Melissa Barrera on Neve Campbell returning for ‘Scream 7’: “Everyone makes their choices”
Melissa Barrera has opened up about Neve Campbell’s return to the Scream franchise – see what she had to say below.
Barrera, who led Scream V and VI, was fired from Scream 7 last year after posting on Instagram in support of Palestine. At the time, Campbell – who had appeared in the first five Scream films – had distanced herself from the franchise after missing last year’s Scream VI due to “pay discrepancies”.
Following Barrera’s firing, Campbell was then offered the lead role once again and agreed to return after “the studio heard me when I talked about pay discrepancy and when I talked about [Scream VI negotiations] not feeling respectful”.
Now, Barrera has spoken about her relationship with Campbell and about the latter’s return to the Scream franchise. In an interview with Decider, Barrera said when asked if she’s spoken to Campbell: “No, we haven’t really spoken.”
Barrera went on to say of Campbell’s decision to return: “I think everyone makes their choices, and what they think is best for them. I fully respect what people think that they need to do, to keep going in this life.”
She also confirmed that she had not spoken to anyone from the team that decided on her firing, nor did she receive an apology from anyone involved.
In April, Barrera opened up about feeling “lonely and scared” after the dismissal, but previously said she is “at peace” with how things conspired. Following her removal from the project, co-lead Jenna Ortega also announced she would not be returning for Scream 7 due to other scheduling commitments.
Campbell will once again star as Sidney Prescott in Scream 7, which earlier this month was confirmed for a February 27, 2026 release date. It will be directed by the franchise’s creator Kevin Williamson.
In late September, Courtney Cox – who is the only actor in the franchise to appear in all six released films – confirmed that she hasn’t officially signed on for the seventh film: “They’re rewriting all the time. It’s not like I don’t know what’s going on.”
2023’s Scream VI scored a four-star review upon its release, with Alex Flood writing for NME: “Scream VI isn’t perfect: the constant meta references (past killers, the ‘rules’ of the franchise) felt inventive in last year’s reboot, but here grow tiresome. There’s also a confusing subplot around Sam’s suppressed desire to emulate her dad (Billy Loomis, the original Ghostface), who appears in hallucinations telling her to murder people. Throw in the usual exposition sessions, which keep the viewer up to date on the plot but make it feel like a Gen Z Poirot, and it could all start to get on your nerves. Luckily, such is the sheer, bloody joy of the thing that you’ll be too preoccupied to notice. Maybe more horror baddies should move to New York?”
The post Melissa Barrera on Neve Campbell returning for ‘Scream 7’: “Everyone makes their choices” appeared first on NME.
Surej Singh
NME
