Scream 7 Bittersweet Casting Update Splits Fandom in Half

Summary:

• One of the biggest things Scream fans appreciate about the franchise is the way it honors its legacy.
• By bringing back a huge original star for Scream 7, the creators are honoring the nostalgic feelings of the fans.
• However, many believe that this casting choice was made to draw attention away from the controversial departure of a previous lead, Melissa Barrera.

Unfortunately for fans of the Scream franchise, every other update about the upcoming seventh installment of the world-famous horror franchise turns out to be controversial. Since the firing of former lead Melissa Barrera due to her statements in support of Palestine, the fandom has been divided.

And every news or behind-the-scenes update only further divides the two camps. While some viewers are still sticking to their principle of boycotting Scream 7 until they recast the lead, others are more easily won back.

Bringing back Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott was one of the wisest decisions the producers made. Driven by pure nostalgia, many fans are willing to forgive and forget everything for the chance to see her back on the big screen. It's almost as if the controversy surrounding Campbell's initial departure from the franchise has already been forgotten.

Why Did Neve Campbell Leave the Scream Franchise?

Known and loved as Sidney Prescott, Neve Campbell has been starring in the Scream movies since the very first one back in 1996. However, prior to the release of Scream 6, the actress announced that she would not be returning to her role. According to her, her performance in the movies was severely undervalued and underpaid.

However, recently Campbell dropped the shocking announcement about being back to the franchise on her Instagram.

“It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the ‘Scream’ movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” she said.

Even though the matter seems to be settled now and the actress is happy to return to the production, the fans can't help but feel a little icky about the situation. Not only did they fire an actress for her political beliefs and opposition to the military conflict, but they also agreed to pay another actress fairly just to cover their tracks?

If anything, it shows how devastated the production was by the backlash after Barrera's departure, and how desperate they were to lure viewers back. In some ways, it worked, as longtime fans of the franchise are now coming to the films' defense. Others, however, still aren't impressed.

There's still no release date for the movie, and all the cast changes must have slowed production down. If you still want to support the Scream franchise, keep an eye out for more news and behind-the-scenes updates to be the first to know the release date of Scream 7.

Source: Neve Campbell via Instagram