Spoilers galore below for all things involving Scream 7’s big twists, so anyone who hasn’t yet watched it should tread very lightly.

No matter how hard one might try to avoid any and all spoilers involving a movie, the blood-stained spotlight on Scream 7 made it nearly impossible to avoid certain details prior to its 2026 release date. Neve Campbell’s return obviously wasn’t hidden, since Sydney was a clear selling point, and seemingly no one tried too hard to shield fans from knowing that Matthew Lillard returned, even if the details were kept super-secretive. But they weren’t alone.

Scott Foley’s cameo was leaked months ahead of release, and David Arquette’s return also went public, with Laurie Metcalf’s cameo all but certain given her reaction to questions about returning So it was up to the movie and director Kevin Williamson to put all of those pieces and more together in a way that results in a fun and twisty whodunnit. I suppose that’s what happened, although just about everything surrounding “Stu Macher’s” return that wasn’t Lillard felt more like heightened fan service than justifiable franchise cameos.

Matthew Lillard's Screw-Loose Performance Is My Favorite Thing About Scream 7

In the same way that Matthew Lillard can turn Quentin Tarantino's insults into nothing dust just by being a great person, he can also be the unpredictable spark that makes a movie truly worth watching. (See: both Five Nights at Freddy's movies, though Scream 7 co-star Mckenna Grace was the bright light in that sequel.) And boy oh boy, does he bring the goody-goods here, despite such a limited amount of screentime and movement and everything else.

By and large, Lillard's Scream 7 presence amounted to a handful of red-band 1990s pro wrestling promos, and it's bliss. "Stu" aggressively taunts and threatens Sydney through a series of video calls with non-descript backgrounds, presumably so Lillard could film for it without any visual hints of it being for a Scream movie, and each video is slightly more demented than the last.

If held at knifepoint by Ghostface, I'd quickly name the "Stu" videos as my favorite thing about this latest franchise entry. For all that Neve Campbell and Isabel May deliver as a mother-daughter duo, and as much as I always want to see more from Chad and Mindy, getting to see Lillard put on his maliciously wacky hat again for this role (sort of) can't be topped. My daughter and I giddily grabbed each others arms each time he popped up on Sydney's phone screen, which was only helped him rise above everything else.

Of course, Scream 7's dual-killer ending revealed that Stu isn't actually still alive, and that he's the creation of Ethan Embry's psychiatric hospital worker Marco, under the villainous guidance of Anna Camp's Jessica Bowden. Obviously, that's the biggest bummer in the world for those of us hoping for bizarre miracles — Marco referring to that idea as “stupid” did make me laugh heartily, for all my hoping — but even if Stu isn't real, Lillard's maniacal glee is.

I Don't Really Get Why The Other Cameos Were Necessary, Especially Dewey's

With the news about the various cameos already out there, I was hoping for something truly bananas to happen with them, and wondered if there would be ample de-aging used for flashback sequences. Then, once the Stu videos start up and make it clear that this is all rooted in bad-faith tech, I then shifted my assumptions to thinking that Sydney would start also getting calls from her half-brother Roman and Mrs. Loomis to continue striking at her sanity.

Instead, Laurie Metcalf and Scott Foley's pop-ins are held until just before the big pair of unmaskings in the final act, appearing along with more of Lillard's madcap antics for a lengthier video jumping across all of Sydney's screened devices. Did I cheer loudly when I saw Metcalf? Yes, without a moment of hesitation, but that's not the point.

This video tactic is such a movie moment, and not something even the craftiest serial killer would concoct. Because it's not like Sydney actually thinks she's looking at Nancy or Roman, whose deaths were never in question, so why even go through the trouble of aging up those bodies if the point all along is making Sydney think that Stu might actually have survived?

To that end, the appearance of David Arquette's Dewey Riley is the most mind-boggling. First, he wasn't ever one of the Ghostface killers, despite drawing some occasional suspicion. I realize there may have been other cameos that were attempted without success, but as it stands, Marco's deepfakes are clearly pulled from the points in Sydney's life that led her to write the autobiography that inspired Jessica to kill her husband.

Second, if Marco went so far as to make AI Dewey a thing, then why not use that to call Gale and severly mess with her mind, rather than just jamming it into the end of an otherwise confounding video for Sydney? Sure, I get that the whole movie is all about Sydney and her legacy, and that Dewey was the brother of the person she named her daughter after. But if that's the point, then Rose McGowan's Tatum would have made a lot more sense.

Having Dewey in the mix just felt more like a cheap ploy to tug at the heartstrings, which could feasibly be applied to Marco himself. But that's giving too much credit where I'd prefer to give less.

Also, Why Did Tatum's Moron Boyfriend Ben Let Himself Become A Red Herring?

This gripe isn't technically related to all the cameos, but I still have to bring it up. Sam Rechner's Ben is introduced in a way similar to Billy's arrival through Sydney's window in the first movie, but the way Ben scares Tatum by smacking her in the head just seemed more like a jerk move than a hint that he was the killer. Still a red flag, but not the worst example I guess.

Later in the movie, however, he's 100% set up as a pre-reveal red herring in both Tatum's eyes and the audience's when she sees the AI video program on his laptop, where he's already figured out how to perfectly replicate the "Stu" deepfake. Considering all of the teens are together and fully focused on figuring things out, Ben should have alerted Tatum immediately about what he's doing with the Stu videos.

I mean, it's truly wild that Ben is able to seemingly mimic Marco's videos exactly in such a short time, so I suppose I can understand if he was just on a roll and wanted to show her a finished product before saying anything. But then they leave the bar, which would have completely destroyed any attempt to use that as an alibi for when he started, had she not immediately caught his tech-savvy and dipsh-tty self. He truly set up his own knockout-turned-murder just by being dumb. But hey, three more cheers for Matthew Lillard!

Scream 7 is currently in theaters, and is coupled with the freaky as all f--kity f--k trailer for André Øvredal’s upcoming horror movie Passenger. It’s always a good year to be a horror fan.

There are various upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel TV shows to look forward to in 2026, although in the latter category, not all of them take place within the main MCU continuity. X-Men ’97 is one of those shows, as it instead continues to explore the universe that was originally introduced in X-Men: The Animated Series. I’m among the many who’s looking forward to the “very, very dark” X-Men ’97 Season 2 premiering on the 2026 TV schedule, but I also have to admit that the Disney+ show’s latest casting update is disappointing.

No, I’m not griping about an actor I don’t like being cast as one of the next season’s characters. This is about someone I was looking forward to hearing, but who evidently isn’t involved with the show at all. You may recall that in May 2025, former X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau DeMayo said he’d cast Neve Campbell as Polaris for Season 2. And yet, when The Movie Dweeb brought this up while speaking to her about Scream 7, which is now playing on the 2026 movies schedule, she said:

Ok, so assuming Neve Campbell isn’t lying about her involvement in X-Men ’97 at Marvel Studios’ behest, then what happened here? Beau DeMayo made it sound like Campbell had already recorded her dialogue as Polaris, Magneto’s daughter who’s also capable of manipulating magnetism. Did we misread his previous comments? Did the casting not actually go through? Is possible that Campbell’s recordings were actually shelved, and Polaris was recast following DeMayo’s exit?

Whatever the answers to these questions are, it’s a shame we won’t get to hear Neve Campbell voicing Polaris. After decades of being horror genre royalty from playing Sidney Prescott in all but one of the Scream movies, I was looking forward to her contributing to the superhero genre too. At the same time, I’ll keep an open mind for whomever will voice Polaris in X-Men ’97 Season 2, as they could still perform the role quite well.

At the end of X-Men ’97 Season 1, Cyclops and Jean Grey were flung 3960 A.D., where they met Mother Aksani (voiced by Gates McFadden). Rogue, Nightcrawler, Beast, Xavier and Magneto were sent to Ancient Egypt in 3000 B.C., where they met a young En Sabah Nur, a.k.a. Apocalypse. Storm, Wolverine and Morph’s whereabouts remain unknown, while Jubilee, Sunspot, Forge and Bishop remain in the present day, though the latter two intend to travel through time to rescue the missing X-Men. Oh, and let’s not forget how it was seemingly hinted that ‘90s Apocalypse intends to resurrect Gambit as one of his Four Horsemen.

That’s a lot to follow up on in X-Men ’97 Season 2, along with all the plot threads that haven’t been revealed to the public. The new season is expected to premiere sometime this summer on Disney+. However things shake out with these new episodes, fans can take comfort knowing that X-Men ’97 Season 3 is also in the works.

MAJOR SPOILERS are hiding behind every corner and closet door below, so BE WARNED if you haven’t yet watched Scream 7 in its entirety.

The first big whodunnit on the 2026 movie schedule has arrived, though the deaths at the heart of Scream 7 were a tad too morbid for the likes of highbrow detectives like Benoit Blanc or Hercule Poirot. No, these were the kinds of ghastly murders only a Scream Queen Final Girl could possibly stop, so it’s a good thing Scream franchise vet Neve Campbell made her return as Sydney, with O.G. screenwriter Kevin Williamson taking the reins as writer and director.

As it goes with every Scream movie, there are killers to unmask, victims to talk about, and returning stars to point out. This is perhaps the first time I feel like this franchise sets up a good spinoff route, though, so I'll get into that as well.

Who Is Scream 7's Killer(s), And Why Were They Targeting Sydney?

For the majority of Scream 7's runtime, viewers are led to the baffling belief that Stu Macher survived the TV-to-the-head death in the original film, and that he's now hellbent on torturing Sydney anew. The fact that Matthew Lillard's secretive return was well-documented made it seem strangely plausible, as did Ghostface burning the murder-honoring Macher home down in the opening sequence.

Alas, Stu has indeed been gone a long time, and Scream 7 delivers a whopping THREE killers for the characters to run from.

1. Karl Gibbs (Kraig Dane): a woman-murdering mental patient who is coerced into murdering others as Ghostface
2. Jessica Bowden (Anna Camp): Sydney's seemingly tight-knit neighbor, as well as the mother (and murderer) of the true-crime-loving Lucas
3. Marco Davis (Ethan Embry): an orderly at the Fallbrook Psychiatric Hospital who meets Jessica and ropes Karl into the plans (and whose gnarly hairline was an instant giveaway that he's guilty of something awful)

Karl was killed around the end of the first act, leaving the mystery open until the late-game villain reveal, during which audiences got to hear a lengthy explanation from Jessica Bowden about why she put so much effort into ruining Sydney's life.

Jessica suffered for years at the hands of an abusive husband but, after reading Sydney Prescott's autobiography (whose promotional tour was at the center of Scream 4), was inspired to also step up and take control of her existence, albeit in the form of murdering her hateful hubby. But when Sydney wasn’t around for the New York killings that her son was most recently obsessing over, Jessica began to think her Final Girl worship was misguided.

Jessica landed herself at Fallbrook Psychiatric Hospital in Pine Grove, Indiana after learning that Sydney was living there. (It’s not entirely clear how she did all this with Lucas in her care.) Jessica then managed to secure the house next to Sydney’s, where she was able to enact her grand plan of setting Sydney’s daughter Tatum up as a NEW Final Girl.

Kevin Williamson talked about going less meta and self-referential on the whole with Scream 7, so that the focus could be more squarely put on Sydney’s legacy, further informing Jessica’s motivations from a creative standpoint. The sequel’s themes also leaned heavily into nostalgia as a driving force, as well as generational trauma, with Isabel May’s Tatum getting her survival skills constantly tested throughout the movie.

For their parts, both Marco and Karl seem to have just gone along with Jessica’s flow as opposed to having any directly personal vendettas involving Sydney’s family. Because of that, this was one of the worst killer reveals of the franchise in my eyes.

All Those Scream Franchise Cameos, Explained

Anyone hoping for Stu Macher’s miraculous survival was in for disappointment, as it became clear as the movie went on that the character making video calls to Sydney wasn’t actually one-half of the first Ghostface killings, but rather the result of AI deepfake trickery. To be sure, Matthew Lillard’s unhinged performance was everything this movie needed, so even if the explanation didn’t lead to him showing up in the flesh, it was a win all the same.

The digital manipulation was crafted by ol’ Marco, who apparently had a background in computers and IT work that helped him absolutely NAIL what Stu would both look and sound like, without any forms of digital artifacts or other evidence of fakery. (And yet was still working in that hospital instead of doing anything in the tech sector, okay, sure.)

Unsurprisingly, this is also how the rest of Scream 7’s cameos came to be. Just before the big reveals, Sydney watched a bizarrely staged video that included a final performance from Matthew Lillard, as well as a pair of fellow former Ghostfaces in Laurie Metcalf’s Nancy Loomis and Scott Foley’s Roman Bridger. The final callback was David Arquette’s Dewey Riley tugging at Sydney’s heartstrings and drawing out more of her fury.

A List Of Scream 7's Victims

• Scott (Jimmy Tatro) - stabbed multiple times, burned in house fire
• Hannah Turman (Mckenna Grace) - Sliced open and gutted as she swung from ropes during theater rehearsal at school
• Karl Gibbs (Kraig Dane) - hit by Gale’s car
• Chloe Parker (Celeste O’Conner) - neck impaled by broken bar glasses after Ghostface slid her across the bartop and onto the ground
• Lucas Bowden (Asa Germann) - stabbed and head impaled on beer tap, with bloody suds spurting from his mouth
• Ben Brown (Sam Rechner) - stabbed various times through the chest and other areas
• Marco Davis (Ethan Embry) - shot through the head by Sydney
• Jessica Bowden (Anna Camp) - face is literally shot off by Sydney and Tatum

The Mid-Credits Sequence Sets Up The Spinoff I Want To See Instead Of Scream 8

With Sydney's legacy still intact, along with the safety of her (injured) husband and three children, the Scream movies don't really need to continue going, even though it would likely take armageddon itself to stop Paramount from producing more sequels. That said, I do think Scream 7 sets up a magnificent route to a spinoff led by Jasmin Savoy Brown's and Mason Gooding's Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, respectively.

We're talking about a different kind of legacy here, with Mindy primed to follow in the investigative journalist footsteps of Courteney Cox's Gale Weathers, with Chad as the dutiful cameraman. (Not necessarily the safest job to have in these movies, but still.) The movie didn't hinge entirely on the twins trying to take that mantle, but the ending and mid-credits sequence do indeed lay the groundwork for a spinoff feature.

Instead of having yet another Ghostface return, a Scream offshoot could follow Mindy and Chad (and possibly Gale) investigating a wholly different kind of mysterious killer, and under completely different circumstances. That would allow the creative teams to play up other genre motifs and canonical lore without being beholden to the iconism of Ghostface.

Fingers crossed someone higher up at Paramount hears my beckoning and makes it happen. Until then, the Scream franchise is available to stream via a Paramount+ subscription.

The horror genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, to the joy of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies have released new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. The iconic horror franchise has just released a seventh movie, with Neve Campbell returning as Sidney Prescott. She recently offered her take on which Ghostface kill was the most brutal, and I think she's pretty spot on.

What we know about Scream 7 has been limited, but that'll change as it hits theaters this weekend. We've seen a ton of gnarly kills throughout the franchise (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), and during a conversation with MTV Campbell revealed which one stood out the most to her. In her words:

Points were made. While Rose McGowan's Tatum didn't get stabbed by Ghostface in the first movie, her death was pretty gnarly. While her trying to escape through the cat door was fodder for jokes in Scary Movie, seeing her head get crushed is disturbing. And it's clearly stuck with Campbell after all these years.

Tatum's death was definitely a memorable one, although there have been some other super violent murders since then. Dewey's death in the 2022 movie was chilling, as he was disemboweled by Ghostface in the hospital. Then there's Olivia Morris from Scream 4, who was stabbed over and over again until her entire bedroom was covered in blood. Those are probably the three most brutal in my opinion, but the seventh movie might change that.

Clearly Tatum has been on the mind for Campbell, especially since that's what Sidney named her daughter in Scream 7. It's a sweet nod to Rose McGowan's legacy in the first movie, as well as the last true friend that the iconic final girl. And the footage from the new movie also shows that Sidney talks about her childhood friend in an interview with Gale Weathers.

It should be fascinating what Kevin Williamson brings to the new Scream movie. He wrote the first two films, and has been around as an EP for the more recent titles. But the seventh one is the first time he's directing an installment of the beloved slasher property.

Scream 7 is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. The pressure is on for it to deliver, but with Neve Campbell back as Sidney, I have a feeling longtime fans will show up at the theater.

It’s been three years since we last checked in with one of the best horror franchises, and it definitely hasn’t been an easy road. Scream 7 lost Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera as the Carpenter sisters, changed directors and experienced filming delays. But at long last, here we are, with Neve Campbell making her triumphant return to the Scream franchise. Critics saw the flick ahead of its February 27 release, so let’s see what they’re saying about it.

Sidney Prescott will once again be at the forefront of all the stabby action when Scream 7 premieres on the 2026 movie calendar, but she’s far from the only familiar face we’ll see. In addition to Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown and others reprising their roles, we’ll get the return of previous Ghostface killers Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley, as well as plenty of new characters. Pete Hammond of Deadline celebrates Kevin Williamson’s direction, saying the horror movie is “wickedly entertaining and sweetly nostalgic.” The critic writes:

Other critics, however, are less than enthusiastic about the upcoming horror movie. Rating the film 3 stars out of 5, NME’s Lou Thomas says Scream 7 is still worth the watch with its references, looping circumstances and tricks. However, when it comes to franchise’s seventh movies — like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, which was basically a Scream forerunner — this film isn’t anywhere near as noteworthy. Thomas continues:

Owen Gleiberman of Variety says Scream 7 gets back to the basics — emphasis on “basic” — as he wonders if anyone even cares who Ghostface is? The critic points out that the movie largely drops the franchise’s signature meta commentary, explaining:

William Bibbiani of The Wrap also says Kevin Williamson seems desperate to get back to the basics, as if the previous two “pretty darn good” movies had whiffed it. It ends up feeling like more of a feature-length celebration of (and apology to) Neve Campbell in what the critic says is a competent but uninspired sequel. Bibbiani writes:

Frank Scheck of THR says to put a knife in this franchise, because it’s done — if not commercially than definitely creatively. The mechanics of the franchise have become “numbingly familiar,” and regardless of who ends up behind the Ghostface mask (or if the trailers give any hints), it’s a letdown. Scheck continues:

While the critics aren’t jumping to call the seventh Scream film the best of the bunch, even many of those who have complaints are still saying the movie’s worth seeing — especially if you’ve already invested in the first six. If you’re pumped about Scream 7’s mix of legacy characters and new cast members, you can check this one out starting Friday, February 27.

