The latest installment of the Scream franchise proved to be a critical and financial success, grossing $78.2 million at the domestic box office and $135.5 million globally on a $24 million budget. Paramount Pictures and Spyglass has already confirmed that a sixth film has been greenlit and is looking to shoot this summer but what we don’t know is which surviving cast members will be returning. Fans are always asking if the legacy characters will tackle Ghostface once again so it should come as no surprise that Neve Campbell, who has portrayed final girl Sidney Prescott in all five Scream movies since 1996, has been approached to return once again. Will she be coming back for another round of the rejuvenated meta-horror franchise? It seems that it will all come down to the script.
It should be noted that no official deals have been made but Neve Campbell has confirmed that she has been approached to come back for the next film. While attending the Mad Monster Horror Party horror convention in Concord, North Carolina, she commented about her possible involvement in the sixth installment, and here is what she had to say:
“They have approached me. There’s no script yet. There is a draft coming soon is what I was told. Actually, I was supposed to call a producer yesterday, because he wanted to talk to me about what’s going on. You know, we’ll see. I’ll read the script and see how I feel.”
Campbell’s response is similar to the one she had when the fifth installment was announced before her return was finalized. Campbell was initially apprehensive about returning to the franchise because it would be the first not directed by Wes Craven after he passed away in 2015. Beyond that, it came down to the script and the pitch from the new directors. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett eventually reached out to Campbell personally and that’s when she learned of their commitment to honoring Craven’s legacy. It was then a personal message from the pair that convinced her to come back to play Sidney Prescott:
“They actually wrote me a letter and they said they basically are directors because of these films. They are directors because of Wes Craven and they’re really so excited to be a part of these films and what an honor it is to do them, and that they really want to do justice to Wes and honor his legacy. That meant a lot. That letter meant a lot to me. Then I went and watched one of their films and it’s brilliant and in keeping in tone. So I thought, ‘You know what, I can do this.’ I think this could be a lot of fun and a good idea. These are people who are doing it for the love of these films. So that meant something.”
It is hard to think about Scream without Neve Campbell. I know at some point fans have to move on from Sidney Prescott as the franchise moves on but she’s such a pivotal part of it. We’ve all grown with her character over the years and I’d argue that she’s probably the best final girl of the genre in terms of overall growth and character development.
Do YOU think Neve Campbell should come back for the next Scream film?