Kevin Williamson, screenwriter of the popular Scream movie franchise, recently spoke out on his hopes that Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott when talking on the Happy Horror Time podcast.
Campbell starred as the main protagonist Sidney Prescott in all but one of the now six Scream movies, the latest being the instalment she chose to opt out of.
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Her decision to leave was announced back in 2021 along with confirmation that it was due to believing she wasn’t getting paid as much as she deserved. Instead of negotiations, the studio continued on with Scream 6 without Campbell, placing newcomers Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera as the two main protagonists.
Scream’s Screenwriter Wants Neve Campbell To Return
Williamson spoke out on Campbell’s decision to leave, stating on the recent podcast that he “totally respect[s] her opinion,” as well as saying that he knows “exactly where she’s coming from. I know her well.”
He added, “I love and adore here, and that’s what she did, it’s right for her.”
Williamson continued to express his hopes that if negotiations go well, he’d love to see Campbell return to the Scream franchise as Sidney Prescott, something that many fans of the horror saga would equally love to see happen.
While on the topic of money, the screenwriter stated that he loves “everyone involved in Scream,” along with leaving a suggestion for the studio execs. “Pay her the money. That’s what I would do, I would give her the [money]”.
“I’m sure there’s a number they can agree on that will make them both happy,” he added. “So hopefully one day they will figure that all out.”
Will Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott Be In Scream 7?
It should be noted that as of writing the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are still ongoing, meaning that Campbell wouldn’t be able to discuss her potential return with the studio until the strikes come to a reasonable resolution.
Interestingly, the ongoing strikes aim to tackle exactly what made Campbell want to leave the Scream franchise in the first place, among other issues.
Although there have been no details of Campbell returning as Sidney Prescott, if negotiations go well and the strike finds a reasonable resolution, it’s possible that an agreement could be met for Campbell to return as Sidney Prescott.
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After all, she was the main star of five Scream instalments, not to mention being the main target for the various Ghostfaces that have come and gone.
It should be noted that Campbell was often used on marketing and promotional materials such as posters, typically bang in the centre for all to see.
As mentioned, Williamson isn’t the only person rooting for Campbell’s return to the franchise, but only under the condition that she’s paid what she’s worth.
Another character many fans of the franchise have longed to see return due to his cryptic “death” is none other than Five Nights at Freddy’s star, Matthew Lillard, who has expressed in the past his dislike of Campbell’s situation.
Scream VI had plenty of teases and easter eggs that may allude to Lillard returning in Scream 7 as the sinister Stu Macher aka Ghostface. It’s safe to assume that Lillard would return, but it’s safer to assume he wouldn’t consider it unless the studio settled the costs with main star Neve Campbell first.
Source: Happy Horror Time podcast
