Wild Scream 6 Rumor Indicates Neve Campbell Might Be Back After All

Neve Campbell in Scream 5
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

The horror genre has been on fire for years now, with fans celebrating a thrilling renaissance of original concepts and returning properties. Some of the best horror movies returned via legacy-quels, like 2022’s Scream movie. Another sequel was quickly ordered, but generations of fans were disappointed when it was revealed that Neve Campbell wouldn’t be playing Sidney Prescott due to a salary dispute. Although a wild Scream 6 rumor indicated Campbell might be back after all.

It’s truly hard to imagine a Scream movie without Neve Campbell’s protagonist, who has been at the heart of the franchise since its inception. Campbell has been given support by fans and colleagues alike about her decision, but there are still those hoping that a new agreement is reached with the powers that be at Paramount. A wild new rumor is circulating on Twitter about her return, stemming from a now-deleted Instagram account. Here’s what we know.

According to this report, Neve Campbell reached a new agreement with Paramount, but they were hoping to keep it under wraps and make it a surprise/event for fans. The rumor indicates she’ll have a few scenes in Scream 6, before being set up to be the lead of Scream 7. This echoes similar moves done by the Halloween franchise with Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode. What’s more, the rumor teases she might have a grisly cliffhanger in the new movie. We’ll just have to wait and see if any of these rumors are actually true; for now we should probably take them with a grain of salt.

Neve Campbell having a small but important role in Scream 6 would make sense given what limited information we know about the upcoming slasher. The film’s synopsis indicates that we’ll largely focus on the two pairs of surviving siblings from the last movie (played by Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding) as they leave Woodsboro and move to New York City. It’s unclear how returning characters like Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers or Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed will factor into the story. 

For her part, Neve Campbell has been super honest about her experience regarding Scream 6. She never confirmed her role, originally explaining she was waiting to see how she felt about the script. And the House of Cards alum ultimately released a statement revealing that she wasn’t offered the payment she felt like she deserved. Plenty of folks came out in support of her decision, including cast members like Jasmin Savoy Brown and OG’s like Jamie Kennedy and Mathew Lillard. Considering how much money the franchise has made with Campbell front and center as Sidney Prescott, fans similarly put their support behind the actress.

We’ll just have to wait and see if this wild rumor comes true, and if Scream’s final girl ultimately makes it into the developing sixth movie. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.