Written by Morgan Cormack
Scream actor Neve Campbell has confirmed she will not be returning to the film franchise over ongoing pay disputes.
While we’re still positively reeling from the return of Scream to the big screen, it seems as though the well-known horror movie franchise is losing one of its most valued actors.
Neve Campbell – who plays Sidney Prescott in the film and is currently starring in Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer – has said that she will not be part of Scream 6. In a statement to Variety, the actor confirmed: “Sadly, I won’t be making the next Scream film. As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream.”
She continued: “I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise. It’s been a very difficult decision to move on.”
And in a poignant nod to fans, she added: “To all my Scream fans, I love you. You’ve always been so incredibly supportive to me. I’m forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years.”
When asked about “the offer” she mentioned, Campbell remained vague. Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media, the companies behind Scream, also did not respond to Variety’s request for comment.
The sentiment is a simple one and a reminder to us all that no matter the situation, industry or dynamic, women should not feel silenced or threatened to keep silent over inequality in the workplace. Campbell’s actions may come as a shock to longtime fans but ultimately show that pay disparities continue to exist in Hollywood and more actors are doing their best to shine a light on them.
As well as being one of the best characters in the long-running film franchise, we’ll always have a soft spot for Campbell because, even as Sidney Prescott, she’s never been afraid to air her opinions over the outright sexism that exists in horror movies generally.
In her day-to-day life as an actor, though, she has previously spoken out about the struggle for fair compensation. In a conversation for Variety, Campbell and Jamie Lee Curtis revealed some candid details about pay. Curtis admitted she “didn’t really make much money off horror movies”, despite starring in the successful Halloween movie series.
Campbell also revealed that she “did alright” but did not get a back-end deal, which ultimately deprived her of a share of the profits. “There’s always the promise of back end,” Campbell told Curtis.
“And then, of course, it’s drowned in publicity and costs and all the reasons they say, ‘Oh, actually no, we didn’t make the amount of money that we’re claiming we made in all the press, so we don’t have to give you that,’ unfortunately. It was the Weinsteins.”
While 2022 saw the release of Scream 5, it looks like this fan-favourite character won’t be seen in the franchise again. Campbell quitting the franchise is a stark reminder that Hollywood’s equal pay issues are very much ongoing. Even so, Scream 6 is expected to begin filming sometime this summer and is scheduled to hit cinemas on 31 March 2023.
Image: Getty
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