Scream 6 will have to figure out how the franchise can survive without its final girl because Neve Campbell is not returning for the sequel. As Deadline reveals, Campbell made the decision not to come back for Scream 6 after receiving an offer that she says doesn't reflect the value she brings to the franchise.
During four fantastic films directed by the late Wes Craven, Campbell played the part of Sidney Prescott, one of the most iconic final girls in the history of cinema. Time and time again, Sidney had to survive a new killing spree, as different people wore the mask of Ghostface to terrorize the town of Woodsboro. Last year’s SCREAM, the fifth installment of the franchise, reignited fans’ love for slashers by bringing back many legacy characters and introducing a new generation of Ghostface survivors. Sidney once again evaded the killer’s cold knife, so we were all expecting to see her in Scream 6. That won’t be the case, as Campbell refused to take an offer that was below what she’s worth. As Campbell explains it:
“Sadly I won’t be making the next Scream film. As a woman, I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream. I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise. It’s been a very difficult decision to move on. To all my Scream fans, I love you. You’ve always been so incredibly supportive to me. I’m forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years."
With less than a year before Scream 6 is set to be released in theaters, Campbell's departure from the franchise could seriously damage the sequel. If the final girl's return was expected from the start, Scream 6’s script will have to undergo last-minute rewrites. Besides that, fans won’t be too pleased to see one of their favorite characters walking out of the door.
The latest SCREAM installment was helmed by Ready or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. SCREAM was a huge box office success, with a sequel confirmed while the movie was still in theaters. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett, two parts of the collective known as Radio Silence, will be back to direct the upcoming sequel, with James Vanderbilt & Guy Busick once again co-writing the screenplay. The sequel will be produced by Project X Entertainment’s Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein, and William Sherak. The third member of Radio Silence, Chad Villella, will be executive producing alongside creator Kevin Williamson and Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre.
Scream 6 is set to release on March 31, 2023.