Neve Campbell Reveals Whether or Not Sidney Prescott Will Still Appear In 'Scream 6' Following Her Departure

Following Neve Campbell’s shock exit from next year’s Scream 6 (2023), fans have been wondering how the filmmakers will navigate the character of Sidney Prescott. After all, a script had already been sent out to a number of cast members, long before Campbell’s departure.

But now, the 48-year-old Canadian actress, who has appeared in all five Scream movies to date, has shed light on whether or not the character she has played since 1996 will actually appear in the upcoming slasher sequel, speaking for the first time since announcing her exit from the film.

Scream 2022 — Credit: Paramount Pictures

In a twist more shocking than any Ghostface killer reveal (okay, except for 2011’s Scream 4), Campbell announced last month in an interview with Deadline that she would no longer be appearing in Scream 6 due to a salary dispute with the studio. In a public statement, she said:

“Sadly I won’t be making the next Scream film. As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream. I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.”

Understandably, this came as a huge blow to fans, who have been rooting for the character of Sidney Prescott since Wes Craven’s Scream (1996). As a “final girl”, Sidney gives even Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode a run for her money (after all, Sidney has never been killed off!). She added:

“It’s been a very difficult decision to move on. To all my Scream fans, I love you. You’ve always been so incredibly supportive to me. I’m forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years.”

Now, according to Comicbook.com, during a panel interview at the Mad Monster Party Arizona event, Campbell reportedly addressed her departure for the first time since the initial announcement last month, putting to bed rumors that she would indeed be returning:

“There were plans for Sidney, and they are no longer, unfortunately. I’m sure they’ll make a good movie.”

Since the announcement in June, Campbell has been offered support from Scream co-stars Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, and Emma Roberts, who play Stu Macher, Dewey Riley, and Jill Roberts, respectively.

Neve Campbell in Scream 2022 — Credit: Paramount Pictures

David Arquette recently spoke to Comicbook.com in light of the news, saying:

“I’d love for her to be a part of it. A Scream movie without Sidney is kind of unfortunate, but I understand her decision. It’s all a business in a way, they have to balance all these elements to fit a budget and produce a film. I get it, she’s still alive! She [can] absolutely be in future ones, but I think it’s up to fans to call for that in the future. […] That is sudden, it’s a business, though. I respect her decision, for sure.”

Arquette isn’t wrong — the doors will likely be kept open for Sidney for future movies. After all, Jamie Lee Curtis had many hiatuses throughout the Halloween franchise before eventually returning for David Gordon Green’s new series of Halloween movies.

We also know that the upcoming Halloween Ends (2022) won’t be the last in that series. While it marks the end of the new Halloween Trilogy, producer Jason Blum recently confirmed that the series will continue in another form. In other words, Scream 6 won’t be the last Scream movie, either.

So, based on Campbell’s recent statement, it sounds like Sidney Prescott has been omitted from the script for Scream 6, which hopefully means that the filmmakers haven’t decided to unceremoniously kill her off between movies. Needless to say, this would, of course, be an unwise move.

Either way, Scream 6 is moving ahead, as it was recently confirmed that Samara Weaving had joined the cast. Weaving is best known for her role in Ready Or Not (2019), which was also directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who directed Scream (2022) and are helming the 2023 sequel.

Jack Champion from Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022) was also recently cast in an undisclosed role.

Scream 6 stars Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers), Hayden Panettiere (Kirby Reed), Jenna Ortega (Tara Carpenter), Melissa Barrera (Sam Carpenter), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Mindy Meeks), Mason Gooding (Chad Meeks), and Dermot Mulroney, Henry Czerny, Tony Revolori, Jack Champion, Devyn Nekoda, Liana Liberato, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving in undisclosed roles.

The film will be released in theaters on March 31, 2023.

How do you think the filmmakers will explain Sidney Prescott’s absence in Scream 6? Let us know in the comments down below!