Courteney Cox clarifies whether she’s officially returning forScream 7and shares her excitement for the upcoming installment. As Sidney Prescott actor Neve Campbell is returning for the movie after sitting out 2023’sScream 6, it’s widely assumed Cox will as well, marking her seventh time playing Gale Weathers. In March, it was reported that Cox was in talks to return, but nothing official came after.Scream 7will be directedby Kevin Williamson, who helped kickstart the franchise by writing the original Wes Craven-directed movie.
Now, while speaking toVarietyat an event, Cox said,“I’m not officially signed on. I’m not, but there will be a ‘Scream 7.’“However, this does not appear to be a case of the previous reports being untrue, as the actor also stated, “They’re rewriting all the time. It’s not like I don’t know what’s going on,” indicating she is being kept in the loop and is still likely in negotiations. Cox also spoke enthusiastically about what is to come with Williamson, adding, “You can’t get better than that choice. It’s going to be fun.”
What Cox’s Update Means For Scream 7
Gale’s Return Is Still Likely
So far, the development ofScream 7has been far from easygoing. After the slasher franchise was successfully relaunched with a new creative team and largely new cast in 2022, additional movies were a foregone conclusion. However, afterSpyglass fired Melissa Barrera, the franchise’s new leading lady, over pro-Palestinian social media posts, Scream 7entered a limbo state. Then-director Christopher Landon later stepped aside, and Barrera’s onscreen sister Jenna Ortega confirmed she wouldn’t be returning either.
Ortega’s decision to leaveScream 7doesn’t have to do with Barrera’s firing, but is instead reportedly due to a salary dispute, as well as her filming schedule for Netflix’sWednesday.However, Ortega has publicly stood by Barrera.
With the news that Campbell and Williamson are both returning,Scream 7got a jolt of excitement, and Cox’s return would only increase that. Though Cox’s return isn’t a done deal, it still seems very likely that she will be on the cast list eventually. Cox is the only onscreen cast member to appear inevery Screammovieso far, andit would probably take something drastic to prevent her from returning for the seventh, especially with Campbell and Williamson involved. Her comments indicate she’s still being updated on the movie’s progress, which means her negotiations are ongoing.
Our Take On Cox’s Scream 7 Update
The Studio Would Be Stupid Not To Bring Cox Back
Though it eventually was a critical and financial success,Scream 6was heavily scrutinized because of Sidney’s absence, and it didn’t help that Campbell opted not to return because she wasn’t being offered a suitable deal.Her appearance inScream 7is being celebrated as a horror legend getting the respect she deserves, and so it would be disappointing if it then ended up losing its other iconic female star.
Scream 7is already a frustrating project due to Barrera’s firing, but Cox’s return could help keep the series on the right path. If the movie cannot focus on the two leads audiences have recently grown fond of -Sam (Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Ortega)- then it should pay the series' first two final girls the respect they’re due. A scenario whereSidney and Gale team up to defeat the latest Ghostface would certainly be an exciting and satisfying plot, particularly if they end up being the only returning cast members. Only time will tell howScream 7shakes out.
Scream 7
Cast
Scream 7 is the latest entry in the longstanding horror franchise, continuing the legacy with new chilling events.
