Neve Campbell's Return In 'Scream 7' Is Taking Its Time Thank God

By Andrew Sanford | Film | October 2, 2024 |

By Andrew Sanford | Film | October 2, 2024 |

I loved 2022’s Scream. It was the first Scream film made without the watchful eye of Wes Craven. Still, it delivered twists, scares, brutality, and meta jokes worthy of what I consider one of the best horror movie franchises. New characters were introduced while giving due to the former cast. Yes, some elements felt shoehorned in, but in a way that was properly referenced and toyed around with. A sequel seemed inevitable but arrived too quickly.

Scream 6 premiered a year and two months after its predecessor. It felt like it. Yes, the franchise is no stranger to quick turnaround. Scream and Scream 2 were released almost exactly a year apart. Regardless, Scream 6 was released and fell with a thud. It felt rushed, unfocused, and didn’t have the sharpness the films often do. The previous film fit right into the franchise. This one felt like it was made by people who did not understand what made the movies great.

What’s wild is that almost everyone who worked on Scream (2022) remained for Scream 6. All the pieces were in place, including a new, albeit obviously not real locale (Montreal will never be NYC). The studio behind the film also tried to underpay Neve Campbell, causing her to miss her first film in the series. I genuinely believe that a big part of the reason this movie didn’t work is because the production was so rushed. As Neve Campbell preps for her return, a shortened schedule doesn’t look like an issue.

It has been revealed that Scream 7 will be released on February 26th, 2026. That is almost two years after Neve Campbell announced she would be in the film. She did so by posting a picture of a script that she said she was happy with. Now, there could be a lot of reasons this film isn’t jumping in front of cameras. For example, it was originally supposed to include new stars Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. However, Barrera was fired from the film for speaking against the war in Gaza and Ortega left soon after. Kevin Williamson, who wrote Screams 1, 2, and 4 will return to direct the film with a script by new series writers Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt. The crew will be a mix of old and new.

The change in the team and the circumstances surrounding it are another likely reason for the film’s later release date. Still, the extra production time is only a good sign. A movie like this deserves time to breathe. The longer it takes, the sharper the blade. Given everyone involved, Neve Campbell’s return to the Scream series has the potential to be her best yet.