Neve Campbell on Returning to ‘Scream’ Amid Franchise Fallout: “I Would Not be Surprised to Get a Call”

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The Scream franchise has lost a lot of blood in recent months but the beloved star who played Sidney Prescott in five films isn’t ruling out a return.

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Neve Campbell on Saturday afternoon at the BAFTA Tea Party in Beverly Hills, where she offered up a “we’ll see” to whether she would reprise her franchise leading role in the near future. The next installment, which is currently in the works, has been in peril since November when Melissa Barrera was fired over social media posts regarding the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas. Days later, it was revealed that her co-star Jenna Ortega had also exited the next film. Then a month after that, director Christopher Landon parted ways on the project, going so far as to say that his “dream job turned into a nightmare.”

Campbell has clearly seen the headlines. “I know things are spinning at the moment and I would imagine they are spinning at the top trying to figure out what they’re going to do. I would not be surprised to get a call,” she revealed. “But at the same time, I made a strong statement a few years ago, which is I did not believe that the way that I was treated would’ve happened if I had been a male and that I deserve a certain thing for having carried this franchise for as long as I have.”

The veteran star was referring to a highly publicized exit in June 2022 over a dispute over pay. “Sadly, I won’t be making the next Scream film,” reads that statement. “As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream. I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.”

Looking back on that decision now, Campbell said she took a stand “not in an egotistical way” but as a way to fight for what she believes is right. “We have to stand up for women in this business and know what we’re worth. That hasn’t changed for me,” she continued. “So, if they were to come back to me, it would have to be with a respectful offer that I felt was in keeping with what I bring to this franchise.”

Which leads back to the original question, and Campbell repeated it herself. “Would I do it? There are millions of fans out there of this franchise. These movies mean a lot to these people. They mean a lot to me. They mean a lot to [Kevin Williamson]. They meant a lot to [Wes Craven]. They meant a lot to all of these cast members, and we would all love to see this franchise continue. I would hate to see it burn. So we’ll see.”

Creator Kevin Williamson has said he would love to see Campbell step back into Sidney’s shoes. “I would give her the money. I’m sure there’s a number they can agree on that will make them both happy, so hopefully one day they will figure that all out,” he said during a podcast appearance on Happy Horror Time last fall.

When the news broke that Campbell had exited the franchise, it went viral on Twitter (now X), something Campbell said was a new experience for her. “I had a friend text me and say, ‘You’re trending right now.’ I’ve never been on Twitter. I didn’t know what it meant. She was like, ‘Let me explain.’ She said, ‘You are so loved. People are so passionate about you in these films and people are fighting for you. People want the studio to do right by you.’ That meant so much to me. Even the fact that it caused a stir, not anti-studio in any way, just that it caused people to stand up and think, maybe they could stand up for themselves in some way. It meant a lot and continues to mean a lot.”

Campbell attended Saturday’s star-packed BAFTA Tea Party with her friend of 30 years, Emmy winner Michael A. Goorjian, whom she met during their days on Party of Five. Goorjian and Campbell were making the rounds to celebrate the good news that his film Amerikatsi had been shortlisted for an Oscar as an international feature from Armenia.

More to come.