Scream 7 is finally happening, but not the way anyone expected.
After major cast changes, behind-the-scenes drama, and a complete shift in direction, the next chapter in the iconic slasher franchise is set to bring back Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott.
Even more shocking, Matthew Lillard returns as Stu Macher, a character who was thought to be dead for years.
How is he back? And what does this mean for the story?
With filming already started and a February 27, 2026 release date, there’s a lot to look forward to.
Let’s break down everything we know so far, including shocking cast comebacks, plot twists, and what’s next for the franchise.
Key Takeaways
- Scream 7 will be released in theaters on February 27, 2026, with filming officially starting in January 2025.
- Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott, and the story will focus on her and her family, including her husband (Joel McHale) and daughter (Isabel May).
- Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley are making a surprise comeback, even though their characters were thought to be dead, while Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega will not return.
A Horror Franchise That Just Won’t Quit
The Scream series has been scaring audiences since 1996, and it’s still going strong nearly three decades later.
These movies aren’t your typical slasher flicks; they’re horror, humor, and plot twists all thrown into a blender.
After Scream VI, released in 2023, became the most successful film in the series at the U.S. box office, and it seemed obvious that another sequel would follow.
But what started as a straightforward continuation turned into a complete shake-up.
At first, the movie was supposed to focus on Sam and Tara Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega.
But that plan changed fast when Barrera was fired in November 2023, and soon after, Ortega left the project, too.
With both main stars gone, the studio had to rethink everything.
That’s when they decided to bring back Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, the original Scream heroine.
This move completely changed the direction of the movie, bringing in old characters and leaving behind the story of the Carpenter sisters.
Filming for Scream 7 officially started in January 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia, and the movie is set to release on February 27, 2026.
But before we get into all the new details, let’s go over how everything changed so quickly.
A Messy Path to Scream 7
At first, Scream 7 was expected to follow the story of Sam and Tara, but that all changed when Spyglass Media fired Melissa Barrera.
The studio removed her from the movie because of her social media posts supporting Palestine.
Spyglass said her comments included “false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, and Holocaust distortion.”
Barrera later spoke about her firing, saying it was “the hardest year of my life” and that she worried her career might be over.
Not long after, Jenna Ortega left, too.
She said it was because she was busy filming Netflix’s Wednesday Season 2, but many people thought she left in support of Barrera.
With both lead actresses gone, Scream 7 was suddenly without a story or a direction.
That’s when the studio decided to take the franchise back to its roots, focusing on Sidney Prescott again.
In March 2024, Neve Campbell announced that she was officially returning, writing, “Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!”
Fans were thrilled, especially since she had skipped Scream VI due to a pay dispute.
Who’s in the Cast?
With all the changes, Scream 7 will see returning favorites alongside brand-new characters.
First, Neve Campbell is back as Sidney Prescott, which will be her sixth time playing the franchise’s ultimate final girl.
Then, there’s Courteney Cox, returning once again as Gale Weathers.
Fun fact: she’s the only actor (besides the voice of Ghostface, Roger L. Jackson) to appear in every Scream movie.
But the biggest surprise is that Matthew Lillard is coming back as Stu Macher, and Scott Foley is returning as Roman Bridger.
Both of these characters were killed in earlier movies, so their return is a mystery.
If you remember, Stu was electrocuted in Scream (1996) when Sidney dropped a TV on his head.
Meanwhile, Roman is shot in Scream 3 after revealing that he is Sidney’s half-brother and the mastermind behind the original Ghostface attacks.
So how are they coming back?
Well, it’s possible they’ll return as hallucinations, like how Skeet Ulrich came back as Billy Loomis in Scream (2022).
But some fans think that Stu never actually died and has been hiding in the shadows for years.
Lillard even teased this idea online, sharing a video of himself writing one of Stu’s famous lines from the original movie.
In addition to the returning actors, Scream 7 is bringing in some new faces:
- Isabel May (1883, 1923) will play Sidney’s daughter
- Joel McHale (Community, The Bear) will play Sidney’s husband, Mark Evans
- McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Afterlife)
- Celeste O’Connor (Madame Web)
- Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect)
- Mark Consuelos (Riverdale)
One interesting twist is that Sidney’s husband was originally supposed to be Mark Kincaid, played by Patrick Dempsey in Scream 3.
But now, Joel McHale is playing her husband, which suggests that Sidney and Kincaid got divorced somewhere along the way.
A New Director, a New Vision
The behind-the-scenes drama didn’t stop with the cast.
Originally, Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day, Freaky) was set to direct.
But in December 2023, he left the project, saying, “It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare.”
Now, Kevin Williamson, the man who wrote the original Scream script, is directing for the first time.
Williamson helped shape the franchise from the start, so Scream 7 might feel more like an old-school movie.
At the same time, Guy Busick, who co-wrote Scream (2022) and Scream VI, is back as the screenwriter.
That means the snappy, self-aware dialogue and horror tropes that make Scream special should still be intact.
Filming Has Begun—Now We Wait
Filming officially started in January 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia, and Kevin Williamson was so excited that he couldn’t keep quiet about it.
He posted on Instagram, saying, “I hope Spyglass and Paramount will forgive me, but when you have one of the best days of your life, it’s really hard to keep it to yourself.”
Since filming is already underway, we can expect the first Scream 7 trailer to drop sometime in late 2025.
Can Scream 7 Bring the Franchise Back?
With all the shake-ups, Scream 7 looks like a very different movie than originally planned.
Instead of continuing the Carpenter sisters’ story, it brings back Sidney Prescott and other classic characters.
Bringing back Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley adds even more mystery—how exactly are these characters returning?
Are they hallucinations, or did one (or both) somehow survive?
The biggest question, of course, is who will be behind the Ghostface mask this time?
With Scream 7 set for release on February 27, 2026, we’ll have to wait and see.
