Hello, Sidney…As portrayed by Neve Campbell, Sidney Prescott was one of the great final girls in slasher movie history. No boyfriend, freaky film student or long-lost half-brother could knock her off. For that, she was easily the face – not to be confused with the ghostface – of the Scream franchise. And just like the fans, Neve Campbell knew her worth. It turns out, the studio didn’t. Now, Scream writer Kevin Williamson has come to her defense, saying she was owed every penny she asked for.
Speaking on the Happy Horror Time podcast (as per IndieWire), Williamson – who wrote the first two Screams as well as Scream 4 – said that Neve Campbell deserves the pay bump. “I totally respect her opinion…I know exactly where she’s coming from, I know her well. I love and adore her and that’s what she did. It’s right for her. I love everyone involved in Scream and all I can say is, pay her the money. That’s what I would do, I would give her the money.”
The Scream franchise took a few big risks with the sixth installment, not only nixing Neve Campbell’s Sidney but also moving the action to New York City. But the movie did extremely well, pulling in nearly $170 million worldwide and proving to be the highest-grossing movie in the franchise. In the end, no matter how much we love Neve Campbell and want to see Sidney Prescott, we may have to accept that neither will return.
In pulling for the return of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, Williamson added, “I’m sure there’s a number they can agree on that will make them both happy so hopefully one day they will figure that all out.” But it’s not just Williamson in her corner. Scream and Scream VI directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett also want her to reprise her iconic character, adamantly saying, “We’d never give up on her. We love Neve, and we love Sidney. So we’d love to be able to make another movie with her, and we’re not giving up.”
Do you think Neve Campbell would return as Sidney Prescott for another Scream movie if the circumstances worked in her favor? Can the franchise really work without her? Give us your take below!
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