The horror genre is built on long-running franchises, and many of the best horror movies have received new sequels in recent years. Scream is definitely in that category, with the filmmakers at Radio Silence carrying on Wes Craven’s legacy with two new slashers. Scream VI broke box office records for the franchise, but it was also the first installment of the franchise without Neve Campbell’s final girl. And the movie’s writers have explained how Sidney Prescott would have factored into the movie’s story prior to the House of Cards actress’ departure.
Hardcore fans were bummed when Neve Campbell announced she wasn’t returning for Scream VI, citing a pay dispute. It was almost impossible to imagine a sequel without its protagonist, but the New York City-set Scream movie did just that. But fans have been left to wonder what Sidney would have been up to if negotiations ended up better than they did. The writers and producer recently spoke to ComicBook about the slasher as it became available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, with writer James Vanderbilt offering some insight by saying:
We found, very early on, that this was always the story we wanted to tell. We always were going to tell the story about Sam and Tara, and we were dialing in and figuring out who the characters were around that. The movie you saw has very much always been the movie it was.
There you have it. While the cast and crew would have loved to include Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott in the fun of Scream VI, it seems that the story was always going to focus on the Carpenter sisters, played by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. And in that way, the Craft actress dropping out didn’t change the main story all that much.
This sentiment makes a great deal of sense, as the legacy characters have mostly been a supporting presence throughout the last two Scream movies. The main protagonists are now the Core Four, the two sets of siblings who survived the 2022 sequel. Although Sidney Prescott will always be in the hearts of the fans.
Later in that same interview, producer William Sherak spoke to how intrinsically connected Sidney is with Scream. And therefore, it’s easy to drop her into just about any story… including one set in New York City. In his words:
Yes, and I think a Scream movie can always have Sidney Prescott in it. When that information came to us, you don't look at it the way you're thinking. It's much more, 'This is the story we were telling.' Sidney can fit into any Scream movie, she's Sidney Prescott. And that just wasn't in the cards we were able to play with. So we got to tell this amazing story and the guys crafted it brilliantly. But if Sidney Prescott's in a Scream movie, Sidney Prescott fits that Scream movie. We have that luxury. We have the luxury of a character you can always make work in this franchise.
Points were made. While Scream VI gave Sidney a happy ending with her family, she could have just as easily been dropped into the action of the slasher. Hopefully this means that there’s hope for Neve Campbell’s possible return to the franchise just yet.
If another sequel is greenlit by Paramount and they offer the actress a more sizable paycheck, maybe we could see her face off against another Ghostface killer. Cast members like Melissa Barrera have put their support behind Campbell, so clearly there’s no hard feelings about her missing the most recent slasher.
Scream VI is now available on Digital platforms and Paramount+ and arrives on 4K Ultra HD SteelBook, on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on July 11. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
