It’s been a wild few days for fans of the Scream franchise. Wes Craven’s original movie is considered one of the best horror movies of all time, and two recent sequels have been released in quick succession. And while Scream 7 is on the way with a new director, that upcoming horror movie has hit some speed bumps this week, losing star Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. Now the new Scream might be bringing back two legacy characters, and I’m honestly so sold.
The internet exploded when it was revealed that Melissa Barrera was being dropped from Scream 7 due to comments she made about the ongoing Hamas-Israel War. The franchise's future was made all the more precarious when Jenna Ortega also dropped out, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts. But a new report by Variety will thrill longtime fans, as the studio is allegedly toying with bringing back both Neve Campbell and Patrick Dempsey.
Do you hear that sound? It’s Scream fans everywhere cheering. It was definitely an adjustment watching the last movie without franchise hero Sidney Prescott, after Neve Campbell dropped out of Scream VI due to a pay dispute. So if the scream queen actually negotiates a new deal, moviegoers would be thrilled with having her back in the franchise.
This report by Variety did clarify that Campbell and Dempsey haven’t actually entered negotiations for their Scream return yet. Still, it’s a super exciting concept that is sure to increase excitement over the forthcoming slasher. Fingers crossed that they can make a deal, and have Sidney and her husband Mark appear in a major capacity in Scream 7.
While Neve Campbell has starred in all but one Scream movie, Patrick Dempsey has only had one appearance: his debut in Wes Craven’s Scream 3. He played Detective Mark Kincaid, and managed to survive his encounter with Ghostface in the threequel. It was revealed in 2022’s Scream that he and Sidney eventually got married, and even have children. I’ve been personally hoping to see Dempsey return to Scream for years, so if this pans out I’m going to be a very happy fan.
Only time will tell whether this duo actually appears in Scream 7, but it’s certainly an exciting thought. There are countless questions about how the sequel will continue development after the recent casting shakeup, especially after the Core Four became such big characters in the last two movies. Now it seems like that quartet has become a duo, with only Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding seemingly available to play their signature characters.
It’s unclear when Scream 7 will hit theaters, but the last three movies are streaming now with a Paramount+ subscription. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