The horror gene has been thriving for years, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Some of the best horror movies returned with new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream franchise. The upcoming seventh movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies, especially with Neve Campbell returning as Sidney Prescott. As a hardcore fan, I'm loving how she confirmed a special way that the movie is paying tribute to Rose McGowan.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but the inclusion of dead legacy characters like Dewey, Stu, and Roman seem to hint that it'll explore Sidney's history. The Scream 7 trailer showed us that Sidney's daughter Tatum will be a big part of the story, and in a recent BTS clip from ET, Campbell spoke about why that new character was named after Rose McGowan's from the original. In her words:

I mean, same. This is a great nod to Wes Craven's 1996 original movie, where Tatum was an instant scene-stealer and had one of the most iconic death scenes in the franchise's history. After the seventh movie's trailer was released, Rose McGowan broke her silence on Sidney's daughter being named Tatum, with the Charmed alum appreciating this nod to her legendary performance. And it's nice hearing how much Campbell loves this choice as well.

Neve Campbell is one of the most iconic scream queens ever, and she obviously understands the Scream franchise more than almost anyone. So her pride in Tatum being honored is pretty contagious. As a reminder, you can re-watch the first trailer for Scream 7 below:

Of course, this isn' the only time that Tatum has been referenced in the Scream franchise after her iconic death. In the fifth movie, her ashes can actually be seen in Dewey's trailer, further showing how much her death has continued to haunt the survivors she left behind. And I have to assume that Ghostface will be taunting Sidney about her best friend's death during their confrontations in the seventh film.

I can't wait to see what's going to go down with Scream 7. The franchise has been guarding spoilers since the beginning, and the marketing for Kevin Williamson's upcoming sequel has definitely been keeping its cards close to the chest. Luckily the wait is nearly over.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see how Rose McGowan's Tatum is referenced throughout its mysterious runtime.

One of the biggest whodunnits of the year will no doubt be the upcoming horror movie Scream 7, which brings OG star Neve Campbell and OG screenwriter Kevin Williamson back into the fold in huge ways. The sequel’s first trailer showed off a slew of Ghostface action combined with new looks at Sydney Prescott’s current life in Indiana, and the latest Super Bowl ad played up a lot of the same sequences. And now I’m even more convinced that we’ve already been given clues about the killer twist.

Check out the new promo below and then join me in predicting how the 2026 movie release is already trying to pull the wool over audiences’ heads.

I'm Already Convinced Sydney's Husband Mark Is The Killer

One major shake-up going into Scream 7 is Sydney's married life, as her previous marriage Patrick Dempsey's Mark is no more, as Dempsey was unable to join the production. He was replaced by Joel McHale, who will play a totally different character, but one who's also named Mark. Perfectly normal stuff here.

Despite McHale being a popular actor (albeit more on TV than in movies), he hasn't been core to the marketing for the sequel, and doesn't get any dialogue-enhanced screentime in the previews we've seen thus far. But what we do see of him is obviously very major, as he appears to be one of Ghostface's victims.

Mark works for the local PD, and as soon as we see him in uniform, he gets assaulted by Ghostface, who covers Mark with a bunch of plastic sheeting. The way the scene is edited, it looks like he's all bloodied and unable to breathe beneath the plastic, with Ghostface appearing to deliver a killing blow. But why would this trailer already clue viewers in on such a major plot point like Sydney's new husband being killed off by her biggest nightmare?

To throw everybody off-track, of course. If we see someone seemingly die in the trailer, then we go into the feature itself thinking that character is no longer in the running as a potential suspect. This is a Scream movie, though, so it's never a guarantee that what we're seeing is 100% authentic.

To me, Joel McHale appears to have been de-aged a little, but even if he hadn't been, I think we could be looking at a slightly younger Mark here. One who was previously one of Ghostface's victims, but not one who succumbed to his wounds. Instead, what if Mark survived that attempt and became something of a minion within the Cult of Ghostface, combining Richie and Amber's toxic fandom vibes with all of Jigsaw's acolytes in the Saw movies?

To reiterate, I think the promos are setting us up to think Joel McHale's Mark will die, which I don't think is actually the case, and he'll end up being the killer in the end. Unless of course that's not the case...

It Doesn't Have To Be Joel McHale's Mark Under The Mask

Considering it's not entirely clear why Kevin Williamson chose to give Sydney's current husband the same name as her other one, it's worth the time to theorize that maybe this confusion factors in somehow. This theory also centers on the shots of Joel McHale, but with the idea that he actually does get attacked and does get killed off.

Who might want to do such a thing? Why, Sydney's former husband, of course. It's not entirely clear what happened there, but I could easily see this movie playing up the idea that Sydney and Patrick Dempsey's Mark split up years ago for one reason or another, and that he's back in her life with a vengeance.

From a scheduling perspective, Dempsey wouldn't actually be needed on the set for more than a day or two, since the character would be in the Ghostface mask throughout anyway. He'd just be required for a five minute monologue near the end, and I don't doubt that Kevin Williamson could make such a bonkers twist come together.

Or, you know, maybe Ghostface will be revealed as one or more completely different characters. I've been wrong before, and with all the returning actors like Matthew Lillard in the mix, this movie may have a back-half twist that no one could see coming without watching the first half.

Find out along with me and millions of other horror fans when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27.

The horror genre has been thriving for years, and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The best horror movies have returned for new installments, including Wes Craven's Scream (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). The seventh movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies, especially thanks to the return of various legacy characters. Scott Foley recently gushes about returning as Roman Bridger... even though he's pretty clueless about what's happening in the movie.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but it seems like that sentiment also extends to some of its cast. While fans are hyped that Neve Campbell is back as Sidney, there are a ton of questions about the dead legacy characters that will somehow also appear. In a conversation with Us Weekly, Foley spoke about stepping back into the slasher franchise, offering:

Seriously, I need Scream 7 to get here ASAP. Foley seems totally thrilled with his first return to the franchise since Scream 3, where his character Roman went down as history as the only Ghostface to not have any associates/partners. He did the killing all by himself, plus he helped to start the entire series by encouraging Billy Loomis and Stu Macher to target Sidney in the first film. He's also Sidney's half-brother, which likely why he's making a mysterious appearance in the next film.

Foley mentioned not only reuniting with Neve Campbell and writer/director Kevin Williamson, but also David Arquette. Dewey's death in the 2022 Scream devastated fans, and meant that he couldn't return for Scream VI. But a number of dead characters will be back for Scream 7, allowing the OG to (somehow) appear again.

In the same interview, the Grey's Anatomy alum was asked what to expect from the movie as a whole, but it turns out that he's largely in the dark. As he put it:

While Marvel is known for its tight security, the same can also be said for Wes Craven's slasher property. Even the first Scream movie tried to guard against spoilers, and that was before the internet and social media as we know it. So perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that Foley wasn't given the script for the seventh movie. Luckily we're getting closer to our questions being answered.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we get some more footage to hold us over sooner rather than later.

The horror genre has been thriving for years now, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Some of the best horror movies returned with new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). This will continue with the upcoming horror movie Scream 7, which will feature Sidney's daughter Tatum. And Rose McGowan recently reacted to her ill-fated character getting this sweet tribute.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, thanks to the franchise's penchant for protecting against spoilers. But fans are hyped that Neve Campbell is back as Sidney, with the slasher seemingly focused on her family. That includes her daughter, who is fittingly named Tatum after Sidney's High School bestie who was killed in the first movie. McGowan spoke to ScreamObsessed and was asked about this name choice, responding:

Honestly, same. As a hardcore Scream fan, I thought this nod to McGowan was a lovely tribute to the fans, and also made sense narratively. This isn't the first time that Tatum was referenced in the newer movies; her ashes were seen in Dewey's house in the 2022 sequel. So while the Charmed star might have only appeared in one Scream movie, her legacy has continued to be felt.

The first Scream 7 trailer definitely piqued the interest of horror fans, especially those of us who have spent years watching every new installment of the beloved franchise. It seems like the story will be very much focused on Sidney and her daughter Tatum, who must quickly be trained to be a fighter like her mother. And I'm curious to see what references to Rose McGowan's character might come throughout the course of the film.

With OG Scream writer Kevin Williamson directing the seventh movie, it does seem like it'll have at on of connective tissue to the 1996 original. Case in point: a number of dead legacy characters are somehow expected to appear in the mysterious slasher. That includes David Arquette's Dewey Riley, Matthew Lillard's Stu Macher, and Scott Foley's Roman Bridger. Could we also get a surprise appearance from Rose McGowan? We'll have to see but just about anything seems possible.

While the last two Scream movies featured a vision/ghost of Billy Loomis, it should be fascinating to see how the dead legacy characters somehow appear in the seventh film. Will we get ghosts, flashbacks, or something else entirely? I can't wait to find out.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. It's only a few months away, so hopefully we'll get more footage and information soon.

Wes Craven's Scream is one of the best horror movies of all time, and started a beloved slasher franchise that's continuing to this day. While Neve Campbell was missing from Scream VI, she's back in the next upcoming horror movie: Scream 7. The first trailer just arrived, featuring Sidney Prescott being a total badass, and some A+ references to the original 1996 film. Let's break it all down.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, which is why this first footage is so thrilling. The spot light is back on iconic final girl Sidney Prescott, and this time she has to protect her family from a new Ghostface killer. That includes her daughter Tatum (Isabel May), named after Rose McGowan's character from the first movie.

This trailer opens on Stu Macher's house, which was a major set piece from both the original Scream and the 2022 film (both of which are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). It's now a spooky Airbnb... but two unsuspecting renters end up murdered by Ghostface. That's when our girl Sidney Prescott enters the chat, and it becomes clear that she and her family are the new killer's focus.

Sidney and her family are being stalked in whatever non-Woodsboro town that they're currently residing in. That includes her husband Mark played by Joel McHale, although it seems to mostly be about Sidney and her daughter Tatum. Throughout the above trailer she tries to keep her alive, and train her on how to survive an encounter with Ghostface. But only time will tell how successful she ultiamately is.

In this limited footage we also get a few glimpses of beloved legacy characters that will be joining the fray. Obviously that includes Courteney Cox's Gale Weathers, who is the only character to be featured in every single movie in the Scream franchise. We also see Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, who will represent the Core Four after Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega's departure. I'm just hoping that all three of those characters survive; they are only shown very briefly in the trailer.

On the other hand, the marketing for Scream 7 might want to hold out on footage of those characters until we get close to the movie's release. A number of other (dead) legacy characters have also been confirmed for the movie that weren't shown at all: David Arquette's Dewey, Scott Foley's Roman, and Matthew Lillard's Stu Macher. So while this first trailer is thrilling, fans theories and rumors are likely going to really heat up as a result of this footage.

In the trailer Ghostface claims he's going to "burn it all down", and that'll seemingly begin with Stu's house. The official poster for the movie shows that structure on fire in the reflection of the killer's knife. Check it out:

I have so many questions and can't wait till they're answered. The timing of this first trailer is delightful since it's Halloween, which makes me think that director/writer Kevin Williamson and company are really going to give fans what they want for the next installment of the beloved franchise.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. For now, fans can re-watch the previous six chapters over on Paramount+ as theories about what's coming next hit the internet.

What fans know about Scream 7 is limited, but we do know the movie is scheduled to slash its way onto the 2026 movie schedule. Now, one of the franchise's newest stars is giving us a glimpse behind the scenes of this legendary horror series. Among the crop of newcomers that have recently joined the legendary IP is Joel McHale, who plays Sydney Prescott’s husband, Mark, in the upcoming film. McHale finally opened up about what it’s like to work with Neve Campbell and more while discussing his experience working on the upcoming horror movie.

Recently, Joel McHale chatted with Collider for a detailed interview about his time in the horror genre. The actor mentioned the kind of "energy" and "restraint" it takes to shine in a scary movie, and also shared some thoughts on Scream 7, talking about how seriously he takes the opportunity to work with such a fantastic lineup of talented people. He shared with the outlet:

For McHale, who’s a lifelong fan of the best horror slasher flicks, working on the beloved '90s horror franchise was nothing short of a dream. Being a horror fan myself, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a bit of FOMO when reading McHale's comments. Those sentiments also suggest that he was over the moon about being on set, and he was shocked over how quickly everything fell into place:

Joel McHale mentioned that when he was a student at the University of Washington, he loved watching all the Scream movies. During his interview, he wrapped things up by discussing his connection to the franchise, what sparked his interest in it, and how being in one of the best horror movies has been a lifelong dream, finally coming true:

Joel McHale, with his dry and sarcastic persona, seems like a perfect fit for the horror franchise, which is known for blending gory kills with side-splitting jokes. I, for one, cannot wait to see what he brings to this long-running franchise, particularly to the character of Sydney Prescott’s husband, Mark, not to be confused with the other Mark, played by Patrick Dempsey in the third film. (That latter Mark won't be returning.) I'm hopeful that McHale will be an excellent addition to the cast of legacy stars returning for the seventh installment.

Scream 7 is set to hit theaters early next year, on February 27. Until then, perhaps revisiting the most recent entry, Scream VI, (which is now streaming with a Paramount+ subscription) is a great way to prep for the new movie.

The horror genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing, to the joy of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters with new sequels, including the legendary slasher Scream. Following two recent sequels (which are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription) a seventh movie is on its way. And newcomer Anna Camp recently explained what it was like seeing Neve Campbell work with director/OG Scream writer Kevin Williamson.

What we know about about Scream 7 is limited, as the studio is keeping its cards close to the chest. But fans are pleased that Campbell is back as Sidney, after being noticeably absent from Scream VI. She helped encourage Williamson to direct his first Scream movie, after writing and being an EP for a number of previous entries including the original. In an interview with THR, Camp spoke about what it's been like seeing the House of Cards alum film, sharing:

I mean, you can't argue with the evidence. Campbell filmed the original Scream movie back in 1996, so she's spent decades playing beloved Scream Queen Sidney Prescott on and off. As such, she understands her signature character's voice better than anyone... especially since so many writers have worked on the franchise.

Later in the same interview, Anna Camp (You, Pitch Perfect, True Blood) spoke more about what it's been like on the set of Scream 7. Specifically, seeing the way Campbell and Williamson are able to collaborate after their years-long relationship. As she shared:

It certainly sounds like Neve Campbell and Kevin Williamson are enjoying working together within the Scream franchise together. They were there from the beginning, so obviously have a great deal of care and affection for the slasher property. I personally can't wait to see what they'e got planned,

While I was originally bummed about Scream 7 changing directors from the previous two entries, Williamson's involvement is definitely exciting. And hearing how well he's working with Campbell is getting me really hyped for the upcoming horror movie. But we'll have to be patient ahead of the movie's release.

Scream 7 is currently expected to hit theaters on February 27th, so it's not part of the 2025 movie release list. But hopefully we get more information about that slasher sooner rather than later.

The next Scream sequel is among upcoming horror movies set to come out in 2026, but before the film came together with a long list of new and legacy stars led by Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, a lot of drama happened behind the scenes. Scream 7’s director Kevin Williamson has spoken about how the project came together for him, and it feels right that the Scream Queen herself had a lot to do with helping put the pieces of the project back together.

If you haven’t been following the saga of Scream 7, back in late 2023, Melissa Barrera was fired from the original iteration of the movie after she made pro-Palestinian comments on social media that were deemed antisemitic by the movie’s production company. Not long after, Jenna Ortega left with her because “it was all kind of falling apart,” and after original director Christopher Landon left after receiving serious “threats” (even though he was not involved in her firing), Scream 7 was back to square one. Williamson apparently didn’t want to take over until one key person changed his mind. In his words:

In an interview with ScreenRant, Kevin Williamson (who penned the script for the original 1996 movie) shared that once the Carpenter sisters were no longer involved, he was just as disappointed about their exit as us. But then a new idea started to take shape. He continued,

The upcoming Scream movie was written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, who helped bring back the franchise from the dead with 2022’s Scream and the 2023 follow-up Scream VI. Once the writers started to come up with the mysterious idea that would heavily involve Sidney Prescott, the film started to come together again. Williamson also said this:

It’s kind of perfect that Neve Campbell was the one to ask Williamson, right? I mean if Sidney Prescott asks you to make a Scream sequel with her, how do you say no? While we have no idea what this “great” story is, Busick has remarked that she’s in the movie this time for a “really cool reason.”

Plus, the upcoming film is set to somehow bring back to life Matthew Lillard’s Stu, Scott Foley’s Roman Bridger and David Arquette’s Dewey, so you just know it’s going to be good. Other cast members include Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Anna Camp, McKenna Grace and Joel McHale, and it’s coming out February 27, 2026.

The horror genre continues to thrive in its current renaissance, to the joy of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters with new sequels including Wes Craven's Scream. The seventh movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies, and will see the return of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott. And the movie's writer teased there's a very specific way she'll be brought back into the story.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but hardcore fans are hyped for Sidney's return after Neve Campbell's absence from Scream VI. In the last movie Sam and Gale agreed that Sidney deserved to have some peace, so how is she convinced to once again face Ghostface? Writer Guy Busick spoke to ComicBook about this, offering:

How delightfully cryptic. While careful not to actually reveal anything about the slasher's plot, it sounds like Busick and company methodically planned why Sidney would get back into the action. And I've got a few theories about how this might work out in the seventh movie.

I think in order for Sidney to dive back into the action a Scream legacy character might need to be involved. Having someone close to her die or in danger sounds like the logical reason to get the scream queen back in the game. As Busick went on:

So exactly which characters might inspire Sid to once again fight a mysterious masked killer? I have a feeling that the opening kill might be a big part of it, but that's just my own personal theory. For instance, if Sidney's husband Mark is killed off, that would be reason for her to seek revenge.

Ever since Heather Matarazzo returned in 2022's Scream as Martha Meeks, I've been hoping to see her back and actually interacting with Ghostface. I think her death would be another reason for Sidney to return, and reunite with Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin (who are both confirmed to be appearing in the next film) aka her kids.

With Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega both not appearing, Scream's Core Four are officially breaking up. While Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding are back as the twins, Busick explained that the Core Four was originally the focus of the slasher. In his words:

It should be interesting to see what the story of Scream 7 ultimately ends up being. It sounds like a brand new script was formed after the casting shakeup, once again putting Campbell's Sidney at the center the franchise. At least we got 1/2 of the Core Four in the slasher flick.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th, 2026. Since it's not on the 2025 movie release list, we should probably try to keep patient while we wait for more news about the slasher.

We’ve known for some time now that the MCU’s X-Men are coming, and recently, the Marvel fandom was thrown into a frenzy when rumors and speculation about Neve Campbell joining the cast of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday as a famous mutant hit the web. Whispers online suggested she’d been tapped to play none other than Polaris, the mutant daughter of Magneto, in the upcoming Marvel movie. The rumor caught fire, but now X-Men ‘97’s boss has revealed the truth.

Beau DeMayo, former showrunner of X-Men '97, took to X (formerly Twitter) to set the record straight. Alongside some fantastic Polaris artwork and a Neve Campbell photo, he posted.

So there it is: Neve Campbell is playing Polaris—but in X-Men '97, not the live-action MCU. She joins the animated revival of the beloved ’90s series, now streaming with a Disney+ subscription, widely regarded as one of the best animated shows of its era. DeMayo’s post confirms her role and is a tease for Season 2, marking the return of Lorna Dane, aka Polaris, last seen in the original episode “Cold Comfort.”

For longtime fans of the character, this is still big news. Polaris is a complicated, emotionally layered figure in X-Men lore, often caught between her allegiance to mutantkind and her fraught relationship with her father, Magneto. The idea of Campbell—a '90s icon in her own right thanks to Scream and Party of Five—stepping into the role brings a full-circle nostalgia that fits perfectly with X-Men '97's retro-modern tone.

DeMayo's comment about Genosha hints at deeper plotlines ahead. In Season 1 of the revival series, Genosha was shockingly destroyed in a devastating Sentinel attack, resulting in mass casualties, including the apparent deaths of Magneto and Gambit. The emotional toll was heavy: Jean caught Cyclops kissing Madelyn Pryor on the astral plane, then kissed Wolverine herself. Rogue broke up with Gambit and joined Magneto to co-lead the newly recognized mutant nation, only to watch it fall in flames. It was a gut punch of an episode, and one that left a lot of fans (myself included) reeling.

Polaris having "thoughts on Genosha" could mean she’s coming in to confront or reflect on that loss, which opens the door to some weighty and cathartic storytelling. Given the Wild Things actress’ talent for grounded, emotionally charged performances, fans can expect her to do more than just deliver cool one-liners and magnetic shockwaves.

As for Avengers: Doomsday, Neve Campbell isn’t part of the live-action roster… at least not yet. Sure, the MCU has pulled in big names and is bringing the X-Men on board, but, for now, we have to put this rumor to rest officially. But for fans of the Scream franchise star and Polaris, the animated series might finally give her the recognition she deserves. Who knows, maybe in some crazy multiverse, we'll get to see the former Party of Five star suit up for a live-action MCU role. Stranger things have happened!

Grey’s Anatomy's 21st season is airing on the 2025 TV schedule, and over the years, audiences have fallen in love with so many doctors, patients and first responders who have come into the hospital. So much so, in fact, that it’s spawned two successful spinoffs. Shonda Rhimes recently revealed she had ideas for plenty of other Grey’s spinoffs, and I really wish one in particular had come to fruition.

Shonda Rhimes confirmed that the Kate Walsh-led Private Practice and firefighter-centric Station 19 (both available to stream with a Hulu subscription) weren’t the only shows she’s thought of over the years to continue certain characters’ stories outside the hospital. When asked about what other series she’d conjured up, Rhimes told EW:

A Boston spinoff definitely would have made sense, considering all the characters who live there and work at the Fox Foundation (hello, Japril!). Meredith Grey herself relocated to Boston for her daughter to enroll in a gifted program. In Chicago, we could have kept up with Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) and the staff at the city’s Heart Center.

I personally thought they were setting up a spinoff in Minnesota when Scott Speedman returned to the series, and David Hamilton (Peter Gallagher) established The Grey Center for Meredith’s research. I also loved E.R. Fightmaster in the recurring role of Kai Bartley. But it was another of Shonda Rhimes’ spinoff ideas that really piqued my interest. She continued:

That’s just simply a stroke of brilliance. We’ve been introduced to all three of Derek and Amelia Shepherd’s sisters on Grey’s Anatomy over the years, as well as the fact that Amelia is the black sheep of the family. That turbulent dynamic and the fact that they all work in the medical field is such a good premise, not to mention the amazing actors who have played these women.

Embeth Davidtz appeared on Seasons 3 and 15 as OB/GYN Nancy; Neve Campbell guest-starred for two episodes of Season 9 as Liz (also an M.D.); and Amy Acker made her sole appearance in Season 15 as psychiatrist Kathleen. If nothing else, this spinoff would at least put the “Who is Lucas’ mom?” mystery to bed.

Unfortunately, that idea — and apparently many others — went unrealized. For a while, it looked like ABC might be setting up a police-based series to rival the One Chicago shows on NBC with its own medical, fire and P.D. trilogy. Then, in 2021, an ABC exec got fans excited when he spoke of “the next phase of Grey’s Anatomy,” only to backpedal on that comment and insist that no new spinoff was in the works.

We haven’t had a Grey’s Anatomy spinoff since Station 19, but with that and Private Practice being embraced so much by fans, I’d say as long as Grey’s is on the air, there’s always the potential for more in that universe. For now, though, tune in to new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy at 10 p.m. ET Thursdays on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

It might have taken a while for Netflix to renew The Lincoln Lawyer for Season 4, but now, the show is wasting no time getting these next episodes off the ground. Not long after renewal was announced, in fact, a major character was cast, as it was revealed that Constance Zimmer will join the ensemble as the lawyer prosecuting Mickey’s case. That makes her a key adversary this season.

However, while I can’t wait to use my Netflix subscription to see her spar with Manuel García-Rulfo’s character, I’m more interested in her relationship with his ex-wife and fellow prosecutor, Maggie.

The Lincoln Lawyer Cast Constance Zimmer As Dana Berg

Following Mickey getting arrested at the end of The Lincoln Laywer’s third season, I’ve been wondering who would be cast as the prosecutor standing against him in the courtroom. Now we know that Constance Zimmer will play Dana Berg – the prosecutor Mickey will go up against as he tries to prove his innocence after being arrested – according to Deadline.

Season 4 of TLL will focus on Mickey defending himself for a murder he did not commit, and it will follow the events of the book The Law of Innocence. That alone is interesting. We know Mickey is a shark in the courtroom, and it will be so fun to see him defend himself against a strong attorney who is trying to prove he’s guilty.

However, it sounds like Zimmer – who is best known for her role on the show UnREAL – will take things up a notch, because her lawyer is a firey rule bender, according to the publication's description of her:

Now, that sounds so intense, and I need to see Zimmer and García-Rulfo verbally fight it out. However, I’m actually much more interested in the relationship between Dana and Mickey’s ex-wife, Maggie.

While Dana Is Mickey’s Rival, I’m More Interested In The Relationship She’ll Have With Neve Campbell’s Maggie

Here are two pieces of information we know about Maggie’s role going into Season 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer:

• Maggie will be more involved this season, and it’s confirmed that Neve Campbell will be in all ten episodes.
• Maggie and Mickey have always worked on opposite sides of the law, which already made this interesting. However, her days at the DA’s office connect her directly to Dana.

The report about Zimmer’s casting explained that Dana has “ties” to Maggie. In my mind, it will almost be more interesting to see how she uses Mickey’s ex-wife to her advantage over just about anything else. This kind of storyline between these characters could amplify Mickey and Maggie’s relationship and it could give us more insight into this supporting character that I’ve been dying to see more of.

So, yeah, in a lot of ways, I’m looking forward to this Dana and Maggie relationship more than Dana and Mickey, even though, he’s going to be her primary target.

Overall, I was already interested in seeing how Maggie dealt with the conundrum of being a prosecutor while her ex defends himself. However, her being personally connected to Zimmer’s character makes it even better, and it’s officially a storyline I need to see play out when The Lincoln Lawyer returns (hopefully on Netflix’s 2025 schedule) for Season 4.

The horror renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, and some of the best horror movies have returned to theaters with new sequels. That includes Wes Craven's Scream, with a seventh movie currently in development. The cast is coming together, with fans thrilled Neve Campbell is back as Sidney Prescott for the upcoming horror movie. Joel McHale was recently cast, and his role destroys a popular fan theory.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, and each new casting news is breaking the internet. The latest comes to us from Deadline, which revealed that McHale is joining the next sequel as Sidney's husband Mark Evans. But fans had assumed that the "Mark" she mentioned in the 2022 movie was actually Patrick Dempsey's Mark Kincaid from Scream 3. Alas, this latest casting news put the kibosh on that possible pairing, which is something fans have thought was canon for years.

It seems all but impossible that Patrick Dempsey will appear in Scream 7, despite fans wanting to catch up with his character. Back in October, Dempsey said he as waiting on a script, but seemed down to reprise his role years later. But perhaps negotiations failed, leading to Joel McHale to step in as Sidney's husband, who will be an entirely new character altogether.

Mark Kincaid was one of many Scream legacy characters who longtime fans are eager to see return to the slasher property. The seventh movie's cast list is still coming together, so only time will tell if any of them sign on the dotted line. But moviegoers can rest easy knowing both OGs Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox will be back in action for the movie.

With Joel McHale's newcomer confirmed as Sidney's husband, I'm eager to learn more about the couple's story. The 2022 movie confirmed that Campbell's signature character was married and with kids, but the details of her backstory since the fourth movie weren't revealed. But now that Sidney is once again at the center of the franchise, Scream 7 should presumably fill in those blanks.

Neve Campbell was noticeably missing from Scream VI, shifting even more of the franchise's focus on the Carpenter Sisters. Unfortunately, both Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera aren't returning for the next movie, which will presumably result in Sidney Prescott once again becoming the protagonist/final girl of the property. While Mason Gooding was confirmed to return as Chad Meeks-Martin, fans are still waiting on whether or not his onscreen twin Jasmin Savoy Brown will also be back as Mindy... especially since she's taken on the Randy-esuqe horror fan role in the franchise.

Scream 7 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on February 27th, 2026. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the movies this year.

Spoilers for the end of The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 are ahead! If you aren’t caught up, you can stream the series with a Netflix subscription.

As Season 3 of The Lincoln Lawyer aired on Netflix’s 2024 schedule, I was kind of surprised by the lack of Maggie this season. While she was there, for the most part, Mickey was living his own life while she lived hers, which makes sense. However, after the events of the latest finale, it seems logical that Neve Campbell’s character could play a much bigger role in Season 4 (if it’s greenlit). So, I asked the series' co-showrunner about it.

Over this last season of The Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey didn’t spend much time with Maggie or his daughter. However, now that he’s been arrested, I couldn’t help but wonder how that will impact his relationship with his ex-wife going into Season 4. So, when I spoke with co-showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez after binge-watching the Netflix series, I asked her if we’d be seeing more of Neve Campbell in whatever comes next, and here’s what she had to say:

As we all well know, Maggie McPherson is a prosecutor, so it makes sense that she’ll be involved in Mickey’s case now that he’s in prison.

We know that if Season 4 gets greenlit, it will be based on the book The Law of Innocence. That novel follows Mickey in prison after he’s arrested for a murder he did not commit. Based on Rodriguez’s comments and Maggie’s support of her ex-husband, I assume she’ll believe in Mickey’s innocence and do everything she can to protect him.

That theory was further emphasized in my mind when the co-showrunner finished her comments about Campbell’s character with the following:

Full disclosure, I haven’t read the books, so I don’t know the role Maggie plays in them. However, as Neve Campbell stan and a Maggie supporter, I’m hopeful that she’ll work from the inside to help prove Mickey’s innocence. It will also be interesting to see how this case impacts her job as a prosecutor.

Overall, it feels like Neve Campbell will have a lot to do in The Lincoln Lawyer if it gets picked up for a fourth season. So, here’s hoping it does and we get to see the Scream actress back on the small screen soon!

All this is to say, hopefully, Maggie comes back in a big way, just like Campbell’s return as Sidney in Scream 7. I want her front, center and right next to Mickey as he fights for his innocence. Thankfully, it sounds like that will happen too -- as long as The Lincoln Lawyer gets renewed for a fourth season.

The horror genre has been thriving for years, to the delight of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies have returned with new sequels, including the Scream franchise. The developing seventh film is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies, although there's been plenty of shakeups behind the scenes. Namely Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera departing the series. And the latter actor recently revealed if she's been in contact with co-star and franchise lead Neve Campbell.

What we know about Scream 7 is very limited for the time being, but longtime fans of the slasher property were thrilled when it was revealed that Campbell was returning as Sidney Prescott... especially after she quit Scream VI over a pay dispute. Barrera was recently asked by Decider if there's been any contact between herself and the Craft icon, responding with:

There you have it. While the two scream queens haven't spoken, it does seem like Melissa Barrera has no hard feelings Neve Campbell for returning to the horror franchise that she'd been leading since 1996. Talk about classy.

In many ways, this comment and respect towards Neve Campbell mirrors past comments from the Abigail actress. After Campbell decided to quit Scream VI shortly before production began, Barrera put her full support behind the 51 year-old horror icon. And now that the shoe is on the other foot, she's not throwing any shade at Sidney Prescott herself.

There has been plenty of behind the scenes drama in the development of Scream 7. Melissa Barrera's firing was only the start of things, as Jenna Ortega dropped out as well, making it clear that the Carpenter sisters we followed for the last two movies were no longer part of the narrative. Director Christopher Landon also left the project, which had some fans concerned.

But the announcement that Neve Campbell was returning as Sidney Prescott got folks excited, especially paired with the fact that OG Scream writer Kevin Williamson was going to be behind the camera as the new director. Courteney Cox has been in talks to return as Gale Weathers, and Patrick Dempsey also revealed he's had conversations. If the latter actor returns as Mark Kincaid, it would be the first time we've seen the franchise legacy character since Scream 3.

More news is expected to arrive soon, as Scream 7 is in active development and is currently expected to arrive in theaters on February 27, 2026. While we not-so-patiently wait, check the 2025 movie release dates.

As with many years prior, several upcoming films will bring us tales of joy and woe with animated adventures, heartfelt family films, people overcoming horrific circumstances, fun comedies and more. But, something that many people love to see is a story that focuses either on people who do intriguing work or who have some true magic in their lives. As such, let’s take a look at 32 famous actors who’ve given us that by playing a wizard, witch or magician in some popular movies. 

Nicole Kidman (Practical Magic, Bewitched)

An Oscar winner who’s notably portrayed a witch twice in her big screen efforts is Nicole Kidman. Seeing as how Practical Magic 2 is now being worked on in earnest, you probably remember her 1998 hit with Sandra Bullock easily. But, do you recall her turn as a real witch hired to play a fictional one in the 2005 comedy, Bewitched?

Hugh Jackman (The Prestige)

We actually don’t get as many magicians on screen as one might think, but Hugh Jackman did us all a solid when he starred as one in the 2006 Christopher Nolan movie, The Prestige. If you somehow still haven’t seen this Edwardian London-set thriller, do yourself a favor and track it down. You won’t regret it.

Ian McKellen (The Lord Of The Rings And The Hobbit Trilogies)

This list would be nothing without mentioning maybe the most famous wizard in all of literary history, who made his major motion picture appearances courtesy of Sir Ian McKellen in The Lord of the Rings movies, as well as The Hobbit trilogy. Gandalf the Grey cannot be ignored, and not just because he’s so much taller than most of his traveling companions!

Neve Campbell (The Craft)

Fledgling teen witches count just as much as those who’ve been witchin’ for decades, which is why Neve Campbell’s eventual power-hungry sorceress, Bonnie, is on this list. The Craft is a teen horror classic that’s worth a watch.

Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus)

Here’s another classic movie witch who’s hard to forget. Bette Midler really dialed it up for her performance as Winifred Sanderson in 1993’s Hocus Pocus (along with fellow witchy Sanderson sisters Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker), and the results were so memorable that a Disney+ sequel was made nearly 30 years later.

Jesse Eisenberg (Now You See Me)

We’ve come to another magician, but Jesse Eisenberg’s modern-day character, Atlas, is an illusionist who works in Las Vegas in a popular group…who are really teamed up to steal lots and lots of money. It was so popular that a sequel followed.

Alexandra Daddario (Mayfair Witches)

If anything, we could trust late horror author Anne Rice to pen an intriguing tale that keeps us glued to the pages of a book. It also turns out that White Lotus star Alexandra Daddario can help turn that story into a can’t-miss TV show, as she’s done by playing witchy lead Rowan on Mayfair Witches.

Cher (The Witches Of Eastwick)

Cher has excelled in pretty much every role she’s ever had, and that includes widowed mother/witch Alex in The Witches of Eastwick. This one gets wild but you’ll never regret watching her (or her co-stars Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer and Jack Nicholson) as things go from weird to worse.

Nicolas Cage (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice)

We all know that Nicolas Cage has played a multitude of roles during his decades-long career, so it should be little surprise that he’s portrayed as a user of magic. Before you get too deep into wondering whether or not there’s a real difference between a wizard and a sorcerer, just know that Cage played the latter in this 2010 film that takes some inspiration from a segment in Disney’s animated classic, Fantasia.

Tia And Tamera Mowry (Twitches)

Sure, there have already been people on this list who played witches along with other really famous people, and those co-stars weren’t listed as the main star, but guess what: none of those other people starred with their twin, which is the case with Tia and Tamera Mowry in the beloved Disney Channel original film, Twitches. Did this one get a sequel? You bet it did!

Meryl Streep (Into The Woods)

No one can deny the prowess or ability of 21-time Oscar nominee (and three-time winner) Meryl Streep to deliver an amazing performance. The same can be true for when she played the character known simply as The Witch in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Into the Woods (and, yes, got an Academy Award nomination for her work).

Steve Carell (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone)

And here we have another Las Vegas magician in Steve Carell’s Burt Wonderstone. Instead of watching him steal money, we follow along in this comedy as Burt attempts to reunite with his former partner (Steve Buschemi) so they can gain more traction than a competing magician (Jim Carrey) whose “tricks” mostly involve odd feats of endurance and real pain.

