(Updated 03/29/2024)
The two new SCREAM movies, released in 2022 and 2023, were big hits. The success of SCREAM VI meant that a seventh movie was all but inevitable. Now that movie is indeed in development. While we don’t know very much about the story, we now know the major star of the movie, and also the director — and that both names are huge for the series.
In short, Neve Campbell is back to play Sidney Prescott once again, and the movie will be directed by Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original movie. Here's everything we know about SCREAM 7 right now.
Scream 7: Is There a Release Date?
SCREAM 7 does not have a release date yet. Development on the movie has been complicated, but now that some core elements have been set, we might get a date soon.
Is There a Scream 7 Trailer?
There is no footage of SCREAM 7 at all. You'll see some fan-made trailers already but none of them feature any new official footage.
First Things First: Neve Campbell Is Back
The biggest surprise with respect to SCREAM VII is the fact that Neve Campbell will return as Sidney Prescott. Campbell's break with the production over a salary dispute led to Sidney sitting out SCREAM VI. We don't know anything about the story that will bring her back into the fold for SCREAM VII, but chances are she'll be the film's lead.
And It Looks Like Courteney Cox Will Return, Too
Courteney Cox is the one actor who has appeared in all six SCREAM movies to date, and it looks like she won't break that streak now. Cox is in talks to return for SCREAM VII. We don't know how significant her role will be, but with Campbell back in the fold, chances are that Cox's character Gale Weathers will be central to the story.
(And don't yell at us about calling Cox the only actor to appear in all six movies so far. Roger L. Jackson has voiced Ghostface in every movie, but since he doesn't physically appear in the films, it's not quite the same thing.)
Who Is the New Scream 7 Director?
After Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett rebooted the series with 2022's SCREAM, they quickly regrouped to make SCREAM VI. But they went over to Universal to make ABIGAIL. Now, SCREAM VII is being directed by Kevin Williamson.
That name should be familiar to fans, as Williamson wrote the original SCREAM, and in fact also scripted the first three sequels. (He co-wrote SCREAM 3 with Ehren Kruger.) This will only be Williamson's second directorial credit, after the 1999 movie TEACHING MRS. TINGLE.
Scream 7: Who's in the Cast?
Here's where we'll get into some SCREAM VI spoilers. Without going into too many details, five important characters lived through the end of the movie: Sisters Samantha and Tara Carpenter, and twins Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin. And Kirby Reed, who survived a previous encounter with Ghostface, got to the end of the movie, too.
Originally, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega were set to return as Sam and Tara, respectively. But Barrera was fired from the movie, and shortly afterward Ortega revealed that she had left the project weeks earlier. That leaves the movie without its two most obvious leads.
Previously, we had expected to see the return of Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy, Mason Gooding as Chad, and probably Hayden Panettiere as Kirby. But at this point we don't know what to expect! Hopefully we'll hear Roger L. Jackson as the voice of Ghostface once again.
WIll Any Characters Be Recast for Scream 7?
Many horror franchises have recast characters as new sequels were made. That hasn't been the case with the SCREAM series, which has been remarkably consistent with casting. (That's due in part to the goodwill created by Wes Craven, who directed the first four movies.)
With Barrera and Ortega out of the cast, could the new movie be the first time we see major characters recast? That would be a huge break with the series tradition unless the new cast was in service of a fully meta gag like what we saw in SCREAM 3, where we saw production of "Stab 3," and met many of the actors playing familiar series characters for the movie-within-a-movie.
The SCREAM series has repeated big gags, usually with significant tweaks, in more than one sequel. So could we see the SCREAM 3 structure updated and made even more all-consuming? It's one concept, but we don't know what the producers are planning.
We'll have more SCREAM VII news soon!
All images courtesy of Paramount Pictures.