Back in June, we learned that Scream 6 would be the first instalment of the iconic horror franchise not to feature lead character Sidney Prescott when Neve Campbell told those in attendance at Monsterpalooza that she won't be reprising the role for the currently in-development sequel.
The actress would confirm her decision to bow out of the project soon after via an official press release, which revealed that Campbell simply didn't think the offer the studio made her was fair.
There's been a lot of speculation that this is some kind of marketing stunt designed to keep Sidney's return under wraps, but that seems highly unlikely - especially now that Neve has elaborated on her reasons for dropping out of the movie during an interview with People.
"As a woman in this business, I think it's really important for us to be valued and to fight to be valued," she said. "I honestly don't believe that if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man."
Sidney had a small, but still important part to play in Scream (2022), returning to her cursed hometown after Dewey's (David Arquette) death in order to help a new group of survivors defeat the latest incarnation(s) of the masked series killer known as Ghostface. Scream 6's official synopsis reads: “The Scream saga continues with the four survivors of the Ghostface killings as they leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter,” so it probably wouldn't make much sense for Sidney or Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) to be involved, anyway.
Set photos have confirmed that the slasher sequel will leave Woodsboro behind, with this latest incarnation of masked serial killer Ghostface taking his reign of terror to the Big Apple. A logo leak also appeared to reveal the official title: Scream !!.
Melissa Barrera (Sam), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Mindy), Mason Gooding (Chad), and Jenna Ortega (Tara) will return, with Scream 4's Hayden Panettiere set to reprise the role of Kirby. Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, and Josh Segarra recently became the latest cast members to sign on. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett will also be back behind the camera.
Scream 6 is set to slice its way into theaters on March 31, 2023.