Scream’s Neve Campbell Defends Exit From 6th Film Over Salary Dispute

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Neve Campbell is standing by her actions.

The actress known for her role in Scream reaffirmed her decision to leave the sixth movie in 2023, explaining it stemmed from a dispute over pay. While she was disappointed to not be involved, she stands by her choice.

Neve Campbell explained in a February 24th interview on CBS Mornings that she couldn’t continue filming because she felt it didn’t align with her principles. She believed her contribution to the Scream franchise deserved more consideration, and ultimately, she had to prioritize that when making her decision.

Even though she understood the decision was right, the 52-year-old actress realized she might not ever reprise her role as Sidney Prescott, and she needed to accept that possibility.

I really thought that was the end when I said goodbye. I prepared myself for it. It was upsetting, especially when I heard they started filming without me – that was tough. But I still believed I’d made the right choice.

I’ve been a huge fan of Neve Campbell since she first played Sidney in the original Scream back in ’96! What I loved most was seeing her in every Scream movie that followed – it just wasn’t the same without her. So, when she announced she wouldn’t be returning for the latest one in June 2022, I was really disappointed. It turned out it was over a disagreement about how much she was being paid, which honestly, felt like a real shame.

She explained that, as a woman in her profession, she’s consistently had to prove her worth, particularly with the Scream movies. She felt the salary she was offered didn’t reflect her contributions to the franchise.

Honestly, when Neve announced she was taking a break, I was gutted, but I totally understood. What really got to me, though, was seeing how many people – so many! – immediately had her back. She said she was blown away by the support, and honestly, it made me tear up. It just proves how much we all adore her and want her to be happy. It was incredible to witness!

The Lincoln Lawyer actress explained on CBS Mornings that she didn’t intend to cause a stir when she shared her experience. She was simply expressing how she felt at the time, and she was grateful for the positive support she received from others.

It didn’t take long for fans of the Scream movies to get excited! In March 2024, Neve Campbell announced on Instagram that she would be returning for the seventh film. She shared how much she’s enjoyed playing Sidney and expressed her continued love for the franchise.

I’m delighted and honored to announce that I’ve been asked to revive the character of Sidney for a new screen appearance, and I’m incredibly excited about it!

Neve Campbell is still thrilled to be returning as her character in Scream 7. With the movie set to release on February 27th, she says it’s been incredibly fulfilling to reprise the role.

Oh my gosh, Sidney is just… everything! I was so thrilled to hear her talk about getting to be Sidney Prescott again. She said it’s amazing to revisit the character and honestly, it’s been a dream for her – and for us fans! – to watch Sidney evolve over thirty years. She really emphasized how special it is to live with a character like that and see them grow. It’s just… incredible to hear her talk about it!

Alongside Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, David Arquette, and Matthew Lillard will reprise their roles in the upcoming movie. Joining them are Isabel May, Anna Camp, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O’Connor, Mark Consuelos, and Joel McHale.

With only a few days left until Scream 7 hits theaters, here’s a look at some of the biggest secrets from the Scream movie series.

Screenwriter Kevin Williamson got the idea for the movie after watching a 1994 episode of ABC News’ Turning Point about the Gainesville Ripper. While house-sitting, he was frightened to discover a window was open, even though he thought he’d closed it.

The screenplay sparked a fierce competition among Hollywood studios, with Dimension Films eventually winning the rights. However, securing a director was surprisingly difficult, even after horror icon Wes Craven agreed to take the helm – he’d originally turned the project down.

According to Williamson, a lot of different directors were considered for the job. Wes Anderson’s name was mentioned very early on, as were the names of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, he told The Ringer.

After his film New Nightmare didn’t do well in theaters, Wes Craven was hesitant to return to horror. However, his assistant at the time, Julie Plec – who later became famous for co-creating The Vampire Diaries and other successful TV shows – was instrumental in changing his mind and bringing him back to the genre.

When I was working at Wes’s place, I used to have lunch with him daily. One day, I mentioned a script he’d loved, telling him they were struggling to find a director and really wanted him for the job. I was just trying to make casual conversation. He jokingly replied that they should just make him an offer he couldn’t refuse. I thought he was kidding, but I told Lisa Harrison, a development executive, what he’d said. As a result, the studio made him an offer, and he accepted.

The movie was originally titled Scary Movie, but the studio changed it to Scream after filming was already finished. The filmmakers weren’t happy about this change at first.

According to Plectold, the production team initially received gifts and fanny packs branded with the title ‘Scary Movie,’ but they strongly preferred ‘Scream.’ They were upset with the initial branding, but it ultimately proved to be a successful decision.

For the role of Sidney Prescott, casting director Lisa Beach said they auditioned nearly every actress in town, both famous and unknown. The final three contenders were Alicia Witt, Brittany Murphy, and Neve Campbell, but Neve ultimately stood out with a certain indefinable quality.

