Unlike other horror franchises, the Scream movies aren’t linked together by featuring the same serial killer but by featuring the same final girl. You can have a Halloween film without Jamie Lee Curtis (though it’s not advised), but you can’t have a Scream without Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott. The Ghostfaces may change, but Sidney is always around to stop them. At least, that’s how it’s been for the first five entries in the saga. So what about a potential sixth?
Thankfully, Campbell sounds like she’s more than open to discussing a further reprisal of her iconic role if Scream 6 goes ahead. When asked if there’s more from Woodsboro’s most famous survivor on the horizon, Campbell told The Hollywood Reporter that she’s not ruling it out, although it would depend on the “strength of the story” that was pitched to her.
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s down to the strength of the story. I wouldn’t want to do it unless the script is good. It would be hard. But these guys did really well on this one, so I’m curious to see what would come next. So we’ll see.”
By “these guys”, Campbell is talking about Radio Silence directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, who took over the reins of the franchise from the late, great Wes Craven. It took some time for the duo to convince Campbell to sign on to their Scream sequel but she was ultimately won over by their passion for the project and the script by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. Now that she trusts the filmmakers to honor Craven’s legacy, it sounds like Campbell would be more than happy to work with them again.
This being a slasher series, though, the idea of Sidney facing off against another Ghostface (or two) is slightly concerning as there’s only so many times she can face off against a knife-wielding maniac and come out alive. The new Scream definitely doesn’t let nostalgia get in the way of its bloodthirstiness, so it’s not guaranteed that Sidney will remain invincible if a Scream 6 happens.
But that worry is a while away. For now, 2022’s Scream is playing in theaters.