The failure to bring back Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott in Scream 6 is an insult to the character’s contributions to horror history and the actor’s legendary work in the Scream franchise's most iconic role. Since 1996’s revolutionary meta-slasher offered a self-aware deconstruction of the sub-genre, Campbell’s resilient franchise heroine has been one of horror cinema’s most memorable Final Girls. Tough, witty, and charismatic despite the trauma the series put her through, Sidney Prescott is one of the horror genre’s most complex and deservedly acclaimed characters.
While Scream 2022 pulled focus away from Sidney and instead showcased a new generation of characters, this canny choice was ameliorated by Campbell’s character still playing a pivotal role in the fourth sequel’s climax. Sidney effectively handed the torch over to a new generation while still being as strong, endearing, and charming as ever. This makes it all the more disappointing to see that the actor will not be able to appear in Scream 6, reportedly due to a dispute over her salary.
Since the inception of the massively popular slasher series, Neve Campbell’s star power has been central to the success of the Scream movies. Despite this, it would arguably be alright — and potentially even a good thing — if Sidney didn’t appear in Scream 6 thanks to the franchise finally giving her a happy ending and a peaceful life. Scream 2022 revealing that she was a mother and in a stable relationship with her Scream 3 love interest, Mark Kincaid, already proved that the slasher series can give her an ending that isn’t bleak and brutal, which Scream 6 could have doubled down on. However, writing Sidney out just because the studio won't pay Campbell what she wants is a disastrous decision that makes a mockery of the actor’s legacy in the role.
Although not a lot is known about Campbell’s salary demands, it is unlikely that the star is looking for more than is fair given what she provides for the slasher franchise. Sidney Prescott is Scream, and there would be no successful series to continue without her. As much as Ghostface makes for a memorable villain and Kevin Williamson’s sharp writing earned its place in screenwriting history, none of these elements would have worked if audiences never cared or rooted for Sidney. Scream 6 bringing back Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby proves that the sequel is willing to offer at least one actor enough money to bring them out of franchise retirement, meaning the failure to meet Campbell’s demands is a striking case of misplaced priorities.
No matter how many times the Scream franchise brings back fan-favorite supporting stars like Scream 2022’s Skeet Ulrich and Scream 6’s Panettiere, this won’t fill in the chasm left by Campbell’s absence. Sidney Prescott is the beating heart of the Scream series and her actor’s grounded, realistic depiction of a woman wracked by trauma redefined what audiences expected from Final Girls. Campbell raised the bar for what a horror heroine could be, and Scream 6’s failure to meet the actor’s demands bodes badly for both the sequel and the Scream franchise’s future as a whole.