Edward Norton (The Illusionist)

You’d be forgiven for confusing this film with the above-mentioned The Prestige, as they’re both about old-timey magicians and released in 2006. However, this film stars Edward Norton as our…illusionist, and is more of a romantic mystery than Nolan’s thriller.

Lucy Lawless (Salem)

So many evil witches, so little time. The WGN TV series, Salem, was loosely inspired by the Salem witch trials, and focused on a lead who was trying to bring the Devil to earth. But, that wasn’t even the character played by Xena actress Lucy Lawless, as her Countess Palatine Ingrid von Marburg was simply a different and far more evil witch. Can’t anyone use magic to just like, keep everyone’s house clean so we can all have more free time?

Guy Pearce (Death Defying Acts)

It’s actually rather surprising that we’ve gotten this far into the list without coming to someone who portrayed a famous real-life magician, so we can thank Guy Pearce for that. His 2007 supernatural romance, Death Defying Acts, saw him play Harry Houdini.

Angela Bassett (American Horror Story: Coven)

Even for those who don’t follow along with the amazing antics on every season of the anthology series, American Horror Story, it would probably be a little shock to find out that the show has cast several witches during its long run. The subtitle of this 2013 season tells you that it was dedicated to witchy goings-on, and double Oscar nominee Angela Bassett had a notable guest role as real historical figure/Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau.

Sebastian Stan (The Covenant)

The actor who would come to be known as Bucky “Winter Soldier” Barnes, Sebastian Stan, played a very different type of super-powered character in 2006, when he played teen warlock Chase Collins in the fantasy film The Covenant. It also features stars like Taylor Kitsch and Chase Crawford, who also get their magic on in the film.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Stardust)

As we’ve seen from the entry on Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer had already played a witchy woman by the time she appeared in the 2007 movie Stardust, as an evil (of course) witch looking to retrieve a fallen star to have ever-lasting beauty and youth.

Debbie Reynolds (Halloweentown)

Here’s another Disney Channel classic, which follows a young witch who realizes she has powers on her 13th Halloween, only to be transported to the titular town where supernatural creatures can live without human interference. The late Debbie Reynolds plays her grandmother (also a witch), and returned for all three sequels.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)

This 2016 MCU entry stars Benedict Cumberbatch as an injured doctor who involves himself in the business of fighting evil with sorcery after losing the use of his hands and heading to a mysterious enclave to look for healing. Cumberbatch has appeared as the character in a number of Marvel franchise films now, including a 2022 sequel to his original solo film.

Mila Kunis (Oz The Great And Powerful)

Here’s a movie filled with magical beings that’s often forgotten. Oz the Great and Powerful saw Mila Kunis, along with Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz, play witches of, yes, that Oz who have to determine if the Kansas magician who’s turned up in their realm is really the “great” wizard they’ve been waiting for.

Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone)

This is another actor and portrayal that this list would basically be pointless without. Though Daniel Radcliffe has gone on to portray a wide variety of good and bad guys in the past decade or so of his career, for many he will always be known as the boy wizard, Harry Potter.

Selena Gomez (Wizards Of Waverly Place)

What? Did you forget that Selena Gomez, the Grammy-nominated singer and star of the Hulu hit show Only Murders in the Building, got her first taste of fame on a Disney Channel series? Well, shame on you for not being able to remember that Gomez led Wizards of Waverly Place through a magical four-season run as the supernaturally gifted teen, Alex Russo.

Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision)

Do we have yet another MCU stalwart for you? You bet we do! Elizabeth Olsen first took on the role of Scarlet Witch during the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, later starring in several more of the franchise films and the critically lauded Disney+ series, WandaVision, for which she received an Emmy nomination.

Sam Neill (Merlin)

While there have certainly been a number of movies and shows that have given us versions of the mythical wizard known as Merlin, NBC’s two-part, 1998 miniseries saw Sam Neill use his recent Jurassic Park stardom to show us an adventurous tale of Merlin’s life before the birth of King Arthur.

Rosamund Pike (The Wheel Of Time)

Many of the portrayals we’ve discussed (and will continue to discuss below) have dealt with book-to-screen adaptations that are based on already incredibly popular novels, and The Wheel of Time is certainly one of those. The Amazon series, which takes its story from the 14-book franchise by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, stars Rosamund Pike as powerful magic user Moiraine Damodred, who takes a group of young adults on a journey to save the world.

Julia Ormond (Witches Of East End)

This Lifetime series, which ran for two seasons from 2013 to 2014, followed the women of the Beauchamp family, witches in a small, fictional seaside town who are led by their mother, Julia Ormond’s Joanna, and have to fight to save themselves and the people of their town from dark magical forces.

Emma Thompson (Beautiful Creatures)

This 2013 Gothic fantasy romance focuses on a teen who will learn on her 16th birthday whether or not her witch tendencies will be for good or ill. Two-time Academy Award-winning actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson plays her mother, Sarafine, who didn’t raise the girl but wants her on that dark side really, really badly.

Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Suspiria)

Considering that Tilda Swinton has played everything from a gender-switching hero in Orlando to the MCU’s version of the Ancient One in the aforementioned Doctor Strange and the archangel Gabriel in Constantine, is anyone surprised to know that she’s played some witches? In both The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and Suspiria she was very good at playing magical ladies who wanted (or already had and wanted to continue) to do some very bad things, but the latter film has WAY more serious and bloody fun for those who watch.

Jack Black (The House With A Clock In Its Walls)

Frequent funny man Jack Black as a warlock? That’s what the 2018 fantasy The House With A Clock In Its Walls delivers, as the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star portrays a boy’s magic uncle who lives in the house of a dead evil wizard and is trying to discover the location and purpose of a clock the previous dastardly owner hid in the walls.

Jude Law (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald)

While much of the Harry Potter franchise featured either actors Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as the beloved Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, when the prequels were made, a younger Albus Dumbledore was needed and they called in Jude Law to fill the wizard’s very important and legendary shoes.

Julianne Moore (Seventh Son)

Last but certainly not least on our list of famed actors who’ve brought wizards, witches and magicians to life is lauded talent Julianne Moore. The Academy Award winner starred in 2015’s Seventh Son as the evil witch Mother Malkin, who escapes after many years imprisoned and looks to restore her full power by any means necessary.

As you can see, many of our most beloved stars have portrayed wizards, witches and magicians!

It remains a great time to be a horror fan, as the genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down. Some of the best horror movies have returned to theaters as a result, including the Scream franchise. Moviegoers are eager for information about the upcoming horror movie Scream 7, which will once again put Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott front and center. We don't know much, but it's fun to see Campbell's face when asked if Patrick Dempsey will return for the next installment.

What we know about Scream 7 is super limited, as the script reportedly hasn't even been finished yet. The last two movies (which are available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription) brought back characters from original four films, and there are a number of Scream legacy characters I'd like to see return. Chief among them is Patrick Dempsey's Mark Kincaid, especially since he's married to Sidney in-universe. Campbell was recently asked by ET (via Twitter) about the concept of the Grey's Anatomy icon appearing in the next film, and her reaction was adorable. Check it out below:

Well, I'm definitely intrigued. While Neve was careful not to reveal anything (and the casting process is probably still happening), it certainly seems like Dempsey would be a logical inclusion for Scream 7's cast. I have to wonder how much she knows that she's not letting on, but the reaction will likely inspire hope from fans who have been waiting for the Scream 3 character to finally return to the big screen.

During 2022's Scream, dialogue between Sydney and Dewey revealed that she eventually married Mark Kincaid, and they have a family together. As such, fans have been waiting for him to return. And aside from their work together in the third movie, Neve Campbell appeared as one of McDreamy's sisters in Grey's Anatomy. As you can see in the video above, when asked by Patrick Dempsey having a role in Scream 7, she Campbell said:

From the little information we know about the seventh Scream film, it sounds like the franchise will go back to its roots and focus on Sidney's story. She had fairly limited screen time in the 2022 movie, while Campbell dropped out of Scream VI due to a pay dispute. Although with OG writer Kevin Williamson serving as director for the upcoming slasher, perhaps it should be no surprise that Sid is at the center of the narrative.

Of course, fans like myself are wondering who else might make up the movie's cast. With Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega both out, I'm particularly curious about if/how the other two members of the Core Four will be included. I adored Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding as Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, and will be super bummed if they're not in on the bloody fun.

Scream 7 doesn't currently have a release date, but the last two movies are both streaming now. While we wait for an update, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott is the definitive final girl of the ‘90s, and nothing is stopping her from making a case for the best of the 2020s now that she’ll officially be in Scream 7 under director Kevin Williamson. The original Scream actress has been set to play Sidney since March of this year, but as she recently updated, there’s a good reason why the movie hasn’t started rolling cameras.

While we previously got word that Scream 7 would get to work in September, that is no longer the case. Here’s what Neve Campbell said about the movie’s latest delay to Indiewire:

If you’ve been following Scream 7’s road to production, you know it’s been a complicated one. At first, Freaky’s Christopher Landon was going to helm the project that would star Melissa Barerra and Jenna Ortega’s Carpenter sisters once again after they appeared in the last two installments of the horror franchise. However, back in November, Melissa Barerra was reportedly fired from the movie for calling for a Gaza ceasefire on her social media, and Ortega later exited as well, apparently due to disagreements over her pay.

It was a string of unfortunate developments, especially after we heard what was in store for the Carpenter sisters in Scream 7. Thankfully, the movie has since gotten back on track by hiring Scream's most iconic name, Neve Campbell. After the actress passed on the sixth Scream movie due to pay conflicts, it sounds like Sidney Prescott will be center stage for the next Scream sequel. Plus, rumor has it Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers may return as well.

Scream 7 is being directed by the original writer of the first Scream movie with a story by Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt, who wrote the past two Scream films, too. Although the movie has been delayed yet again, Campbell is taking it as a good thing because the creatives will have more time to tinker with the script/production and get it just right ahead of cameras rolling.

The exciting production is expected to shoot for two months, so by early 2025, the movie should be in the can and perhaps ready to hit theaters next Halloween season or sometime in 2026. We’ll have to wait and see about Paramount giving Scream 7 an official release date, but for now, check out what upcoming horror movies you can anticipate in the near future here on CinemaBlend.

The horror genre has been experiencing a renaissance for a number of years now, to the delight of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters with new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. The last two installments were both wildly successful, although fans lamented that Neve Campbell dropped out of Scream VI due to a pay dispute. But she's back for Scream 7, with fans now aware of when that upcoming horror movie will reportedly begin filming. Spoiler alert: it's soon.

What we know about Scream 7 is super limited, but fans are psyched that it'll be directed by Kevin Williamson, aka the writer of the 1996 original and the first sequel. And according to Production Weekly, filming on the new sequel will begin in September, and is planned to continue through December. Alexa, play "Red Right Hand."

If true, this report is super exciting, and makes the upcoming Scream movie feel all the more real. And since there were some major hiccups in the movie's development, fans will be thrilled that production is set to begin in just a few short months. And for now, they'll be able to re-watch the last two installments with a Paramount+ subscription. 

The details of Scream 7's story is a mystery at the time of writing, although there are a number of rumors swirling. One claims that the movie will feature a time jump, allowing Sidney's children to facto more heavily into the story. Fans like myself are hoping that Scream 3's Patrick Dempsey returns as Mark Kincaid, as he and Sidney are married in-universe. But that remains to be seen.

Fans are definitely curious about the cast of Scream 7, which will reportedly gather in September to film the slasher flick. With both Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega no longer attached to the film, the focus should pivot away from the Carpenter sisters. But we'll have to see if the two remaining Core Four members Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin (played by Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding) are factored in or not. Brown's schedule might be key to this, as she's been filming Yellowjackets Season 3. 

There are a number of Scream legacy characters who could return for the seventh movie, depending on what Kevin Williamson has in store for the story. Some popular choices include Heather Matarazzo's Martha Meeks, who briefly returned for the 2022 Scream movie. She's got horror experience like in Hostel, and I'd love to see her face off against Ghostface... possibly as the opening kill of the new movie. But at this point I'm just throwing out ideas as a hardcore fan of the franchise. 

Scream 7 doesn't currently have a release date, but the last two movies can be streamed on Paramount+. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates. 

The horror renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, with some of the best horror movies returning to theaters with new sequels. That includes the Scream franchise, and the developing seventh movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies. Franchise star Neve Campbell recently shared her excitement about playing Sidney Prescott again, being quoted saying she's "really grateful."

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but fans were delighted to learn that Neve Campbell would be back as Sidney after being noticeably absent from the last film. While speaking with People at a recent event, she expressed her happiness to be back in Wes Craven's franchise, offering:

There you have it. Scream's final girl is back, and all is right with the world. Clearly there are no hard feelings about what went down with Scream VI (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), and now she's seemingly cut a deal with the studio that she's proud of. And as the franchise's protagonist, she's definitely got the right. 

Neve Campbell dropped out of Scream VI before filming due to a pay dispute, and stood her ground that she deserved to be paid her worth, especially as the franchise's leading lady for decades. But she's since said that her offer for the new movie was fair, and that she felt respected by the team behind Scream 7.

There are countless questions about what's going to go down in Scream 7, and who will make up the cast alongside Campbell. With both Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega out, the story will shift away from the Carpenter sisters and back over to Sidney. But fans are curious if the other two members of the Core Four will return for the new movie: Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding and Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin. 

Indeed, there are a number of rumors and fan theories swirling around online about Scream 7, especially after Campbell announced her return. Some fans are hoping Patrick Dempsey returns to Scream, as his character Mark is married to Sidney in-universe. There's also a rumor that the new movie will feature a time jump, allowing Sidney's kids to enter the narrative. We'll just have to wait and see what rumors end up coming to fruition.

It's unclear when Scream 7 is hitting theaters, but fans are hyped. In the meantime, check the 2024 movie release dates. 

For years now the horror genre has been thriving, to the delight of fans like me. Many of the best horror movies have returned for sequels or reboots, including Scream. There's a seventh movie in development, which is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies... despite some behind the scene drama. And after Neve Campbell announced her return as Sidney Prescott, another legacy actor is in talks to join. Namely Gale herself, Courteney Cox.

What we know about Scream 7 is very limited, as the project is still in the development stage. But with Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega both skipping out on this next chapter, fans are wondering what Scream legacy characters might help fill out the cast. And per a report by Variety, Cox is in talks to once again return as Gale Weathers. And while this isn't official casting news, it seems unlikely that it would fall through. After al, the Friends alum is the only actor to appear in every single chapter of the franchise.

This news is sure to excite longtime Scream fans like myself, who have a soft spot for the OG characters. And since David Arquette's Dewey was killed in the 2022 Scream (which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription), that just leaves Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox. Although Skeet Ulrich did appear briefly in the last two movies as a ghost/vision of Billy Loomis. 

The inclusion of Courteney Cox for Scream 7 feels all the more likely because of the film's director. After Christopher Landon dropped out in the midst of casting shakeups, original Scream writer Kevin Williamson was give the job to replace him. He understands the franchise perhaps better than anyone, and I'd have to assume that reuniting with him in this way would be appealing to Cox. We'll just have to wait for official news from the studio regarding these talks. 

The story of Scream 7 is a complete mystery for the time being, and it should be interesting to see where this new story takes places-- especially after the last film brought the franchise to New York City. But for now the fandom is largely focused on casting, and eager to see who else joins this growing ensemble.

Personally, I'm hoping that Patrick Dempsey finally returns to Scream, after his appearance in the third movie. He recently returned to horror in Thanksgiving, and his character Mark Kincaid has been name dropped as married to Sydney. Hayden Panettiere's Kirby Reed survived Scream VI's ending, as did Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, played by Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding respectively. 

With no release date for Scream 7, fans will have to patiently wait for information to come. During that time, check out the 2024 movie release dates. 

It's an exciting time to be a horror fan, as the genre continues its renaissance. The best horror movies have been given new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. A seventh movie is currently in development, with Neve Campbell announcing her return as Sidney Prescott, as well as Kevin Williamson as director. I'm a hardcore Scream fan, and after Campbell's return was confirmed I need Patrick Dempsey to return ASAP. 

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but fans were thrilled that franchise hero Sidney Prescott is back, after Neve Campbell dropped out of the last movie. And sincs she'll be fighting Ghostface again, fans are wondering about more Scream legacy characters. And I think now is the perfect time for Dempsey to finally return as Mark Kincaid. 

In the 2022 Scream (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), it is revealed that Sidney married Mark after meeting during the events of Scream 3. This seemed to be planting seeds for his return, and now would be the perfect time.

And after the departure of Jenna Oretga and Melissa Barrera as Tara and Samantha Carpenter, there's also a huge gap in the cast. Dempsey would add his own starpower, especially with the still rabid Grey's Anatomy fanbase (myself included).

Patrick Dempsey also recently returned to the slasher genre in Eli Roth's Thanksgiving, which has been super popular on Netflix. So now would be a great time to keep that momentum and return to the Scream franchise as Sidney's husband.

Of course, there's been no indication that this is actually happening. But as a hardcore Scream fan who loved the previous two installments, I think it would be a great way to include another legacy character in the new trilogy. I have to think that previous director Tyler Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin dropped his name to set up a future appearance. And the team at Radio Silence will serve as executive producers on Scream 7.

The casting for the upcoming horror movie hasn't been revealed just yet, with the exception of Neve Campbell. Fans will expect a number of returning faces who survived the last movie, including Courteney Cox's Gale Weathers and Hayden Panettiere's Kirby Reed. And while Scream's Core Four has been broken up, I'm hoping to see Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding back in their third appearance as Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin. For her part, Brown said she hasn't been approached just yet by the studio. But with casting underway, perhaps that could change soon. 

Scream 7 doesn't currently have a release date, which is understandable given the early stage of its development. While we wait for more information on Neve Campbell's return to the slasher property, check out the 2024 movie release dates and plan your next movie experiences. 

The horror genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, with some of the best horror movies returning to theaters with new sequels or reboots. The Scream franchise released two wildly successful movies, although franchise favorite Neve Campbell was noticeably missing from Scream VI. Well fear not horror fans, as Campbell recently confirmed she'll be back as Sidney Prescott in Scream 7. And she celebrated by revealing the film's new director.