By 1995, Courteney Cox was well-known thanks to her role in Friends, but she still needed to demonstrate to director Wes Craven that she could convincingly play the tough, assertive reporter Gale Weathers. Cox explained that transitioning from her character Monica was challenging. She said it was difficult to convey that while she didn’t want to appear unkind, she was definitely capable of playing a strong, even harsh, character.

Originally, the filmmakers thought David Arquette would be best suited for a younger role. However, Arquette was more interested in playing Deputy Dewey, and he was partly drawn to the part because he had a crush on one of the other actors in the movie.

Arquette shared with The Ringer that revisiting the role of Dewey felt right, especially because he was a big fan of Courteney Cox and excited about the possibility of acting alongside her. When he spoke with director Wes Craven, he expressed his enthusiasm for the part. Craven hadn’t initially envisioned Arquette for the role, as it was originally written as a stereotypical, less intelligent athlete. However, Arquette saw Dewey as someone in a position of power who wasn’t taken seriously, and he brought that interpretation to the character.

7. While Arquette went into production with interest in Cox, it wasn’t reciprocated at first. 

When the cast was first announced, Wes invited us all to his house. I remember seeing Courteney and immediately telling her I was playing Dewey. She responded with a bit of an attitude, something like, ‘I’ve heard about you.’ I even tried to follow her home, but she was driving a Porsche and my car, a classic hot rod, couldn’t handle the turns. I wasn’t actually planning on going to her house, just trying to pull up next to her at a stoplight and say hello. Looking back, I have no idea what I was thinking!

David and Courteney started dating and married in 1999, immediately beginning work on Scream 3 after their wedding. They had a daughter, Coco, in 2004, but separated in 2010 and officially divorced in 2013.

Matthew Lillard originally tried out for the role of Billy Loomis, Sidney’s boyfriend and one of the killers in the movie, but Skeet Ulrich ended up getting the part. Lillard told The Hollywood Reporter that the casting director was very impressed with him and asked him to audition for the character of Stu, requesting he come back within a couple of hours. He quickly learned the lines and felt like he landed the role right there in the audition room, which he said is rare.

Oh my gosh, can you believe it? Jamie Kennedy, Jamie Kennedy! He’s practically the heart of those movies, everyone loves Randy! But get this – apparently the studio didn’t even want him at first! They had someone else in mind to play the totally awesome, horror-obsessed video store guy. It’s insane to think they almost didn’t pick him! I mean, Randy is iconic!

According to Kennedy, the studio favored actors like Jason Lee, known from Mallrats, and Seth Green and Breckin Meyer – all of whom Anderson often competed against for roles. Luckily, Anderson recalls Wes saying that Johnny Depp was relatively unknown at the time, having no prior film credits. Depp’s first movie appearance was actually in 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Originally, Wes Craven wanted Drew Barrymore to play the main character, Sidney. However, Barrymore preferred the role of Casey Becker, the character famously killed in the film’s opening scene.

In a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Drew Barrymore described reading the script and being immediately impressed. She said it was unlike anything she’d seen in a long time, praising its cleverness, scares, and ability to both honor and reinvent classic genre tropes. She was incredibly enthusiastic about it, saying she ‘went bananas’ after reading it.

12. A massive fan of Psycho, Williamson was thrilled with the casting decision. 

He explained to The Hollywood Reporter that he was pleased with how the opening scene turned out, comparing it to the iconic opening of Psycho starring Janet Leigh. He wanted to establish the biggest star immediately, which is why the scene is extended. His intention was to make the audience believe Casey Becker was the main character and would survive the initial encounter.

To truly frighten Drew Barrymore during filming, Wes Craven drew upon a personal story she’d shared with him – a disturbing account of a dog being burned by its owner.

Oh my god, it was incredible watching her film those scenes! Wes Craven actually told me this on the DVD commentary – whenever I needed Drew Barrymore to really break down and just lose it with the emotion, all I had to do was whisper, ‘I’m lighting the lighter.’ Seriously, immediately she’d just start sobbing! It was heartbreaking, but so perfect for the movie. And Wes said it worked because Drew is such a huge animal lover, and that vulnerability let her go to that unbelievably terrifying place. It’s amazing she shared something so personal to help create that ultimate horror moment, honestly. I’ve watched that commentary so many times!

Drew Barrymore intentionally avoided meeting Roger Jackson, the voice of Ghostface, before and during filming. According to writer Kevin Williamson, she only wanted to hear his voice, a decision he considered very clever. He described a scene where Barrymore was filming in the rain while Jackson, acting as the killer, was nearby in a separate tent pretending to be on the phone.

