Will there be a Scream 7? Possible release date, is Neve Campbell in cast - VI post-credits scene explained

Following the success of Scream VI in cinemas, work on the seventh instalment of the iconic slasher franchise is officially underway.

In August 2023 it was announced that Christopher Landon, who is best known for Happy Death Day and Freaky is replacing Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett who headed up Scream V and VI. The two latest films in the franchise introduced fans to Jenna Ortega who has since gone to find success in Netlix’s Wednesday.

Since the first Scream film arrived in 1996, the series has become iconic among horror fans, and ranks as one of the most successful horror franchises of all time, having made more than $700 million across the first five films. There was a long break between the third and fourth instalments of the series, and it seemed like the series may have wrapped up.

But then came the fifth film, which introduced new leads to the franchise and proved that Scream was still a very banksable project, whilst Scream VI saw the survivors of the last movie leave the town of Woodsboro for New York City, but are pursued by a new Ghostface killer.

Following confirmation a new instalment is on the way, this is everything we know about Scream 7:

Will there be a Scream 7?

Scream 7 has been officially confirmed, however there is no official release date for the movie, with ScreenGeek reporting that sources said the new Scream film is in the works and that filming will begin later this year.

It has also been revealed by the Hollywood Reporter that director Christopher Landon, who is best known for Happy Death Day and Freaky is replacing Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.

Who will be in the cast of Scream 7?

The cast of Scream 7 is yet to be confirmed, but based on the plot of Scream VI we can expect the following cast members to return:

• Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter
• Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter
• Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin
• Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin
• Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers
• Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed
• Josh Segarra as Danny Brackett

Neve Campbell, who starred in the first five Scream films as Sidney Prescott, did not return for the sixth instalment due to a dispute over pay. She said she did not feel valued by the studio and believed that she would have received a fairer pay offer if she was a male franchise lead.

It’s not clear if this will be resolved by the time the next film starts production and if Campbell will return to the role. As David Arquette, who played Dewey in the first five instalments of the franchise, met a bloody end in Scream (2022), he did not return in Scream VI and will not appear in later films.

This means that Courteney Cox could once again be the only original cast member to appear in the next Scream movie. Several Scream VI stars, including Jenna Ortega and Jack Champion, were not even born when the first film was released.

Speaking in an interview with Digital Spy in June 2023, Barrera discussed the future of her character. She said: “There are so many places that [Sam] could go. That’s one of the reasons that, when I read the script for Scream 5, I was so interested in the character. There’s so much potential here of where she could go with her mental health - she’s just unpredictable. I find that that darkness in her makes her that much more interesting to play and to watch.

“She’s the hero but she’s also kind of the villain. It’s this contradiction in her that I find fascinating and, if we get to do another one, I would love to see. The writers have done a really good job with her up until this point, so I trust them just to know where to take her [in a way] that will be unexpected and cool for the fans.”

Does the Scream VI post-credits scene set up a sequel?

The post-credits scene at the end of Scream VI sees Mindy Meeks-Martin look into the camera and say: “Not every movie needs a post-credits scene.”

It’s a meta joke taking aim at the likes of Marvel and DC which tend to tack on an extra 30 seconds or so of movie during the mid and post credits - these scenes usually reveal an Easter egg or set up a plot point for a sequel.

However, in the case of Scream the post-credits scene was just a joke about how many movies include these scenes, and it did not do anything to hint at a sequel.

What is the release date of Scream 7?

As Scream 7 is still yet to be officially confirmed, there is no release date yet. Some instalments in the franchise have come after long breaks - there were 11 years between Scream 3 and 4, and the same long break between 4 and 5.

However, the last two films have come out just over a year apart - so if Scream 7 is confirmed, and if it follows a similar pattern, it could land in cinemas in 2024 or 2025. It’s not yet known if the Writer’s Strike could have an impact on the release date. Watch this space for updates on the release of Scream 7.