SCREAM 4 might be hit or miss for some fans but the one universal bright spot has been Kirby Reed, played by Hayden Panettiere in the film. Kirby was the resident horror movie fan, a sort of female version of Jamie Kennedy's Randy Meeks from the original trilogy and this made her an instant fan favorite. Depending on who you ask, Kirby either met a grim fate in the film after being repeatedly stabbed in the stomach or she may have recovered from her wounds because we never actually see her take her last breath. David Arquette is returning for SCREAM 5 along with his ex-wife Courteney Cox and other than Neve Campbell, who is still allegedly still in talks to return, Arquette would really like to see Panettiere return as well.
While speaking with "Hollywood Life" this week, Arquette noted that the fan-favorite should make a comeback:
"I love Hayden. I think she's a tremendous person and actress, and I'd love to see her back."
Not to say that Arquette has any say on this but a part of me really wishes that READY OR NOT filmmakers, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet, who are directing the next installment, would listen to this bit of fan-service because Kirby is worthy of a return. She was the best new character in SCREAM 4 and while not totally fleshed out, she stole almost every scene she was in. She was able to play up the modern aspects of the story while being a bit of a throwback to the late '90s versions of the characters we met in the first SCREAM. It's clear that Kevin Williamson liked writing for the character because he gives her most of his signature meta lines and references. Also, if you're a nerd like me and listened to the SCREAM 4 commentary track, the late Wes Craven, who directed the fourth entry along with the rest of the franchise, said since we don't quite revisit her dead body, Kirby could've made it. I'm going to be a bit optimistic here.
Before we get justice for Kirby though I'm going to need an official announcement that Neve Campbell is coming back because while it's cool to have Arquette and Cox on board, it's just not SCREAM without Sidney Prescott. In a perfect world, I'd get Campbell and Panettiere along with some fresh faces that live up to the films before them but let's get Campbel first and then we start making some calls to Panettiere to be a resident horror fan again on the big screen.
Would YOU want to see Hayden Panettiere return in the next SCREAM film?