While Scream VI made a ton of money, longtime fans had a hard time watching the movie without the franchise's leading lady. The upcoming horror movie was seemingly in jeopardy after director Christopher Landon dropped out, in addition to actresses Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. But the movie is still happening, and Neve Campbell's announcement on Instagram also revealed that OG Scream writer/ executive producer Kevin Williamson will be behind the camera as director. Check out her post below:

Do you hear that sound? It's generations of Scream fans cheering that final girl Sidney Prescott will return for the next installment of the beloved a slasher series. Not only is Scream 7 still happening but Kevin Williamson aka the writer of the original two movies will be directing. 

While Williamson served as an executive producer for the last two movies (which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription), Scream 7 will be his first time directing an installment of the property. In her caption, Campbell revealed she's been hoping to see him in this role for years.

While the Radio Silence team aren't directing this time around, they'll be staying on as executive producers of the new sequel. This will also be exciting for fans like me, who were bummed when it was revealed they wouldn't be directing Scream 7.

This update is super exciting, although it will likely only increase rumors and theories about what might be coming with the next Scream movie. With Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega no longer expected to appear, there are a number of Scream legacy characters who fans would like to see return. Chief among them is Patrick Dempsey's Mark Kincaid, as he and Sidney are married and have a family in-universe. And since Dempsey returned to horror with Thanksgiving, it seems like the perfect time for him to finally return to Scream.

While we wait for more information about Scream 7's cast, there's a few other survivors that seem like obvious choices to appear in the new movie. Courteney Cox comes to mind first, as does Hayden Panettiere's Kirby Reed. And while the Core Four might be gone, fans would be shocked Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding didn't also return as Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin.

Scream 7 doesn't currently have a release date. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates. 

More to come...

Scream is one of the most beloved horror franchises out there. Its campy, satirical take on the genre combined with the gory slasher scares you’d expect from classic horror flicks are what makes it unique. The franchise's star-studded sixth installment had strong box office returns last year, but the months following have not been smooth sailing. Pre-production on the seventh film seems to be facing a lot of problems, as many members of the cast and creative team have left or been dropped from the project. On that note, OG star Neve Campbell confessed that it's "sad" for her to watch the franchise fall apart, despite no longer being a part of it. 

The star attended the BAFTA Tea event in Los Angeles, where she chatted with IndieWire about how she feels about the plethora of struggles currently facing Scream and development on the seventh film. Even though she may no longer be starring in the films, she still has a deep love for them, and the constant negative news about the franchise has been hard to watch. The “Scream Queen” said:

For context, the lead of the fifth and sixth installments, Melissa Barrera, was axed the seventh film after making comments regarding the Palestine and Israel conflict. Her sentiments were seen as controversial by the studio. This was soon followed by the news of Jenna Ortega exiting the project, who was a major draw for the franchise. And, on the heels of all that, director Christopher Landon revealed he was also no longer attached to the Scream 7, saying that the dream job had turned into a “nightmare.” This certainly doesn’t sound like good news, and the future of the franchise seems to be in flux.

This isn’t the first time the horror film series has faced behind-the-scenes issues related to talent. After leading the franchise for five movies, Neve Campbell exited, and did not star in the sixth film. She was unable to reach a deal with the studio and ultimately decided to walk away from Scream VI. However, with the seventh being in an uncertain state right now, the studio executives may be a bit more inclined to get Campbell back for future installments. The actress seems to be open to returning, on certain conditions, of course:

At this point, Scream's producers needs something to keep the series afloat if they want to continue making the movies. It was reported that the studio did reach out to Neve Campbell after the high-profile exits, so maybe there is some glimmer of hope for horror fans. The circumstances are certainly different this time around, and the producers may have no other choice than to make some concessions in order to ensure the horror icon signs onto the new film. This story is still evolving, but fans should at least have a little optimism since Campbell would be open to reprising her role. 

Considering all of the behind-the-scenes hullabaloo, it may be a while before Scream 7 hits theaters. In the meantime, horror fans can revisit the first six films in the franchise now with a Paramount+ subscription. Lovers of the genre should also read up on what other horror movies are heading to theaters and streaming. 

Fame is a tricky thing, and sometimes the biggest stars in the world can lose it all. Personal problems, changing times, and other factors can lead to a once-promising career disappearing almost over night. These stars, however, reversed their trajectories and came out on top after enduring rough times, in this list of actors who made remarkable career comebacks. 

Robert Downey, Jr.

Robert Downey, Jr was one of the most promising young actors in Hollywood in the 1980s, starring in films like Less Than Zero, Chaplin, and Natural Born Killers. In the mid-90s his life went infamously went off the rails with substance abuse problems. When it looked like he'd thrown it all away, he cleaned up and his fame exploded as he became one of the highest-paid actors in the MCU.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda has had a few ups and downs in her career. After breaking out as a star in the '60s, she was later shunned by many for her notorious trip to North Vietnam during the war. She rebounded and starred in hits like 9 to 5 and On Golden Pond. In 1991, Fonda married Ted Turner and completely stepped back from acting. She didn't appear in anything at all until after their divorce in 2001, but roared back to prominence in the 21st Century. 

Rob Lowe

As a member of the "Brat Pack" in the 1980s, Rob Lowe was on top of the world. That all came crashing down when a videotape of Lowe in a compromising situation was leaked. His hard partying had caught up to him, and though he got sober in 1992, he would spend much of the decade playing smaller roles or in direct-to-video movies. In 1999 he landed the role of Sam Seaborn in The West Wing and was once again on top, where he's stayed ever since. 

John Travolta

In the late '70s, there was no bigger star than John Travolta. From Welcome Back, Kotter to Grease and Saturday Night Fever, Travolta was in some of the biggest pop culture touchstones of all time. Then the '80s came and his career hit a serious lull. While he was in the hit Look Who's Talking and its sequels, it was 1994's Pulp Fiction that vaulted Travolta back to the top. 

Natasha Lyonne

In the late '90s, Natasha Lyonne was one of a group of budding stars in American Pie and other movies like Slums Of Beverly Hills before health and addiction problems derailed her career. Thankfully for all of us she came out of those those stronger and has since starred in fantastic shows like Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll. 

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser winning the Oscar for 2022 The Whale capped off one of the greatest comeback stories in Hollywood history. His work had all but completely dried up in the late '00s and 2010s, but his career has had the most incredible resurgence in the 2020s. 

Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder defined "movie star" for late Gen Xers in the '90s, but after her infamous arrest for shoplifting in 2001, her career nosedived and she didn't appear in a movie for about three years after. For the next decade or so, she worked steadily but didn't regain her star power from early in her career. That changed when she starred in Stranger Things, starting in 2016, and she once again became a huge star. 

Dave Chappelle

In 2003 Dave Chappelle debuted Chappelle's Show on Comedy Central and it became a massive hit. Despite the network throwing tens of millions of dollars at the comedian to keep the show going, he turned it down and walked away. Chappelle stayed away for most of the next decade before reviving his standup career, and while Chappelle continues to garner controversy, it's safe to say he's as big as ever. 

Betty White

When Betty White died in 2021 she was mourned by millions. The beloved actress had been a television star since the 1940s, but not all of those years were in the spotlight. After early success in the '50s in Life with Elizabeth and other sitcoms, White's career hit a lull for more than a decade. She returned to the big time with her role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the '70s, The Golden Girls in the '80s, and then later with Hot in Cleveland in the 2010s.

Ke Huy Quan

There is no more heartwarming story than that of Ke Huy Quan's resurgence. the actor, who first found fame as a child in The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, completely disappeared from Hollywood. For twenty years, he appeared in not one TV show or movie, before returning in 2021 with a role in Finding ʻOhana, and then winning an Oscar for his performance in 2022's Everything Everywhere All At Once. 

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton was a controversial choice when he was cast as Batman in Tim Burton's Batman in 1989, but it shows just how famous he was at that time. After Batman Returns, Keaton's star faded and he starred in a run of films to mixed reviews. In 2014 Keaton starred in the very meta Birdman, as a former superhero star looking to regain his fame. It worked, at least for Keaton. 

Katharine Hepburn

Anyone with a career as long as Katharine Hepburn's is bound to have some slow periods. The most amazing fact of the legendary actress' career was the 34-year span between Best Actress Oscars. She won in 1934 for Morning Glory and then again in 1968 and 1969 for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and The Lion in Winter, respectively. She would win her fourth 13 years later in 1982 for On Golden Pond. 

Mickey Rourke

In the 1980s Mickey Rourke starred in a string of hits. Eventually, though, his reputation as being difficult to work with overshadowed his performances and he was left in the Hollywood wilderness until triumphantly returning to his past glory in 2008 with The Wrestler.

Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier was one of the biggest stars of the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Then came the '80s, when he stepped away from acting and concentrated on directing, to mixed reviews. In 1988 he turned back to acting and had a wonderful late career resurgence with films like Shoot To Kill and Sneakers. 

Jason Bateman

In the 1980s it looked like Jason Bateman was a surefire bet to be a huge star. Then the '90s came and his career pretty much dried up. He had some guest spots on TV shows, but little else. He was all but forgotten. In 2003, Fox debut a show you may have heard of, Arrested Development, with Bateman as the star, and he's been huge ever since. 

Keanu Reeves

It's hard to remember a time when Keanu Reeves wasn't one of the biggest stars in the world, but after his success in the '90s and early '00s with The Matrix and Speed and more, he starred in a slew of commercial and critical failures. Thankfully for Reeves fans everywhere, John Wick came along and Reeves was back on top of the mountain, where he still is. 

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore almost became a Hollywood child star casualty after her string of hits as a kid in the 1980s. She had a rough childhood that led to substance abuse problems as a teenager. Against the odds, she got through it all and became an even bigger star on the other end. 

Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris first got famous as a child prodigy playing a prodigy on Doogie Howser, MD. After the sitcom ended in 1993, he struggled to regain that popularity. That is, until he played a fictionalized version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle in 2004. Soon after he landed the role he's best known for, Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother. 

Matthew McConaughey

Most of Matthew McConaughey's early career was made up of starring roles in rom-coms. In 2009 the Lincoln Lawyer star took a two-year acting hiatus to re-evaluate his career. He emerged in 2011 by taking on more serious roles and leaving his rom-com leading man reputation behind. Since the so-called "McConaissance," McConaughey's become on of the most acclaimed actors of the 21st century. 

Nicolas Cage

By 2009 Cage was one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood, and one of the highest-paid actors in the business, but it seems he couldn't curb his spending and ended up in debt to the IRS and other creditors. As a result, Cage seemingly took every job offered to him, and he put out an immense catalog of straight-to-video movies that few people have ever watched. Finally, in 2022, Cage revealed he was finally debt-free and started being more selective with his roles. this led to acclaimed roles in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and 2023's Dream Scenario.

Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore's career started like a comet as a singer in the late '90s which she parlayed into an acting career. That career slowed way down in the early 2010s, only to be revived in a massive way with her starring role on the NBC hit This Is Us. 

Christian Slater

With starring roles in Heathers, Pump Up The Volume, and Gleaming The Cube, Christian Slater became a Gen X icon. He scored a number of high-profile roles in big-budget movies in the '90s, before work started drying up in the early 2000s. He returned to Hollywood prominence with his award-winning role in Mr. Robot and has maintained it ever since. 

Luke Perry

Luke Perry was one of the biggest television stars of the 1990s as part of the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210. After the show ended though, his star faded some. That is, until he was cast in the CW's Riverdale and he was discovered by a whole new generation of fans. Tragically, Perry died in 2019 at age 52. 

Christina Ricci

Childhood success for Christina Ricci didn't immediately translate to success as an adult. She's always worked steadily, but her fame never quite reached the heights of her early career in The Addams Family. That changed in 2021 with Showtime's Yellowjackets. 

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh first found international fame with her roles in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies and Crouch Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She maintained a level of success, but she exploded to new heights with her Oscar-winning turn in 2022's Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. 

Neve Campbell

Neve Campbell was huge in the '90s with her starring role in the show Party Of Five and movies like The Craft and Wild Things. In the early 2000s, she starred in the Scream franchise, but hit a lull after that. Recently, she's been back on top with roles in The Lincoln Lawyer and Twisted Metal. 

Channing Tatum

Fans might not think that Channing Tatum has never had a career lull, but he has actually had a couple. He's always had to fight the idea that he's all looks and little substance (which is far from accurate), and that has affected his career at different points. He's always rebounded with strong performances like the one in Foxcatcher, however. 

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence's career hasn't really had a financial downturn, her lull was completely her choice. After a couple of poorly reviewed films and becoming the most famous victim of the iPhone hacking scandal, Lawrence stepped away from acting for two years in 2019. She triumphantly returned in the great movie Don't Look Up in 2021. 

Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey was first famous for starring in teen comedies like Loverboy and Can't Buy Me Love. He bounced around for a few years after that, working steadily but hardly a star. That changed in a big way when he landed the role of Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in 2005 on Grey's Anatomy. 

Marlon Brando

The 1960s weren't kind to Marlon Brando. After establishing himself as a bonafide star and one of the finest actors of the 20th century in the '50s, his mercurial nature earned him a reputation as difficult to work with. A string of box office failures didn't help. Famously, he pushed hard to get the role of Vito Corleone in The Godfather, and wow, was that the right move! He won an Academy Award and reminded everyone how great an actor he was. 

David Carradine

Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to help revive a star's career like he did with John Travolta. David Carradine was huge in the 1970s as the star of Kung Fu, and while he always found work, it took until Kill Bill in 2003 that he found that same level of fame again. 

Kiefer Sutherland

After becoming one of the biggest teen idols of the '80s, Kiefer Sutherland spent most of the '90s in smaller, supporting roles. In 2001, however, he landed the role of Jack Bauer in 24 and it became the part he's most known for, becoming a television icon over the run of the show. 

Fame, as they say, is fleeting, and these actors prove there can always be a second act in Hollywood. 

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. 

Horror fans have been thriving for years now, as the genre has been experiencing a thrilling renaissance. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters via new sequels, including Wes Craven’s Scream. The franchise starred Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, although she stepped down from Scream VI over a pay dispute. The final girl received a birthday shout out from Ghostface, and it’s so on brand. And no, he didn’t ask Campbell what her favorite scary movie was.

Aside from Ghostface himself, Neve Campbell is the face of the Scream franchise as a whole. She just celebrated her birthday, with plenty of fans sharing their love for the scream queen online. That includes a fan account for the Ghostface killer, who tweeted out a birthday message for the scream queen. Check it out for yourself below:

Poor Sid. As Ghostface mentioned during his birthday message to Neve Campbell, he’ll never really forget Sidney. So even if she never returns to the Scream franchise, she’ll still be the final girl we know and love. That being said, I really hope that Scream 7’s new director finds a way to make a deal with Campbell and bring her back to the fold.

Ghostface’s tweet to Neve Campbell is definitely on brand, but the comments section is also filled with messages from the generations of Scream fans out there. The franchise is a beloved part of film history, so Campbell’s performances as Sidney have been watched countless times. Add in her role in The Craft, and she’s a bonafide icon of the genre.

The House of Cards actress starred in the first five movies of the Scream franchise, but that legacy hit a speed bump with the most recent installment. Campbell departed her signature role ahead of filming Scream VI after a pay dispute. She’s still steadfast in that decision, with Campbell recently reflecting on feeling disrespected by her offer given her years in the franchise. 

But as previously mentioned, Scream 7 will have a new director behind the camera: Happy Death Day filmmaker Christopher Landon, who posted a message to fans after getting the job. Given that franchise's penchant for meta themes and mixture of comedy and horror, he seems like an excellent choice to take on the mantle from the filmmakers at Radio Silence.

Sceam 7 is currently in development, so almost nothing is known about what Landon and company have up their collective weeks. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

In the world of horror movies, few names are as iconic as Neve Campbell's. Her portrayal of Sidney Prescott in the Scream franchise made her a genre legend and the epitome of the 90s final girl. Fans of the series were delighted when it was announced that the Wild Things actress would be returning for the fifth installment, Scream (2022). However, much to everyone's surprise, she decided to depart the beloved franchise before the release of Scream VI. Today we delve into the story behind Campbell's decision to bid farewell to one of the best horror movie franchises, at least for now.

The Return of Sidney Prescott

When Neve announced her return to the fifth outing in the slasher series with a delightful social media post, fans were thrilled. The tough heroine, who had triumphed over the Ghostface killer in numerous encounters, had been a vital part of the franchise since its beginnings in 1996. Her comeback, alongside original stars David Arquette and Courteney Cox, further enriched the film with nostalgia and heightened the already intense anticipation for this much-anticipated prequel.

The original cast's return paid off, helping set up a new cast of characters and raking in the box office. Though we did see the demise of one long-running character, when a sixth movie was announced, it seemed like a no-brainer that the remaining legacy cast would return. But we were wrong. 

The Decision Not to Return Was Not an Easy One.

The 2022 reunion of the original trio in Westboro garnered massive success at the box office. Still, the Party of Five veteran initially said she was waiting on a script before confirming her return. Still, Campbell later delivered the disappointing news that she wouldn't reprise her role in the sixth movie due to an unfortunate salary disagreement. At the time, the 48-year-old actress openly discussed the reasons behind her decision, saying:

With the previous films raking in blockbuster earnings, it's only fair for the iconic actress to request equitable compensation. Unfortunately, no agreement was reached with Paramount Pictures, leading to Sidney Prescott's first-ever absence from the series.

The Impact of Neve’s Absence on Scream VI.

While the absence of the series' lead disappointed long-time fans, Scream VI featured beloved characters like OG member Courtney Cox's Gale Weathers and the return of Scream 4 fan favorite Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed. The movie received critical acclaim and fan approval. Despite initial plans to include Sidney in the story, the New York setting made her absence feel natural, reducing its impact compared to if it were set in Westboro. But with Scream 7 already in the works, albeit with a new director, the question arises: could Neve Campbell have a future with the series?

The Fifth Film a Final Farewell–Or Was It?

The Lincoln Lawyer actress deeply cherishes the character she originated but took issue with the paycheck offered for Scream VI, especially given her history with the franchise. Despite her departure, the entire cast, including OGs like Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard and newcomers like Melissa Barrera and Jasmin Savoy Brown, showed their support. Given her substantial contribution to the franchise's multi-million-dollar success, it's reasonable to assume she deserves fair compensation.

