Neve Campbell’s tenure as Sidney Prescott is over.
After rumors emerged over the weekend that the beloved star declined a return for Scream 6, Campbell is setting the record straight.
“Sadly I won’t be making the next Scream film,” Campbell said in a statement, according to Deadline.
“As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream,” she added.
“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,” adds Campbell.
Campbell first starred in Scream back in 1996 and returned for Scream 2 the following year.
Scream 3 followed in 2000, with the star being the focal part of the cast once again.
Scream 4 launched in 2010, with Sidney remaining one of the most prominent characters.
However, that movie hit a lull at the box office, putting the franchise’s future in doubt.
Paramount opted to bring the franchise back this year with Scream, which went on to make $140 million at the worldwide box office.
The movie was a huge success story, but the legacy stars, including Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette, had much more minor roles than before.
It’s unclear whether the script for Scream 6 will be rewritten or if the writers knew Campbell would not be reprising her role.
Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, and Jasmin Savoy Brown are locked in return.
Hayden Panettiere, who starred in Scream 4, will return for Scream 6 as Kirby Reed.
As for Campbell, she currently stars on Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer, and recently landed a major recurring role on Peacock’s Twisted Metal adaptation.
Scream 6 is set to open in theaters on March 31, 2023, and will follow the four survivors of the Ghostface killings as they leave Woodsboro behind.
What are your thoughts on the news?
Hit the comments below.
Scream (2022) is available to stream on Paramount+.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
