christopher Landon, director and screenwriter, also resigned.
Campbell admitted then that the series’ problems saddened her and she hoped that producers would make the best decisions. “I love this series. I love it because of Wes (Craven – the director of the first four films, who died in 2015). I love it because of all the people who were associated with it, including the new cast members. I hope it won’t all fall apart,” she said.
At one point, a question was asked whether the actress would consider returning to “Scream”. “If the right circumstances arose? Yes,” she replied. She immediately added that she still believed that the offer made to her for the sixth part of the series was insulting, considering the fact that she had been the face of the series for over a quarter of a century. “We’ll see,” she said.
Shortly later, it turned out that the star and producers had reached an agreement and Campbell would be seen in the seventh installment of “Scream”.
“I’m thrilled to announce this. Sidney Prescott is back. Playing her in the series ‘Scream’ it has always been an honor. My appreciation for these films and what they mean to me has never waned. I’m very proud to say that I was asked in a very polite way to return to this character. I’m even more happy because I was able to be a part of these films alongside the master of horror, Wes Craven, and then Matt and Tyler, I always dreamed how great it would be if Kevin Williamson directed one of these films. And now it’s going to happen. He will direct it ‘Scream VII’! This was always his child and he was the one who dreamed of this world. Kevin is not only an inspiration to me as an artist, but also a friend for years. I hope the fans of the series are as excited as I am,” the actress said on her official Instagram account.
Kevin Williamson, whom Campbell mentioned, was the author of the script for the first part of “Scream”, which revolutionized the slasher genre in 1996. In the following years, he created scripts for such films as “The Nightmare of Last Summer”, “Them” and “How to finish off Mrs. T.?” The latter title was his directorial debut. He also produced a sequel to “Scream” and its fourth part. However, he was never behind the camera for this series.
“Scream VII” will hit theaters on February 27, 2026. In addition to Campbell, we will see Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Scott Foley, Matthew Lillard, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding, known from previous installments, as well as new faces: Joel McHale, Isabel May, Celeste O’Connor, Asa Germann, McKenna Grace, Sam Rechner, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Anna Camp, Mark Consuelos and Ethan Embry.