Longtime fans of the slasher franchise have reason to be excited as Kevin Williamson, the scriptwriter behind the 1996 Scream and its 1997 and 2011 sequels and a long-time producer in the franchise, expressed his desire for Neve Campbell to return as Sidney Prescott, emphasizing the importance of paying her what she deserves.

While it's uncertain whether a deal will be reached for her to join the Scream 7 cast, the franchise is available for streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. In the meantime, stay tuned to the 2023 movie release to see what upcoming horror movies are headed to a theater near you. 

The horror genre is built on long-running franchises, which are capable of bringing in consistent box office numbers. Scream is no exception in that regard, and we’ve gotten two sequels from Paramount in quick succession. But franchise hero Sidney Prescott was noticeably missing from the most recent installment, with Neve Campbell dropping out over a pay dispute. And the beloved scream queen recently reflected on that decision to remove herself from Scream VI. 

Wes Craven’s Scream is known as one of the best horror movies of all time, in no small part thanks to Neve Campbell’s performance as Sidney. She returned for four sequels, but took umbrage with the paycheck offered for Scream VI, especially given her long history with the franchise. A video of Campbell on Twitter revealed her current feelings on that business decision, staying steadfast by sharing:

Talk about a mic drop. While she doesn’t seem happy about having to step away from Scream, Neve Campbell’s morals compel her to. Sounds like the negotiations didn’t go well for Scream VI, and she was dissatisfied with the offer as well as her treatment. We’ll just have to wait and see if the studio can strike a new deal since Scream 7 is happening, albeit with a new director. Fingers crossed. 

Neve Campbell’s comments about equal pay come as the film and TV industry is largely shut down thanks to that very subject. The ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes still haven’t shown any signs of slowing, as union members wait for negotiations against the struck companies. Who knows? Maybe the timing of Scream 7’s development along with the strikes will make way for an agreement results in Campbell’s return as Sidney. 

Despite Campbell dropping out of Scream VI, the cast seems to universally stand behind her difficult decision. New school actors like Melissa Barrera and Jasmin Savoy Brown have shared support for Campbell, as well as OGs like Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard. After all, she helped the franchise make million of dollars throughout the years, and probably deserves whatever she’s asking for.

It’s currently unclear when Scream 7 will be released, but the franchise is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

When Scream VI hit theaters earlier this year, it marked the first time in Scream movie history that Ghostface and Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott did not share the screen. The absence of the famed final girl in the 2023 installment was due to the actress declining the offer to join the movie due to pay disputes. With a seventh Scream movie on the way, the franchise’s creator, Kevin Williamson, recently shared his thoughts on Campbell’s decision. 

Kevin Williamson wrote the script for 1996’s Scream, along with the 1997 and 2011 sequels, and has often served as a producer throughout the franchise, including taking up the role of executive producer in 2023’s Scream VI. When the screenwriter guested on the Happy Horror Time podcast, he shared that he would like to see Neve Campbell return to play Sidney Prescott under one condition. In his words: 

While on the podcast, Williamson threw in his support for Campbell for standing her ground when it came to her expectations for pay for the sixth Scream movie. Neve Campbell reprised Sidney Prescott alongside a few original Scream co-stars for the first time since Wes Craven’s death for 2022’s Scream. However, after what would become this year’s Scream VI was greenlit by Paramount, Campbell shared she wouldn’t be involved because she felt the offer presented to her “did not equate to the value” she has brought to the franchise.

Ultimately, Williamson sounds like he totally agrees that Neve Campbell simply deserves to be paid what she asks for and suggests that the movie studio does exactly that when it comes to future installments of Scream. We don’t know what numbers were on the table for Campbell when she left the money on the table, but Scream VI filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett did share interest in bringing back Sidney “down the road,” so perhaps one day the lead of the franchise will come back! 

Following 2023’s Scream VI, a seventh film in the franchise is currently in development with a new director taking over the job. Christopher Landon of the Happy Death Day movies and Freaky fame is helming the project. The cast has yet to be revealed for the next Scream movie, but here’s hoping Neve Campbell does strike a deal with Paramount this time that she’s comfortable with should the franchise want to bring back the original leading character once again. 

Until we learn more about it, check out what upcoming horror movies are coming our way this spooky season. 

Coming off of the billion-dollar box office of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and with the first Five Nights at Freddy’s movie set to possibly crush other upcoming horror movies with its Halloween release, audiences are arguably living amidst a golden age for video game adaptations. That assumption will seemingly be bolstered by the impending release of Peacock’s vehicle-centric action-comedy Twisted Metal, with MCU star Anthony Mackie heading things up. Though fans probably shouldn’t expect to see him showing off Captain America-esque levels of badass heroism as John Doe, as proven by the new footage seen below, which has everyone’s favorite ice cream truck driver, Sweet Tooth, opening up an ice cream bucket of whoop-ass. 

Along with the new footage, Peacock unveiled a batch of new imagery for Twisted Metal as the streaming service revs up the promotional push for the anticipated new show. But before we get to some of the other co-stars such as Samantha Beatrix, Thomas Haden Church, and WWE’s Samoa Joe, check out the clip below, which showcases the most amusing use of Sisqo’s “Thong Song” since Legends of Tomorrow brought him into its Season 5 finale.

Even though that clearly isn't Will Arnett doing the physical acting, it's so funny to hear his voice coming from that hulking beast in a clown mask. We can only hope that Sweet Tooth will show up in LEGO Masters Season 3 or on a future episode of Arnett's podcast Smartless. Though hopefully in a calmer mood, as not to have those appearances end in bloody carnage.

This clip seems like it cements everything that fans can expect to see from Twisted Metal's live-action adaptation, at least in that it's a mix of bone-cracking action and tongue-in-cheek humor. And if the song choice is any indication, the show might just be full of music pulled from Universal Music Group's massive library.

If I'd have had 300 guesses for what song Anthony Mackie's John and Arnett's Sweet Tooth would team up on at any point in Twisted Metal, I likely wouldn't have come close to making "Thong Song" an option. Even if it was just limited to '90s tracks. Probably could have done it if "clothing-specific" was part of the clue, at least after guessing Weezer's "Sweater Song" and TLC's "Hat 2 Da Back."

Now let's step away from Mackie getting beaten up to...Mackie being tied up and held at gunpoint. Clearly things are not going well for this dude early on in the season. Check him out alongside the similarly bound Quiet, as portrayed by Brooklyn Nine-Nine vet Stephanie Beatriz, as they're being guided away by Mike and Stu, as played by P-Valley's Tahj Vaughans and Doughboys co-host Mike "The Spoon Man" Mitchell, respectively. (Mike and Stu were introduced in Twisted Metal 2 as Hammerhead's drivers.)

And then we have Neve Campbell taking on the Twisted Metal: Black character Raven, who is behind the wheel of the hearse Shadow in the games she appears in.

Thomas Haden Church is in T-1000 mode as Agent Stone, which was the name of two characters in the video game's universe. The first was an alien-truther secret agent who drove the Lamborghini Crimson Fury in the flagship title, while the TM: Black and TM: Lost version is a sharpshooter that comes from a family of police officers in Midtown. 

I can't wait to see more from Twisted Metal, which will be avaible to everyone with a Peacock subscription starting on July 27, when all 10 high-octane episodes will be there to binge. Head to our 2023 TV schedule to see what else is popping up between now and then.

Updated with video.

Video game adaptations are all the rage now, as evidenced by the acclaim of HBO's The Last Of Us and oodles of cash The Super Mario Bros. Movie continues to rake in at the box office. It was only a matter of time before players like Peacock got into this "game," and that streaming service has certainly lined up an interesting series, with Anthony Mackie and a stacked cast leading Twisted Metal, which just dropped its first trailer.

The show follows a milkman with no memory of his past who is tasked with delivering a package in a world filled with villainous folks in cars that can cause massive amounts of death and destruction. There are a lot of stars attached to this series from Deadpool and Cobra Kai writers, but let's kick things off with the stars of who will lead this action-packed and twisted series, starting with our leading man. 

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie, who is currently playing Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, joins Twisted Metal as a much more mysterious character. John Doe is a milkman with amnesia who can gain a better life for himself by delivering a package through a dangerous wasteland. Doe will seek to deliver the package and perhaps find out more about his past in the process. 

Stephanie Beatriz 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Encanto star Stephanie Beatriz comes into Twisted Metal with an original character to the franchise, Quiet. Quiet seems anything but that based on her personality, and is described as a car thief who often acts on her impulses. I can't imagine you're too quiet when always doing the first thing that comes to mind, but I guess we'll find out!

Thomas Haden Church

Thomas Haden Church has appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home and so many other movies and television shows, and now he's in Twisted Metal. Those with a Peacock Premium subscription will see Church as Agent Stone, an agent from the original game with an axe to grind with the United States government. Who knows how much of his story will carry into the adaptation, but I'm definitely excited to see what Church brings to the character. 

Samoa Joe

Pro wrestling superstar Samoa Joe will step into Twisted Metal as one of the most iconic characters of the video game franchise. Sweet Tooth is someone with a lot of history, but if you're looking to enter this story spoiler-free, you may not want to read up much on him. With that said, Sweet Tooth is the spooky clown readers might've seen on the games over the years, and is a pretty merciless and wild killer. I'm very curious to see this character in live-action, especially with Samoa Joe being the imposing figure that he is. 

Will Arnett

From Murderville to LEGO Masters, Will Arnett has built up an impressive body of work in the television genre. This time around, he'll be providing a little vocal work for the Twisted Metal series, as he's the voice behind Sweet Tooth. Arnett may not have the physicality for the role of the mysterious and violent mascot of the franchise, but he has a noted track record as a great voice actor. I mean, c'mon, even as LEGO Batman, he still has one of the coolest of the Caped Crusader's voices. 

Richard Cabral

Richard Cabral is hopping over from his former gig at Mayans M.C. to Twisted Metal. Cabral will play Loud, and for those wondering if he's connected to Quiet in any way, you're very astute. Loud is Quiet's older brother, and apparently an overprotective brother at that. It's possible he'll be in pursuit of her throughout the series, as well as targeting anyone he deems a threat to her wellbeing. 

Neve Campbell

Neve Campbell has been popping around Hollywood ever since her breakout role on Party of Five and, of course, the Scream franchise. In Twisted Metal, she'll take on the role of Raven, who is a character from the original games. Raven, perhaps predictably so, has a sort of goth-type style, so it's possible this adaptation of the character will rock the same look. We can only wait and see, and hope this role for Campbell is as iconic as the rest of hers. 

Tahj Vaughans

P-Valley actor Tahj Vaughans will join Twisted Metal to play the role of Mike. He is one-half of the driving duo of Mike and Stu, who, in their sole appearance in Twisted Metal 2, were cruising around in search of the ultimate high. Their giant monster truck Hammerhead apparently doesn't provide enough thrills for them, so perhaps we'll see them get into more action during the series. 

Mike Mitchell

The Tomorrow War actor Mike Mitchell will hop into Twisted Metal to play Stu. As previously mentioned, he's Mike's partner, and they're traveling around in their Hammerhead truck searching for what could be the ultimate high. I'm unsure if either will find it, but I'd question searching something like that out in a world as dangerous as the one in Twisted Metal. 

Lou Beatty Jr.

Lou Beatty Jr. might be most known lately for his time on A Million Little Things, but folks will soon know him from Twisted Metal. The actor will step into the role of Tommy, who is a cartographer who knows the ins and outs of the dangerous road that travelers must navigate in this world. That's always handy for anyone on a mission, so hopefully our heroes find him pretty early on. 

Michael Carollo

Michael Carollo is an up-and-coming actor with guest roles on NCIS: New Orleans and Chicago P.D., and now he's stepping into Twisted Metal. It's been reported by Collider that Carollo's role is undisclosed, so we're not entirely sure what he'll be up to when this series kicks off. 

Chloe Fineman

Saturday Night Live's Chloe Fineman will also step into Twisted Metal, and like Carollo, in an undisclosed role. The tone of this series is said to fall between action and comedy, so it's of little surprise someone with Fineman's comedic chops will be a part of the fun. Unfortunately, there's only so much we can speculate on without knowing the details of who or what she's playing, but we're excited to see her all the same!

Twisted Metal is headed to Peacock on July 27, 2023. Hopefully it continues the streak of successful video game adaptations in media and encourages even more upcoming video game shows to hit streaming services. 

Let me tell you something that truly changed my life as a young girl – women in movies. There are so many blockbuster films that I watched as a kid and fell in love with because of not only the content I was viewing, but the badass actresses I was watching on the screen. From sci-fi horror movies to dystopian young adult films, I have and will always be in love with these amazing actresses who put their all into leading these blockbuster movies to success – or having standout roles that I truly can’t forget. Here are some of my favorites, from Viola Davis to Sigourney Weaver.

Viola Davis (The Woman King)

Obviously, we need to start this list with a killer performance from 2022, Viola Davis in The Woman King cast. She's had plenty of awesome roles before that you might recognize her from, but her portrayal of General Nanisca, of the real-life warrior women, the Agojie, did something to me and wow, I’ve never been terrified of Viola Davis kicking my butt, but here we are. If you haven’t had the chance to watch her in this fantastic Black-led film, please do so.

Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road) 

The Mad Max: Fury Road cast was filled with stars who have gone on do plenty, but everyone always talks about Charlize Theron, who portrayed Furiosa in the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic action film. There’s a reason why there’s a prequel film coming out about her character – she was badass, a killer, and I would watch her over and over again if I could. 

Letitia Wright And Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

After the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a different turn in the world Black Panther, putting T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, and his mother played by Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett, at the forefront. Through their strong performances in a story about Wakanda post-T’Challa, and their journey through grief, they gave compelling performances. Bassett was even nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the film. 

Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde)

If you want to talk about one of the most iconic college films of all time, Legally Blonde needs to be on that list. The story is of a former fashion student, played by the lovely Reese Witherspoon, who goes to Harvard in order to win her boyfriend back. Elle Woods is the picture perfect example of when you put your mind into something and being able to achieve it – and she did that and more once she got into that school. Witherspoon's Elle was the perfect casting. 

Zoe Saldana (Avatar Films)

Let’s be honest – when it comes to the Avatar films, we all remember Neytiri more than Jake. He’s cool and all, but Neytiri. 

In both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, Zoe Saldana gave an incredible performance as Neytiri, not only as a warrior but as a mother in the sequel, showing amazing emotions through a motion capture performance. 

While Zoe Saldana is known for many other amazing roles (like playing Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and Uhura in the Star Trek franchise), showing just how much of a badass she is, there's really nothing quite as amazing as her role in these films.  

She’s right up there with Andy Serkis with these incredible motion-capture roles. You can’t help but love her. 

Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

If you haven’t had the chance to watch the Best Picture winner, Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, I’d highly suggest watching it, if not just for Michelle Yeoh’s incredible performance. Winning the Oscar for Best Actress, Yeoh is electric in her starring role as the matriarch of this movie’s family, and displays an impressive range of emotions and badass martial arts that makes this film fantastic. Trust me when I say every bit of time viewing this movie is worth it. 

Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games Series)

Jennifer Lawrence was someone that I grew up watching in The Hunger Games franchise, and while I am excited for the prequel film that will star another great young actress (Rachel Zegler), no one can defeat the powerful performance that Lawrence gave through all four movies. A revolutionary like Katniss, living in a world that is overcome with chaos and unfairness, and leading a war for freedom is the perfect example of what a reluctant leader is, even though she rocked her responsibilities at the same time. 

Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)

You want to hear a fun story? When I saw Marvel’s Avengers with my dad, way back in 2012, when I was thirteen years old, I knew nothing about superheroes, only that most of the popular ones were male. Then I saw Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) and looked up at my dad and said, “she’s a girl.”

Ever since then, my love of superheroes blossomed, but it always started with me seeing someone like me on the big screen. While I personally believe Black Widow should have happened sooner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s no denying that Johansson delivers a stellar final performance playing the role that made me love Marvel in the first place. 

Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman)

Let’s talk about another female superhero – one I did know way back when, Wonder Woman, and how Gal Gadot is literally the perfect person to play the iconic role, both in Wonder Woman and its sequel. She had the beauty of the famous character, but was able to bring a fierceness I had never seen, a bravery that made me want to go out and be as strong as her. I’ll always be upset that the chances of her continuing to play her are low now, but I enjoyed her as the hero for the time that we got her. 

Uma Thurman (Kill Bill Vol. 1 And 2)

God, do I love a vengeful woman. There’s something about watching a girl be a complete badass and take down her enemies that I adore, and both Kill Bill movies, starring Uma Thurman, are just that. While she has been in plenty of other amazing films, her as the Bride was utter perfection and I would, hands down, dress up as her for Halloween if I could. Definitely one of Quentin Tarantino’s best – and yes, I still want to see a sequel years later. 

Sigourney Weaver (Alien)

An icon among icons; you can’t have a list like this and not bring up Sigourney Weaver. Famous for her role in the sci-fi horror film, Alien, she is the blueprint for badass female action stars. Ellen Ripley is an iconic character in every shape and form, but she could only become as historic as she is now thanks to Weaver’s portrayal. She was even nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. 

Angelina Jolie (Maleficent)

Disney villains sometimes get a bad rap, but let me tell you, I never thought I would feel bad for Maleficent, who seemed to be the pure portrayal of evil in Sleeping Beauty – that was until the live-action Maleficent, where she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie. 

I swear, anything Jolie touches ends up turning to gold, but her as Maleficent did something to me. She was able to still accurately portray that viciousness that made her such a good villain in the first place, but add so much heart to the character I never thought possible, including a backstory that truly shook me. In terms of live-action Disney villain movies, you can’t get better than this.  

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Fun fact – Gravity is one of the only films in my life that I ever felt sort of sick while watching – because who wants to imagine spinning around in space for hours. But that doesn’t mean Sandra Bullock’s performance wasn’t amazing. Featuring the story of astronauts who are stranded in space after their shuttle is destroyed, Bullock truly shows what terror is like with her performance, and made me quite scared of space. She even got an Academy Award nomination for it. 

Carrie Fisher (The Star Wars Movies)

While we can talk about iconic Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker or Han Solo, let’s be honest – they wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher. Featuring an iconic performance in all three original films, as well as the sequels later on, Carrie Fisher made young girls want to travel the galaxy and be just as brave as her, as she did for me. While Natalie Portman and Daisy Ridley also brought us iconic characters like Padme and Rey, there’s no one quite like Leia. 

