As audiences eagerly await her reprisal, a new Scream 6 set photo has given the first look at Hayden Panettiere's Kirby return. The Heroes alum made her debut in the horror movie franchise with Scream 4, in which she appeared as a friend of Emma Roberts' Jill who finds herself one of the many targets of the latest horror-obsessed Ghostface killer. Having been stabbed and seemingly left for dead in the final, Kirby's fate was left unknown until an Easter egg hidden in 2022's Scream confirmed her survival.

Scream 6 is set to act as a continuation of this year's hit sequel as it follows the latest group of survivors leaving behind Woodsboro and the Ghostface killings, only to find the horror follow them. The film will see the returns of 2022's Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown as well as previous franchise vets Panettiere and Courteney Cox, while Neve Campbell will not be returning due to an infamous pay dispute. Scream 6 will also mark the franchise debuts of Dermot Mulroney, Tony Revolori and Henry Czerny and Samara Weaving, who are reuniting with their Ready or Not filmmaking team Radio Silence.

Related: Will Scream 6’s Samara Weaving Casting Trick Actually Work?

With production currently underway on the horror sequel, the official Scream franchise Twitter account revealed a new Scream 6 set photo. Taken by star Jasmin Savoy Brown, the image offers the first look at Hayden Panettiere's Kirby Reed returning in the film. Check out the exciting set photo below:

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Anticipation for Panettiere's Kirby return has been high since audiences caught the Easter egg during Scream 2022 in which a YouTube video can be seen entitled "Interview with Woodsboro Survivor Kirby Reed." Though the Scream 6 set photo may not offer much in the way of insight for how she'll be back for the horror sequel, it does offer an interesting tease of a potential change in her appearance. Kirby memorably donned a more tomboyish appearance in Scream 4, which was largely well-received by fans of the franchise for helping bolster her personality as the sarcastic best friend of who was thought to be the new young heroine, almost an antithesis to Rose McGowan's Tatum in the original Scream.

While anticipation may be high for her appearance, there is also some concern amongst fans of the franchise about Hayden Panettiere's Kirby return for Scream 6. Given this year's hit revival killed off the likes of David Arquette's Dewey and Marley Shelton's Judy Hicks, two of the multiple legacy characters that returned, many are speculating Kirby will similarly meet her end, even potentially kicking off the latest string of Ghostface killings that the group of survivors elect to investigate. Only time will tell when Scream 6 hits theaters on March 31, 2023.

More: Everything We Know About Scream 6

Source: Scream/Twitter