Sidney Prescott is officially back! Neve Campbell is returning to play Ghostface’s favorite target, Sidney Prescott in the newest edition of the franchise. The actress confirmed the news on her Instagram alongside a short video of the iconic masked killer.
“Hello again, Sidney… #ImBack,” Campbell she captioned a gif of the iconic villain’s mask in the video. Which also features the potential release date for the film, January 14, 2022.
The official Twitter account for the Scream franchise also confirmed the exciting news, writing, “Hello, Sidney… It’s OFFICIAL: The original Scream queen Neve Campbell is back.”
The Dream Team
Campbell played the lead role of Sidney Prescott in the previous four “Scream” movies directed by the late Wes Craven, starting with the original in 1996. The newest “Scream” film, which Spyglass and Paramount are characterizing as a “relaunch” of the meta-horror series, is being masterminded by the horror film making group Radio Silence. With directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. And a screenplay by James Vanderbilt (“Zodiac,” “Murder Mystery”) and Guy Busick (“Ready or Not.”)
Neve talked about her excitement and what she’s looking forward to with the newest edition “After spending time speaking with Radio Silence, they have shown such love, respect and admiration for Wes Craven and all that he’s created in the ‘Scream’ franchise,” Campbell said in a statement. “I am beyond excited to step back into the role of Sidney Prescott and return to Woodsboro.” Campbell has also seemed to indicate that the next Scream film would in fact be a sequel and not a reboot.
“We’re pinching ourselves!” Radio Silence responded in a statement. “It’s hard to express how much the character Sidney Prescott shaped our love of movies. And to have the chance to work with Neve is truly a dream come true. It just wouldn’t be a ‘Scream’ movie without Neve and we’re so excited and honored to join her in Woodsboro.”
The Scream Franchise
Before Campbell was best known for her role in Scream, she first gained TV stardom on the FOX drama “Party of Five.” She actually remained on Party of Five for years after Scream’s 1996 release got her recognized. She also appeared in the cult favorite, “The Craft.” Campbell hasn’t been quite as active in the past decade, but she still keeps busy enough.
The original “Scream” movie was a major hit at the box office. It grossed over $173 million worldwide after opening over the Christmas holiday in 1996. It was mainly popular and well-liked for its interesting mix of sly self-aware humor and sharp suspenseful film making, which made the movies extremely entertaining. The killers in each film, who wear a cheap white plastic mask inspired by Edvard Munch’s iconic painting “The Scream,” were always somehow well versed with their knowledge of slasher movie history. And are in one way or another fixated on Sidney.
Scream 5 Cast
Fans of the franchise will be excited to know that by now, not only will Scream 5 have its leading lady but Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) are also returning for the upcoming installment. Jack Quaid (“The Boys”), Melissa Barrera (“In The Heights”) and Jenna Ortega (“You”) have also been confirmed to join the cast.
In her announcement, Cox shared an image of the movie series’ iconic villain’s black-and-white mask with the message written in red script: “I can’t wait to see this face again.”
David Arquette also released a statement at the same time when the fifth movie was confirmed. “I am thrilled to be playing Dewey again and to reunite with my Scream family, old and new,” his statement read. “Scream has been such a big part of my life, and for both the fans and myself, I look forward to honoring Wes Craven’s legacy.”
“The timing’s a bit challenging because of COVID”
Earlier this year in May, Campbell had hinted that she would be returning for a fifth movie. “We’re having conversations. I have been approached about it,” she said at the time. “The timing’s a bit challenging because of COVID,” she added. “You know, we only started the conversation maybe a month and a half ago, so it’s going to take some time to figure out how it’s all going to work out. We’re negotiating, so we’ll see.”
The directors attached to the film, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, reached out to Campbell with “a very touching letter. It’s about [late former director] Wes Craven and how he was such an inspiration to them and how they really want to honor him,” she said.
The new “Scream” movie will be shot in Wilmington, North Carolina, and is all set for a release on Jan. 14, 2022.
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