Know her worth. It’s been more than two decades since the OG final girl was brought to life. Neve CampbellSurprised ScreamFans were shocked when she announced her resignation from the franchise.
“Sadly, I won’t be making the next Scream film. To prove my worth as a woman, I have had to put in a lot of effort in my career, especially when it comes down to film. Scream. I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise,” Campbell, who portrayed Sidney Prescott, told Us WeeklyIn a statement published in June 2022.
The actress added: “It’s been a very difficult decision to move on. To all my ScreamFans, I love and cherish 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.”
Campbell starred alongside in the slasher television series from 1996 to 2011. Courteney Cox David Arquette. The Panic star previously revealed that she wasn’t initially onboard with returning for the fifth installment alongside her costars.
“They’ve come to me and we’re having conversations,” Campbell said in an interview with YouTuber Jake HamiltonIn May 2020. “It’s a little hard at the moment because of COVID to know when that’ll happen. Hopefully, we can see eye to eye on all of the elements that have to come into place for it to happen.”
After reprising her role, Scream 5, the Saturn Award winner recalled the single request she had for Sidney’s story line.
“I think it is important [that she never becomes a victim in these movies],” Campbell told The Hollywood ReporteJanuary 2022, r. “She does represent a certain amount of strength and lack of victimhood, and that means a great deal to people. I’ve had a lot of people come up to me in the past and just say that she inspired them in some way or helped them in their lives in some way, which is not what you normally expect when you’re performing in a horror film. Sidney’s fall would be something I would not like to see. I think it would be the wrong message.”
In response to Campbell’s decision to move on, Arquette weighed in on the future of the Scream franchise. “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,” the Virginia native, whose character Dewey Riley was killed off in Scream 5?, told ComicBookIn June 2022. “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. I respect her decision, for sure.”
Scroll down for Campbell’s insight on the ScreamFranchise before her departure