The horror genre is built on long-running franchises, which are capable of bringing in consistent box office numbers. Scream is no exception in that regard, and we’ve gotten two sequels from Paramount in quick succession. But franchise hero Sidney Prescott was noticeably missing from the most recent installment, with Neve Campbell dropping out over a pay dispute. And the beloved scream queen recently reflected on that decision to remove herself from Scream VI.
Wes Craven’s Scream is known as one of the best horror movies of all time, in no small part thanks to Neve Campbell’s performance as Sidney. She returned for four sequels, but took umbrage with the paycheck offered for Scream VI, especially given her long history with the franchise. A video of Campbell on Twitter revealed her current feelings on that business decision, staying steadfast by sharing:
As much as I love the characters I’ve played and ones that I’ve had a history with, it’s also very important to the me the concept of equal pay. We’re still not there yet. I really do believe that if I had been a male the offer would be very different.I can’t prove that but its the feeling that I have and the way that I was treated was not great and it feels disrespectful. So at what point does self respect come to play? It has to always be there, right?
Talk about a mic drop. While she doesn’t seem happy about having to step away from Scream, Neve Campbell’s morals compel her to. Sounds like the negotiations didn’t go well for Scream VI, and she was dissatisfied with the offer as well as her treatment. We’ll just have to wait and see if the studio can strike a new deal since Scream 7 is happening, albeit with a new director. Fingers crossed.
Neve Campbell’s comments about equal pay come as the film and TV industry is largely shut down thanks to that very subject. The ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes still haven’t shown any signs of slowing, as union members wait for negotiations against the struck companies. Who knows? Maybe the timing of Scream 7’s development along with the strikes will make way for an agreement results in Campbell’s return as Sidney.
Despite Campbell dropping out of Scream VI, the cast seems to universally stand behind her difficult decision. New school actors like Melissa Barrera and Jasmin Savoy Brown have shared support for Campbell, as well as OGs like Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard. After all, she helped the franchise make million of dollars throughout the years, and probably deserves whatever she’s asking for.
It’s currently unclear when Scream 7 will be released, but the franchise is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.