I remember when I auditioned for Ghostface, the directors said they wanted someone who could fill the shoes of a new Freddy Krueger. But as soon as I read the first scene, I knew it was different. This wasn’t about being scary and over-the-top; it needed to be much more nuanced. I thought the character had to be captivating, someone who could keep the victim engaged on the phone, almost playfully. There needed to be something alluring about him, a quality that would draw her in. And crucially, the voice had to be able to switch instantly – from charming and even a little seductive to genuinely terrifying with just a change in tone.

Finding the right mask was almost as crucial as the villain’s voice, and it turned out to be a difficult and costly process.

While searching for filming locations, the crew discovered the inspiration for the Ghostface mask in a boy’s bedroom. The studio then decided to create a completely original mask to control the character’s image. According to writer Kevin Williamson, they looked at countless mask designs, but director Wes Craven was insistent on using the one they’d found. Eventually, the studio agreed to his vision.

Plec explained that since they couldn’t improve upon their existing resources, the opposing side resorted to using something they didn’t possess and couldn’t profit from, which he recalled was considered quite shocking at the time.

Although Wes Craven was well-known for his success with the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, he almost lost his job on the film. Studio executives were unhappy with the early footage of Drew Barrymore’s death scene after the first two weeks of shooting.

Oh my god, you won’t BELIEVE what I read! Patrick Lussier – the editor! – told The Ringer that the studio was absolutely furious a few days into the project. Apparently, they thought it was going to be a disaster! They started sending him footage from Nightwatch as examples of what they wanted, basically saying it wasn’t good enough. And the WORST part? They actually told him he was just some TV director, a total hack! Can you imagine?! It’s just… heartbreaking to hear they treated him like that when he’s so talented.

After Lussier submitted the opening sequence, the studio’s reaction was immediate and enthusiastic. They admitted they had initially misjudged the work, praising it as surprisingly suspenseful and terrifying. This change in opinion led to increased funding for the project, including the addition of an orchestra and other enhancements.

Even though the studio pushed for a certain tone and the movie contained a lot of violence, Wes Craven maintained a positive and enjoyable atmosphere during filming.

Kennedy shared a memorable insight from Wes Craven: ‘Making a horror movie doesn’t have to be horrific.’ She called it one of the best quotes she’d ever heard. Despite making a wild and intense film, the atmosphere on set was surprisingly pleasant, with wine and nice dinners. Toward the end of filming, Kennedy became emotional about the project wrapping up. Courteney Cox comforted her, pointing out that it felt like a special, temporary experience – ‘like summer camp.’ Kennedy realized that while the movie was a significant part of her life for those few months, the cast and crew had formed a lasting connection.

Filming took place in North Carolina, and the actors all lived at the same hotel. They spent a lot of time together, frequently gathering in Arquette’s room, which was decorated with lava lamps and blacklight posters.

According to Campbell, David was obsessed with collecting toys. He bought so many in Santa Rosa that he hung them all over his ceiling. Campbell remembers the space being called something like ‘David’s Bar’ or ‘David’s Club,’ but mostly referred to it as ‘Club David’.

Despite the excitement of having actors stay at the hotel, the housekeeping staff wasn’t pleased. Ulrich remembered the maids definitely disliked them—or at least him—because they used so many sheets and pillowcases. He explained that no amount of scrubbing could fully remove all the stains. He didn’t know then that shaving cream was a good way to get blood out, but some residue always remained on the bedding.

Campbell recalled that so much fake blood was used during filming that the costume department refused to wash his outfit. He explained that each day, instead of cleaning it, they would simply re-wet the existing fake blood to maintain consistency. He jokingly admitted he desperately wanted to burn the costume by the end of the movie.

After the killer’s identity was revealed, most of Stu’s lines were made up on the spot by Matthew Lillard. Director Wes Craven told The Hollywood Reporter that Lillard was amazing at improvising and that his quick thinking made the scenes even better.

Damian Lillard is particularly proud of certain lines from a recording – including expletives and the statement about his mother – simply because those are the parts fans remember and repeat back to him.

The film almost received an NC-17 rating due to several intense moments. These included a drawn-out, slow-motion death scene featuring Drew Barrymore, the graphic and repeated stabbing between Stu and Billy in the climax, and the provocative line, “Movies don’t create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative.”

Lussier explained that the censors didn’t directly ask to remove a specific line of dialogue. Instead, they repeatedly pointed out problematic areas, but ultimately, director Wes Anderson was able to convince them to leave it in.

The MPAA initially objected to the Barrymore scene, finding it excessively violent. However, according to Williamson, they were able to keep it because that was all the footage that existed – it was filmed in slow motion and there were no alternate takes. He also mentioned that they did remove some of the knife cuts during the fight between Stu and Billy in the kitchen.

Released in December 1996, Scream initially worried writer Kevin Williamson, who was told the timing was a strategic move called ‘counterprogramming.’ He didn’t understand how it would do well during awards season. However, despite a modest $6 million opening weekend, the film became a huge success, earning $173 million globally and launching a franchise that includes four sequels and a television series.

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2026-02-25 03:49