Neve Campbell makes surprise return to Scream franchise after exiting over pay dispute

Neve Campbell has made a shocking backflip and will reprise her role in iconic films she previously trashed.

Neve Campbell in a scene from film Scream 4. Scream Four.

Scream fans are in for a treat.

Neve Campbell, the actress who portrayed the series protagonist Sidney Prescott in the first five movies, is reprising her beloved role in Scream VII.

This may come as a surprise, as Campbell opted not to return for Scream VI following a pay dispute.

According to Deadline, she issued a statement in June 2022 in which she elaborated on the “very difficult decision to move on”.

“As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream,” she explained.

“I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.”

Nonetheless, in an Instagram post shared on Tuesday, Campbell wrote that she was “so excited to announce this news” that “Sidney Prescott is coming back” alongside a picture of her script, per Decider.

Neve Campbell announces return to Scream franchise with a photo of the new script.

In 2022, Campbell abruptly left the franchise over a pay dispute. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

“It’s always been such a blast and an honour to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies,” she gushed.

“My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled!!!”

Campbell appeared in the Scream reboot in 2022 and its follow-up Scream VI. Picture: Paramount Pictures

She also expressed her enthusiasm about director Kevin Williamson leading the seventh instalment, noting that she’s “dreamt for many years of how amazing it would be to make one of these movies with [him] at the helm.”

The actress has been the show’s protagonist Sidney Prescott since the first film premiered in 1996. Picture: Paramount Pictures

Over the past couple months, the Scream VII cast and crew have seen notable turnover. Melissa Barrera, who played Samantha Carpenter in both Scream (2022) and Scream VI, was fired from the film in November due to several posts of hers on social media surrounding the war between Israel and Hamas.

Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera attend the premiere of Scream VI in March 2023 in New York. Picture: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

Ortega and Barrera were the lead stars in the reboot and Scream VI. Picture: Paramount Pictures

Merely a day after, Jenna Ortega, who starred alongside Barrera as Tara Carpenter, exited the project reportedly because of a conflict with production on Wednesday’s sophomore season.

Director Christopher Landon then announced his departure from the film in December, deeming the project “a dream job that turned into a nightmare” in a statement on Twitter.

Barrera opened up to Rolling Stone in January about being dropped from the film, acknowledging that she was “not the first person that’s happened to, but it was shocking.” Barrera did not reveal whether or not her firing led to Ortega’s exit, but deemed her former co-star “a good egg,” highlighting that they “would show up” for each other “no matter what.”

This article originally appeared in Decider and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Neve Campbell makes surprise return to Scream franchise after exiting over pay dispute