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

Julia Roberts is a queen of rom-coms and has truly helped create some of the best movies, and one of my favorites from her is Pretty Woman. An iconic film about a sex worker getting to live a life of luxury after being hired and falling in love with a rich man, Roberts gave the performance of a lifetime and made us all believe in love – also receiving several nominations and awards for her performance in the film. 

Neve Campbell (Scream)

Scream is probably one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time and certainly one of the best horror movies ever, but what is Scream without its final girl, Sidney Prescott? Portrayed by Neve Campbell, the actress brought the character to life for five Scream films before ultimately not coming back to the role for Scream VI. However, she became many people's favorite final girl with how she always made it out alive – with a gun in her hands. 

Meryl Streep And Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!)

Last but not least, we need to talk about Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried, both of whom are just amazing in Mamma Mia! Admittedly one of my favorite movies, these two actresses perfectly capture the relationship between a mother and daughter, while also having their own compelling storylines of finding love on a remote Greek island. You really can’t get better than them. 

These are just few performances from blockbuster movies that are led by women, and I’m sure there are some I'm missing, but if you choose to watch any of these films for any reason, you won’t be wasting your time. Every single one of them is absolutely amazing. 

The horror genre has been in a renaissance for years now, and 2023 definitely started off with a bang thanks to releases like M3GAN and Scream VI. The latter movie arrived over the weekend, and has already broken records for the beloved franchise. Just like its 2022 predecessor, the new Scream was helmed by directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett who are also superfans of the property. The last two movies have brought back legacy characters like Judy Hicks and Kirby Reed respectively, and there are 5 Scream survivors that I think need to be brought back in a future sequel. 

In every Scream movie there are a few characters that manage to make it out of their encounter with Ghostface still alive. When I spoke with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett ahead of Scream VI's release, they teased that the identity of another potential returning character was revealed via an easter egg. I've seen the movie twice and can't quite crack the code, but there seems like a few obvious choices to return if Paramount greenlights another sequel. Let's break it all down.

Patrick Dempsey as Mark Kincaid (Scream 3)

This is one Scream return that felt like it was inevitable for a time. Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey famously starred as Mark Kincaid in Scream 3, and survived the attacks by Ghostface Roman Bridger. While he hasn't been seen in the slasher franchise since, he's felt just out of the frame thanks to a few key references.

Because when Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott appeared in the 2022 Scream, it became clear that she and Mark actually ended up marrying and having a family together. His name was dropped, although Patrick Dempsey never actually appeared. But with the franchise continuing to lean into legacy characters, could this change in a future appearance? Of course, the return of Kincaid would presumably be tied to Sidney, so Neve Campbell might have to negotiate a new deal in order to see this pair back on the big screen. But with Patrick Dempsey recently getting into the sequel game with his role in Disenchanted, it doesn't seem totally out of the question that he might take another Scream gig.

Rebecca Gayheart and Portia de Rossi as Sister Lois and Sister Murphy (Scream 2)

This one is a two-fer. 1997's Scream 2 followed as Sidney went away to college, only for Ghostface to return for another massacre. Wes Craven's first sequel was jam packed with red herrings, with some of these characters never actually coming into contact with the masked killer throughout its 120-minute runtime. And that was certainly the case with Sister Lois and Sister Murphy, played by Rebecca Gayheart and Portia de Rossi respectively. 

These two characters were largely kept out of the main action of Scream 2; they were at various parties and in the cast of Sidney's play, but didn't actually get bloody like most of their co-stars. So hardcore fans would no doubt be psyched to see either or both of them return in a future Scream movie.

If we're judging by the easter eggs in Scream VI, the return of Lois and/or Murphy does feel possible. Namely because Jenna Ortega's Tara mentions she was thinking of pledging Omega Beta Zega at college, which is one of the sororities in Scream 2. Could Tara end up going Delta Lambda Zeta instead, and meet Lois or Murphy at an alumni event? Only time will tell. 

Heather Matarazzo as Martha Meeks (Scream 3, Scream 2022)

This Scream legacy character is perhaps the most likely to return out of everyone on this list. Namely because Heather Matarazzo recently reprised her role as Martha Meeks in the 2022 movie. And as such, she's worked with the folks at Radio Silence and would easily be able to slip back into her character.

Martha is the mother of Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, and the sister of Jamie Kennedy's Randy. She originally appeared in Scream 3, in a small role. And since the twins make up half of the Core Four, it seems more than logical that she could return in a future sequel. Maybe we'll find out who Mindy and Chad's father is in the process.

Actress Heather Matarazzo has had a long career full of iconic roles, so I'm hoping to see Martha get her vey own Ghostface scene sometime in the future. Matarazzo can lean into her horror roots from Hostel: Part II, and finally get to have the spotlight in a Scream scene. I'd like to see her even be an opening kill, perhaps giving Chad and Mindy a reason to return to Woodsboro.

Duane Martin as Joel Jones (Scream 2)

Wes Craven's 1996 original Scream movie introduced the official rules to follow in order to survive a scary movie, iconically introduced by Jamie Kennedy's Randy Meeks. Aside from not having sex or doing drugs, there's a way to guarantee survival that almost no one actually uses: getting TF out of dodge. While Sam and Tara tried to escape Woodsboro in the 2022 sequel, only one character has actually been able to leave early on in a Scream movie. And that honor goes to Scream 2's Joel played by actor Duane Martin.

Duane Martin is prominently featured in the posts and marketing for Scream 2, but ended up having a fairly small role. Originally hired as a last minute cameraman for Gale Weathers, his character Joel eventually reads about the Woodsboro murders when Ghostface starts taking victims at Windsor College. And once he finds out what happened to her last camera man, he smartly flees and is never seen again.

Joel's possible return could have been hinted at in Scream VI through the noticeable use of a camera as a weapon. When Ghostface strikes at the NYC shrine to the previous killers, Mason Gooding's Chad ends up using a camera to attack the killer. The camera itself is presumably from Kenny from the original Scream, but it could be Joel's too. Regardless, this feel like a potential thread to pull from when figuring out what the directors are planning next.

Bonus Round: Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott

Of course, the legacy character that fans are most eager to see return to Scream is its protagonist Sidney Prescott, played to perfection by Neve Campbell in the first five movies. Unfortunately she dropped out of Scream VI due to a pay dispute, making that movie the first without Sidney. 

While the Core Four are excellent actors who expertly carried the emotional story of Scream VI, I still would love to see Neve Campbell negotiate a new deal and return for any future sequels. Scream actors new and old have all put their support behind Campbell, so it doesn't seem like there's any hard feelings. Let's hope she actually gets to come back for a future faceoff against Ghostface.

Scream VI is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The filmmakers behind Scream VI, starring Jenna Ortega, Courteney Cox, and Melissa Barrera, join us to discuss the latest installment in the Scream franchise. , the trio that makes up Radio Silence, discuss bringing Ghostface to New York City, making a Scream movie without Neve Campbells Sydney Prescott, and more.

Also this week, we give our final predictions for who will take home the little golden statues at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Timestamps (approx. only)

00:00:00 - intro
00:04:53 - Radio Silence Scream VI Interview
00:36:07 - 2023 Oscars Predictions
01:26:41 - 65 Review
01:32:06 - Scream VI Review
01:47:33 - Outro

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The Scream saga continues this weekend when Ghostface chases the crew to New York City, causing all sorts of chaos that worked extremely well for critics who screened the film in advance. Our own Corey Chichizola – a dedicated Scream fanatic – called Scream 6 a brutal game changer for the franchise, and in one specific way, he’s right. The story of the new Scream movies have shifted away from the O.G. characters of Dewey Riley (David Arquette), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) to focus on the team that Scream 6 refers to as “the core four.” And some of this is because Campbell refused to return for Scream 6 over a salary dispute.    

But how might Scream 6 have used Sidney if in fact the stalwart of the series had worked things out with the studio and agreed to return? It was a question that we posed to Radio Silence, the filmmakers behind last year’s Scream and its new sequel. And while they couldn’t get into the studio politics of the decisions, filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett confirmed that the news reached them very early in the process, to which Bettinelli-Olpin went on to explain:

Personally, I think they do an excellent job of making us care deeply about the “core four,” which is made up of Scream 6 cast members Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding. Even with the return of Cox and Scream 4 veteran Hayden Panettiere (once again playing Kirby), this new movie felt very much dedicated to, and in the hands of, the younger actors who will be responsible for carrying the Scream torch moving forward. And it’s time. 

Listen to our full conversation with the Radio Silence guys on the latest episode of the ReelBlend podcast:

This is a competitive month at the box office. In addition to Scream 6, Sony has the Adam Driver dinosaur movie 65 in theaters today. Creed 3 is still expected to perform well, and then Shazam: Fury of the Gods and John Wick 4 are on the horizon. Someone should have pushed to April, where competition wasn’t nearly as stacked! Make sure to use our guide to Upcoming 2023 movies to keep track of what is coming, and when.

What’s your favorite scary movie? This line of dialogue is forever linked with the Scream franchise, and that title is also the answer for many horror fans out there like me. Moviegoers have been treated to two new sequels, which have been released in quick succession. Scream VI is the first movie of the franchise without Neve Campbell, but what does she think of the new slasher? Scream OG Skeet Ulrich revealed his talks with his iconic co-star about this new flick.

Scream fans out there were super disappointed when it was revealed that the sixth movie would be the first without Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, with the actress citing a pay dispute as the reason behind her departure. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t seen Scream VI, with Billy Loomis himself Skeet Ulrich recently telling People about her reaction. As he put it,

How sweet is that? While Neve Campbell had to do what was right for her and her family, it looks like there’s no hurt feelings over how the Scream franchise moved on without her presence. Of course, I’m hoping this means she could return for a possible sequel, as long as a new deal is made for the iconic scream queen. Fingers crossed. 

Skeet Ulrich’s comments might be a relief for Scream fans out there, who had mixed feelings about seeing the sixth movie without Neve Campbell’s protagonist. Mainly because she seemingly approved of the sixth flick. It’s almost hard to imagine the franchise without Sidney Prescott, but that’s exactly what the new movie from Radio Silence is. Although the reviews for Scream VI have been super positive, it seems the filmmakers have cracked that code.

The last two Scream movies were the first to come out since the death of legendary filmmaker Wes Craven, so the pressure was on to deliver. Luckily directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are superfans, who crafted two movies heavily connected to the originals. That includes Skeet Ulrich returning as Billy Loomis via hallucinations from new final girl Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera). Other legacy characters have also been included in the fun, including Scream 4’s Judy Hicks and (most recently) Hayden Panettiere’s return as Kirby Reed.

While fans were bummed that Neve Campbell dropped out of Scream VI, she received a ton of support from cast members, both new and old. That includes OGs like Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard, as well as the new school like Melissa Barrera and Jasmin Savoy Brown. It sounds like everyone involved really respects Campbell, which is why I’m hoping a return happens sometime in the future. We’ll just have to see if Paramount green lights another sequel.

Scream VI is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. There are plenty more horror movies to enjoy this year. 

It's a great time to be a horror fan, as the genre has been going through a renaissance for years now. This includes both new titles and the return of beloved franchises like Scream. We're just weeks away from the release of Scream VI, so anticipation is at a fever pitch. OG star Courteney Cox recently opened up about filming Scream VI without Neve Campbell, and how working with Ghostface was different this time around.

Scream VI was helmed by the same directors who did the last movie, who moved the story from Woodsboro to New York City. Fans were bummed out when it was revealed that Neve Campbell dropped out of the movie due to a pay dispute, but were relieved that Courtney Cox was present as the final member of the OG trio of heroes. She recently spoke to Variety about the experience filming without her frequent collaborator, saying:

Well that certainly sounds like a new experience for Courteney Cox. On top of filming Scream VI without Neve Campbell and David Arquette (RIP Dewey), Ghostface was handled differently for her as well. Although fans are definitely concerned about Gale after seeing footage from the sequence that she's referencing. 

While Courteney Cox admitted that she missed Neve Campbell during production of Scream VI, she's one of the many actors from the franchise who put their support behind her decision to step away. Both Scream OGs and the new stars like Melissa Barrera have voiced this type of sentiment, showing how much respect Campbell has from everyone involved in the bloody franchise. And who knows? Maybe she could be back for a future movie with a better deal. As a reminder, you can check out the full trailer for Scream VI below.

What's perhaps more fascinating about Courteney Cox's latest comments about Scream VI is that her big scene with Ghostface was filmed before even she knew who the identity of the killer was. This is seemingly an indication of the franchise's tight security, and may hint that the chase scene happens in early in the movie's runtime. Let's just hope she makes it out alive. 

While Courteney Cox filmed Scream VI without Neve Campbell, she was joined by another former colleague. Namely Hayden Panettiere, who reprised her role as fan-favorite character Kirby Reed for the first time since Scream 4.

All will be revealed when Scream VI hits theaters on March 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

By the mid-1990s, screenwriter Kevin Williamson was in serious trouble. He had been living in Los Angeles for a few years trying to sell his scripts, but he was primarily interested in making horror films, and studios weren’t interested. According to an interview with Williamson in Inside Story: Scream, he was three months behind on his rent, and he couldn’t pay his bills or his car payment. He was, in his own words, desperate.

Needing money, he took on a housesitting gig, and one night in the dark and lonely home ultimately changed his life forever. Watching television, Williamson channel surfed to a news special about Danny Rolling: a man perhaps better known as the Gainesville Ripper. Rolling was a monstrous serial killer known for breaking into dormitories and sexually assaulting, murdering, and mutilating college students, and learning the details sufficiently freaked out the screenwriter. Seeking some sense of security, Williamson made a call to a friend, but they didn’t talk about puppies and rainbows; they talked about their favorite scary movies.

Kevin Williamson came away from the experience inspired. Channeling his love for his favorite film, John Carpenter’s Halloween, he went off to Palm Springs for some isolation and to focus on working. He locked himself in a room and let his mind pour out on the page, and we walked away with a new, original screenplay for a feature that he dubbed simply… Scary Movie.

That title wouldn’t stick (it was eventually changed to Scream late in production), but it was instantly clear to anyone who read the script that Williamson had created something special. While the genre was seen as being dead at the time, Scary Movie’s quality nonetheless inspired an intense bidding war that was ultimately won by Dimension Films – a new division of Miramax founded by Bob Weinstein. As things turned out, the interest and investment was wholly justified. Scream, with legendary director Wes Craven at the helm, ended up saving horror cinema.

With its smart and captivating post-modern perspective, Scream became a game-changer when it was released in December 1996. Critics didn’t get it at first, but audiences did, and they turned it into the industry’s first massive horror box office win in years. The genre wouldn’t be what it is today without it, and I’ll be taking a close look at its impact in this first installment of a new weekly column: Scream’s History And Legacy.

Why Scream Is The Best Movie In The Scream Franchise

In any film franchise, it’s hard to top the original. Simply put, the whole reason any franchise exists is because of the high quality of the movie that kick started it, and the seminal chapter is typically the high bar to which all of the later installments are eventually compared. Expectations are set, and hard to top. This isn’t true in every case – but it is true when it comes to Scream.

For reasons I’ll get into deeper in this column, Wes Craven’s Scream is a movie that was very much of its time – built specifically to reflect on what had become of the horror genre after the slasher and sequel happy 1980s – and yet, like a great piece of film criticism, it is timeless because of the sharpness and intelligence of its commentary, and it’s elite in the legacy of the series.

Like any mystery, Scream is a different experience on rewatch when you know the identity of the killers, but the way in which the movie is layered is better than what’s featured in any of the sequels thus far, particularly because of the observable ways in which clues and false leads are unfurled – from the black boots that come down in the bathroom stall when Sidney is at school, to the suggestions that perhaps David Arquette’s goofy Deputy Dewey Riley or Henry Winkler’s Principal Himbry could be the man behind the Ghostface mask.

While every sequel has tried, the opening sequence with the murder of Drew Barrymore’s Casey Becker will never be topped, nor we will ever be able to forget the introductions of the icons of the franchise – including Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, Dewey Riley, Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers, Jamie Kennedy’s Randy Meeks. And while there have been some great killers in this franchise, there is no topping the duo of Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis and Matthew Lillard’s Stu Macher.

How Scream Fits Into The History Of Horror

In 1984, Wes Craven made an outsized impact on the film world with A Nightmare On Elm Street: a movie that introduced the terror of Robert Englund’s Freddy Kruger and put New Line Cinema on the map (the studio dubbed with the nickname “The House That Freddy Built.”) Twelve years later, Craven outdid that by saving the horror genre as a whole.

As alluded to, horror was in a dismal place at the start of the 1990s. While the 1980s was a boom time thanks to the dominance of the slasher subgenre, studios exploiting brands like Halloween, Friday The 13th, and A Nightmare On Elm Street with endless, quickly produced, and bad sequels had the effect of exhausting the audience. Scary movies became box office poison, and studios became reticent to invest in them. A shake-up was desperately needed, and that’s what Scream provided.

Not only was the film a wakeup call to the industry demanding for new creative energy in the field, the box office performance was a loud expression of support for change from audiences. It was an unconventional release coming out during the holiday season in 1996, and while it didn’t have an amazing opening weekend (taking fourth place and making $6.4 million), it shocked the cinema world by having a more successful second weekend (earning $9.1 million), and then an even more successful third weekend (bringing in another $10 million). By the time it left theaters around the Memorial Day holiday in May 1997, it made $103 million domestically, and was crowned the highest grossing horror movie of all time.

What also can’t be ignored is that Scream reinvigorated the spirit of a horror legend. When Dimension Films acquired the project, Wes Craven was considered the number one choice to take the helm… but he turned it down multiple times. The filmmaker never really stopped making horror movies, but in the early 1990s his personal issues with the genre were weighing on him. He explains in Inside Story: Scream,

He got more intrigued by Scream when he learned that Drew Barrymore was interested in playing Sidney Prescott, but Craven gives most of the credit for his eventual “yes” to a pre-teen he met during an autograph session:

The rest is horror history.

How Scream Sets Up Its Franchise’s Future

After four sequels and a TV show (with Scream VI soon on the way), the staples of the Scream franchise are all well-established, and all of them have their origins in the original film.

