You have used all your credits for this month. Please add more credits to continue.

by

Hello once more, Sidney! After six films, numerous Ghostface appearances, and three decades since the initial Woodsboro killings, Neve Campbell’s character, Sidney Prescott, is ready to answer the phone yet again in “Scream 7“. (Campbell decided against reprising her role for the 2023 release of “Scream VI”, with the New York-set sequel making a reference to Sidney when Courteney Cox’s character, Gale Weathers, mentioned that she and her husband, Mark, took their children to a safer location.)

The mantle of Ghostface’s latest victims now rests upon the shoulders of the Carpenter sisters, Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega). Notably, Sam shares a bond with the original Ghostface: she is the child of Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), who was Sidney’s former lover and one of the murderers behind the 1996 Woodsboro killings, having collaborated with his accomplice Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) in the infamous “Scream” slayings.

The main quartet, composed of Sam, Tara, and the Chad and Mindy twins (played by Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown respectively), has been reduced to just two members. Spyglass Media Group dismissed Barrera due to her statements about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, where she expressed sympathy towards the Palestinian cause. Following this action, Ortega also decided to leave the production.

In an interview about his work on “Final Destination Bloodlines“, writer Guy Busick said that the upcoming “Scream 7” with Barrera and Ortega is “something entirely new”. He explained that they couldn’t use any elements from the previous version for this film, so they had to start anew. This was disappointing, he added.

We were thrilled with the movie we made, especially since it featured the ‘Core Four’ characters. Given how much fans enjoy these characters, and because we are deeply connected to them as their creators, we would love to explore more of their stories in some capacity. However, we couldn’t carry over elements from the previous narrative. Essentially, we had to accept the hand we were dealt. Our original plan was to focus on Sidney, so we asked ourselves ‘why now?’ and ‘why this story?’, and decided to dive into it.

As a cinephile reflecting on the latest horror sensation, let me share my thoughts on the return of Sidney Prescott in “Scream 7”. Some may wonder why she’s back after Gale Weathers assured Sam and Tara in “Scream VI” that Sidney should have her well-deserved happy ending. The answer lies in the intricate web of suspense, mystery, and unexpected twists that the “Scream” franchise is known for. Could it be another chapter in her relentless battle against the Ghostface killer, or perhaps a poignant exploration of her newfound peace being disturbed once more? Only time will tell as we delve deeper into the terrifying world of Woodsboro.

Busick hints that the necessity for Scream 7 to focus on Sidney has an exciting explanation. He queries, ‘What’s the current topic that Scream is discussing now?’ The Scream series is always engaging with viewers about the film industry, the horror genre, and especially franchises.

It appears that Busick is implying that the seventh installment of the meta-horror series serves as a critique on the current trend of legacy sequels. Movies like 2018’s Halloween, 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer, and 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer, which are all sequels or quasi-reboots set decades later and featuring original characters and actors, exemplify this trend. Scream (2022) also participates in the legacy-quel genre by bringing back Sidney, Gale, and Dewey (played by David Arquette), for the first time since 2011.

Busick explains that there’s a particular motive behind Sidney being in this film. He adds, ‘We had an idea, and we were pleased with it when we figured it out.’ When we shared the reasoning with Neve Campbell, she responded positively, saying, ‘I understand now.’ I also discussed this concept initially with Kevin Williamson, who agreed, and then presented it to the studio. The story for [Scream 5] and [Scream 6] was developed in collaboration with my co-writer, James Vanderbilt.

The author Kevin Williamson, known for penning the scripts of “Scream 2” from 1997 and “Scream 4” in 2011, is stepping into the director’s chair for the first time in a series, as he replaces Christopher Landon who left the project due to it becoming a challenging assignment in December 2023.

According to Busick, it was Vanderbilt who proposed the concept of featuring the Meeks-Martin twins in Scream 7, but without including the remaining two members of the original four characters.

According to Busick, it’s James who originated the idea for the movie. He feels it’s important to acknowledge the rightful source, but the reasoning behind their involvement is quite natural. He doesn’t want to reveal too much, but he will say that it’s connected through Gale. In ‘5’ and ‘6’, she served as a link, and she appears in this movie as well. Given the significant role New York played, Gale developed a bond with the four characters, and there is a specific reason why these two characters find themselves in the town where the action unfolds.

In response to whether the town is Woodsboro, California or the undisclosed location where Sidney is hiding, Busick remains tight-lipped. “It’s not New York,” he hints, preferring to keep the location a secret. Time has passed [since the events of the sixth film], and though others might disagree, in his opinion, it’s been more than two years. He estimates at least two years have elapsed, though it could be exactly two years; however, he suggests that it’s been longer than that, with an addition of some extra time.

Adding to the intrigue: Dewey, who met his end in 5, seems to be making a surprising comeback. Arquette is set to reappear, joining forces with Lillard (Scream) and Scott Foley’s character Roman Bridger (Scream 3), both of whom were previously killed off as Ghostfaces.

Joining the cast are Joel McHale from “Community” as Sidney’s husband, Mark, and Isabel May known for “1883” as Sidney’s daughter. Additional actors with roles yet to be disclosed include Anna Camp of “Pitch Perfect”, Mark Consuelos from “Riverdale”, Ethan Embry of “Grace and Frankie”, Asa Germann from “Gen V”, Sam Rechner from “The Fabelmans”, Michelle Randolph from “Landman”, Jimmy Tatro from “Theater Camp”, Celeste O’Connor from “Madame Web”, and Mckenna Grace from “Sunrise on the Reaping”.

Scream 7 slashes into theaters on Feb. 27, 2026.

Read More

2025-05-29 03:45