First and foremost, there is Ghostface. While creatives were struggling in Scream’s pre-production to nail down a look for the movie’s slasher, the mask was first discovered by producer Marianne Maddalena while scouting potential filming locations – finding it hanging on a bedpost. The great minds at KNB EFX attempted to create a legally safe knockoff, but nothing they came up with had the impact of what had been found. Wes Craven actually ended up using the mask during filming before proper rights were acquired, but fortunately any legal crisis was averted when the company that owned the mask, Fun World, was discovered, and a deal was made to use the design in exchange for mention in the end credits and $100 (per the 2011 documentary Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective).

It should go without saying that Scream wouldn’t be Scream without Ghostface – but Scream also wouldn’t be Scream without Ghostface’s voice. Roger L. Jackson was initially hired by the production simply to perform opposite Drew Barrymore on set, the thought being that the voice would later be dubbed… but nobody in the world could deliver the line, “You hang up on me again and I’ll gut you like a fish” like he can, and Jackson has been an integral part of the franchise ever since.

Just below the significance of the killer’s look and sound is the big opening scare. As noted, Drew Barrymore was initially cast in the role of Sidney Prescott, but it was her last minute idea for her to play Casey Becker instead. In the tradition of Janet Leigh in Psycho, audiences were shocked that an A-list, heavily promoted talent would be killed off in the first 15 minutes, and an attempt at recreating that magic is present in every sequel.

Of course, genre self-awareness is a huge part of the formula – with characters not just being aware of horror movies, but of the "rules" that govern them – and there is always the slasher-centric mystery, which usually is resolved with the reveal of not just one killer, but two. (I’ll be digging more into that “usually” a couple weeks from now).

Is Scream A Good Horror Movie In General?

Context is not needed to justify the quality of Scream. It is not just a great Scream movie, or even just one of the best horror movies of all time; it’s a phenomenal cinematic achievement with vital importance in the history of genre filmmaking.

There was no shortage of issues in the making of Scream – the effort including Wes Craven nearly being fired early into filming, a conflict with the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board robbing the production of a key shooting location, and battles with the MPAA to avoid an NC-17 rating for the final cut. And yet through it all, the movie is a masterpiece that is as smart and funny as it is scary.

And Scream truly is brilliantly scary. The meta commentary is pointed, Randy Meeks’ geekdom is hilarious, and we can always “aww” at the budding romance between Dewey and Gale, but when it’s slasher time, there are no laughs or smiles. Whether you are watching the film for the first time or the hundredth, there is no dismissing the pure terror of Casey Becker’s murder, the tragic end of Rose McGowan’s Tatum Riley, or Sidney Prescott’s fight for survival at Stu Macher’s party.

The brilliance of Kevin Williamson’s script, the genius of Wes Craven’s direction, and a perfect ensemble cast permanently cements Scream’s important place in horror and cinema history.

How To Watch Scream

At present, Wes Craven’s Scream is not available on any of the subscription streaming services, but it is nonetheless very accessible online. Digital purchase and rental options are available from the major online outlets – including Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, and Apple. If you’re a physical media collector, a beautiful 4K edition hit stores in 2021, but you can also get it on standard Blu-ray.

Be on the lookout on CinemaBlend next Thursday for the second edition of Scream’s History And Legacy, which, naturally, will be taking a close look at everything that Scream 2 has to offer both to the franchise of which it is a part and the horror genre at large.

The horror genre has been experiencing a renaissance for years now, to the delight of the countless fans out there. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters via new sequels, including Wes Craven’s Scream. A sixth movie will arrive in theaters in just a few months, although it’ll be the first installment without Neve Campbell. Scream VI fan art imagined her return as Sidney, and now I’m sad all over again. Hello, Sidney indeed.

Shortly before Scream VI started filming, it was revealed that Neve Campbell wouldn’t be appearing as Sidney Prescott, citing a pay dispute as the reason. Some fans are still holding out hope that she’ll appear, although she’s denied any renegotiations. It’s almost impossible to imagine Scream without Sid, but it looks like that’s what’s in store this March. Some fan art just arrived on Twitter that adds her to the posters, check it out below:

I mean, how cool is that? While it’s awesome to imagine Sidney Prescott fighting off Ghostface in New York City, this fan poster really hammers home the fact that we won’t see her in Scream VI. Still, smart money says directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have some twists prepared for longtime fans of the slasher property. After all, they're superfans themselves. 

The above piece of fan art comes to us from a Twitter account titled The Discfather, which celebrates having physical media as opposed to streaming. Unfortunately there’s no indication that Neve Campbell will show up during Scream VI’s mysterious runtime. And with David Arquette’s Dewey killed off in the last movie, that means that Courteney Cox will seemingly be the only OG in the new sequel’s cast.

The fifth scream movie largely focused on a new cast of characters from Woodsboro, with Melissa Barrera’s Sam Carpenter serving as the new protagonist. Scream VI will follow the two sets of surviving siblings from the last movie as they attempt to make a new life for themselves in the Big Apple. And it sounds like that setting is going to bring new challenges and terrifying stakes to scenes with Ghostface. You can see a taste of this in Scream VI’s first teaser, check it out below:

While Scream fans might be missing Sidney when Scream VI arrives in theaters, the hardcore fans will be treated to the long-awaited return of another fan favorite character. Namely Hayden Panettiere as Scream 4’s Kirby Reed. And since the last movie also included the surprise return of other characters like Heather Matarazzo as Martha Meeks. So there’s no telling what tricks the directors might have up their collective sleeve for the next slasher.

Scream VI is currently expected to hit theaters on March 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. We’ll just have to wait and see if more Scream sequels are ordered, and if Neve Campbell gets another opportunity to play Sidney. 

The horror genre has been thriving for years now, as fans enjoy a renaissance of new and exciting projects. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters over the last few years thanks to long-awaited sequels, including Scream. And franchise creator/writer Kevin Williamson recently explained how Neve Campbell helped guide Sidney’s story in the third movie. Although now I’m even more sad she’s gone and won’t be in the upcoming Scream VI.

Generations of Scream fans were disappointed when it was revealed that the upcoming sixth movie would be the first without franchise hero Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott thanks to a pay dispute. Franchise creator Kevin Williamson is an executive producer on the new movies by Radio Silence, and recently opened up to Collider about the process behind Scream 3. And it turns out it was Campbell’s idea to have Sidney act as a crisis counselor over the phone. As he shared:

How cool is that? Neve Campbell has always given super emotional and nuanced performances as Sidney Prescott, but it’s fun to hear how she contributed to her backstory behind the scenes. Campbell obviously knows her signature character well, which is why so many of us will be missing her when Scream VI hits theaters in the spring.

Kevin Williamson’s comments to Collider are sure to inspire strong feelings from hardcore Scream fans out there, who are still having trouble even picturing an installment of the movie without the franchise’s hero. While Neve Campbell had limited screen time in the last movie, she was a welcomed presence that got to be badass in the final battle at Stu Macher’s house. 

Later in that same interview, Kevin Williamson further explained why Neve Campbell thought it was important for Sidney to advocate for others in Scream 3. While this movie showed the character at her most isolated, she was still trying to help people in her own way. As Williamson explained:

In the end we won’t see Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott in Scream VI, despite rumors about a new deal being made. But fans are hoping this might change in any future sequels; it certainly seems like Paramount is all in on Wes Craven’s beloved slasher property.

The new Scream movie is going from Woodsboro to NYC, and focusing on the two sets of surviving siblings from the last sequel. While Campbell won’t be present, Courteney Cox will again appear as Gale Weathers. And fans are also psyched that Hayden Panettiere will be back as Kirby Reed, reprising her role for the first time since Scream 4.

Scream VI is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. 

It’s an exciting time to be a horror fan, as the gerne has been thriving for years now. The renaissance brought some of the best horror movies back to theaters, including Scream. The fifth movie was so successful that Scream VI was quickly ordered, and fans were recently treated to the first exciting footage. The upcoming sequel will mark the first installment of the franchise without Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, but the pair of directors offered a silver lining to this disappointing news.

The generations of Scream fans out there were disappointed to learn that Neve Campbell dropped out of Scream VI shortly before its production began. This likely has added some pressure for the new sequel, which will still feature legacy characters in the form of Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers and Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett recently spoke to EW about the highly anticipated upcoming slasher, where Gillett admitted that Campbell’s departure resulted in major changes in the script. But he found the upside of the situation saying:

There you have it. While it sounds like the folks at Radio Silecne would have loved to include Scream’s final girl in the new sequel, her absence did bring the opportunity to really focus in on the two sets of siblings that are at the center of its plot. And it seems like the setting of New York City is going to make the Ghostface sequences all the more terrifying.

Tyler Gillett’s comments to EW came along with the first glimpse at a new take on the Ghostface mask. But from the looks of the first teaser, there’s going to be a number of them. Namely because it seems like we’re going to be celebrating Halloween in the city. And smart money says the protagonists aren’t going to appreciate seeing that mask in places like the subway.

The last Scream movie introduced Melissa Barrera’s Sam Carpenter as the new protagonist, as well as her sister Tara, played by Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega. Along with them two other newcomers survived the movie’s events: twins Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin (played by Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown respectively). And it seems that we’ll be seeing new sides of these characters, and getting to know them more intimately throughout Scream VI. 

As a reminder, you can check out the first teaser for the new Scream movie below. It’s a brief clip, showing those four characters riding a crowded subway car. Tension rises as various version of Ghostface appear in the car, before Mindy is suddenly attacked. Melissa Barrera has been teasing how the new setting adds to the movie’s horror, and this first clip surely shows that.

While there’s still a ton of excitement surrounding Scream VI, it’s definitely a bummer that it’ll be the first movie without Neve Campbell. It’s hard to imagine a Scream movie without Sidney, although she’ll presumably be referenced throughout its runtime. We’ll just have to see if a new deal can be made in any future installments. Fingers crossed.

Scream VI is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 10th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. And the year is sure to bring plenty of more horror movies to fans. 

There are few names more synonymous with mid to late-90s horror than Kevin Williamson. He forever changed the face of horror movies and slasher genre history when he wrote 1996’s Scream. After the box-office juggernaut that was the first film in the Wes Craven-directed franchise, the writer was in high demand. In quick succession, he penned I Know What You Did Last Summer, rewrote the screenplay for the cult classic (and one of director Robert Rodriguez’s best films) The Faculty, and launched the TV show Dawson’s Creek. On the set of Creek, the writer began penning the fast-tracked sequel, Scream 2. In a new interview celebrating the slasher sequel’s 25th anniversary, the writer reveals why he never considered a romance between fan favorites Sidney Prescott and Randy Meeks while writing the successful sequel. 

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Williamson recounts the making of Scream 2 and why he never even considered paring Neve Campell and Jamie Kennedy’s characters up romantically after the first movie. The writer reveals that both the actors asked about their character’s potential romance, but he believed it would work better for the characters and the sequel if the two remained friends. 

In the first movie, Jamie Kennedy’s Randy is a horror-obsessed movie geek and fellow Woodsboro High School student on the periphery of Sidney’s friend group. He remains a suspect until the closing moment of the first film when Sidney’s boyfriend, and one-half of the Ghostface killing duo, Billy Loomis, attack him. Randy, along with Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, are the only four main characters to live past the first film’s closing credit. Williamson said that Randy and Sidney were closer to family than love interests after the first film’s gruesome events. He told EW:

Scream 2 sees Randy attending the same college as Sidney, and the two become closer friends. After bonding over the traumatic events of the first film, Randy’s flirting with Sidney is toned down in the second movie, and the two read closer to brother and sister than love interests. One major criticism of the second movie was the death of Kennedy’s Randy Meeks. Williamson has responded to critics about why he shockingly killed Randy off so early in the follow-up. The writer said the death of the fan-favorite character gave the series stakes moving forward. If you die in a Scream film, it’s for good.

Now, all these years later, the Scream saga continues, and while we don’t know much about Scream 6, what we do know is that it has a stacked cast and will continue the horror franchises’ legacy that Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven started. Long-time fans of the Scream franchise might be interested in our list of 10 behind-the-scenes facts about the hit horror franchise. For all upcoming horror movies coming to the 2023 schedule, stay tuned to CinemaBlend. 

The horror genre was built on long-running scary franchises, which continue to have box office power decades after their inception. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters thanks to new sequels, including Wes Craven’s slasher Scream. Another sequel has been filmed, and Scream 6’s Jenna Ortega explains how it’ll approach Neve Campbell’s absence.

The upcoming sixth Scream movie will mark the first instalment without Neve Campbell as franchise hero Sidney Prescott. The actress cited a pay dispute as the reason she dropped out, to the dismay of generations of fans who are already bummed that Dewey was killed off. Jenna Ortega will be back as Tara Carpenter, and recently spoke to ET about how the new sequel will be handling the lack of Sidney Prescott. In her words,

Interesting. With Scream 6 not arriving until the spring, it makes a great deal of sense that Jenna Ortega might be trying to guard the horror flick’s spoilers. Especially since there were already rumors of a trailer leak. But it looks like the movie won’t completely be ignoring Sidney Prescott, despite Neve Campbell unfortunately not appearing as her signature character. 

Jenna Ortega’s comments to ET come as she's promoting her new Netflix show Wednesday, and have the potential to be a relief for some Scream fans, who might have conflicted about the upcoming sixth movie. It’s almost impossible to imagine the slasher without its protagonist, but that’s exactly what we’re going to get with the next movie. Although it sounds like the movie will be so crazy that fans might forget how much they miss Sidney.

Later in that same interview, Jenna Ortega further spoke (in vague terms) about the way Scream 6 will address Sidney Prescott throughout its runtime. While Neve Campbell’s character won’t be physically present, it sounds like there will be plenty of nods and references to the scream queen. As Ortega put it,

Well, I’m definitely intrigued. Like I said, it’s nearly impossible to imagine a Scream movie without Sidney Prescott, but that’s exactly what we’re getting with the upcoming sixth movie. And although this is no doubt going to be a big adjustment, at least the movie will make reference to Sid and hopefully reveal what happened to her after the fifth movie.

While Neve Campbell had limited screen time in the last Scream, it was revealed that she’s a mother and married Patrick Dempsey’s Mark Kincaid from the third movie. While fans were hoping this might mean that she and McDreamy will share scenes in the sixth movie, that’s obviously not going to happen.

Scream 6 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 10th, 2023, a date that was recently moved up. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. There should be a few more scary movies before the New Year, despite Halloween being in the rear view.

There are long-running TV shows, and then there's Grey's Anatomy. The medical drama is in the midst of its 21st Season season on the ABC (and streaming with a Hulu subscription), and recently went back to basics with a new set of interns and a renewed focus on medicine. Although we did learn that Yasuda actress Midori Francis will be leaving shortly. One of the other new series regulars is Niko Terho's Dr. Lucas Adams (aka the love interest for Simone Griffith), who is actually Derek and Amelia Shepherd's nephew. But which of McDreamy's sisters is Adams' mother?

Patrick Dempsey's Derek Shepherd notably has four sisters in the Grey's Anatomy universe, most of which only appear for an episode or two throughout its long run in ABC. Amelia recently referenced her sisters, and claimed that Meredith, Addison, and Maggie were much better at that role. And after he was diagnosed with ADHD, the young surgeon reference his parents and their inability to notice he was neurodivergent. The show has been keeping Adams' parentage a mystery for the time being, and Season 20 of Grey's didn't address it at all. While Adams keeps referencing his mysterious parents (including Grandpa Shepherd's death from a shooting), no names have been dropped. So let's break down which McSibling might end up being his McMother.

Nancy Shepherd (Embeth Davidtz)

Perhaps the most obvious choice for Adams' mother would be Nancy Shepherd, played by Matilda actress Embeth Davidtz. She was the first of Derek's siblings that we met on Grey's Anatomy, dating back to her debut back in Season 3. We watched as she judged Meredith and doted on McSteamy, offering a look into the Shepherd's unique family unit. She would eventually return for an episode of Season 15 episode titled "Good Shepherd" which featured a tense dinner with Amelia and her siblings.

Some Grey's Anatomy fans think that Nancy is Lucas Adams' mother thanks to a line in Season 19 which revealed that he was from Connecticut. While not much is known about the Shepard sisters, back in Season 3 it was revealed that Nancy lives in Connecticut. Could this have been our answer? It's unclear, as the mystery about Adams hasn't been answered so far.

Liz Shepherd (Neve Campbell)

Another one of McDreamy's sisters showed up back in Season 9 of Grey's Anatomy was Liz Shepherd, played by Scream icon Neve Campbell. After the plane crash, Liz turned up at Grey Sloan Memorial to donate nerves in hopes of helping to fix Derek's hand and save his surgical career. She appeared in a total of two episodes during this time, and was the only one of Derek's sisters to show up at the hospital to help donate nerves.

Neve Campbell's McSibling hasn't been seen since Season 9, but could that change if she ends up being Adams' mother? The actress' schedule might be complicated after joining Scream 7, but it doesn't seem totally out of the question. We'll just have to wait to see if the Scream Queen returns to Seattle sometime in the future.

Kathleen Shepherd (Amy Acker)

The last Shepherd Sister to show up in Grey's Anatomy is Kathleen, played by Angel icon Amy Acker. She was referenced as far back in Season 3, and was also called by Heather Brooks (RIP) in Season 9 to possibly donate nerves for Derek's hand. In the end she wouldn't appear until the Season 15 episode "Good Shepherd" which was about Amelia's relationship with her family.

Kathleen seemed like the most cruel Shepherd sibling, especially where it concerned Amelia's colorful past and drug history. She even makes a bet about Amelia's break-up with Owen Hunt. It's an episode that shows just how complicated the family unit really is, with Amy Acker giving a strong performance. But like Liz and Nancy, not much is known about Kathleen's husband or location. And as such, she could also very well end up being the mother of Lucas Adams.

Who do you think is Adams' mother on Grey's Anatomy? For now that remains to be seen, but smart money says that one of the above actresses will appear once the mystery is solved. We'll just have to wait to see how it all shakes out as we get deeper into Season 21. Luckily for Amelia, Adams revealed that he's a Shepherd, and the other interns no longer think that they're sleeping together. Adams (who is getting crap from his fellow interns for being a nepo baby) mentioned that his mother is sometimes jealous of how Amelia is able to live her life without caring what other people think. But exactly who is she? Only time will tell. But as fans get more attached to the intern, the debate should get louder.

Grey's Anatomy airs new episodes Thursdays on ABC in its new time slot. In the meantime, check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.