Scream 7 is missing a major part of the franchise and fans are divided

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Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott in Scream 7, but the film is moving forward without a key cast member, leaving horror fans divided on whether it was the right choice.

In 2026, the Scream series will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and Ghostface is targeting the central figure of the franchise to commemorate the milestone. The first trailer reveals that the killer is also going after her daughter, Tatum (Isabel May).

The sequel faced challenges when Neve Campbell initially chose not to return for Scream 6 due to a disagreement over salary. However, she ultimately rejoined the cast after Melissa Barrera was let go from Scream 7 by the studio because of posts she made on social media about the conflict in Gaza.

Kevin Williamson, the director and writer, has shared that a key part of the Scream series isn’t included in the upcoming Scream 7, and fans are split on whether this will impact the film’s success.

Scream 7 director says the film won’t have a meta commentary like previous movies

In an interview with Empire, director Christopher Williamson revealed that Scream 7 will move away from the self-aware, commentary-driven style that has become a hallmark of the series. This is a significant change, considering the first Scream film began as a satirical take on horror movies themselves.

He clarified that the film isn’t trying to be clever or self-aware. Instead, it focuses on continuing the story of Sidney Prescott, now centering on her daughter and the importance of family.

The director explained that the movie wasn’t initially intended to be very graphic, but they changed their minds. They realized it needed more gore. “We initially aimed for less blood, but that didn’t work,” the director said. “I suggested adding more, and Neve agreed with me.”

It seems the next Scream movie is shifting away from playfully mocking horror tropes and is instead fully leaning into them. This change has sparked debate among fans, with some worried about whether the sequel will live up to expectations.

Some Scream fans say there is “no new ground to tread”

Kevin Williamson’s recent statements have sparked debate among Scream fans, creating a clear split in opinion about the direction of the seventh film. As John Squires of Bloody Disgusting noted on X (formerly Twitter), the self-aware, meta commentary is central to what makes Scream unique, separating it from typical slasher movies.

The post sparked a lot of discussion, with one commenter pointing out that the self-awareness is central to what made the Scream films so good. They said Wes Craven was brilliant at reflecting current culture in his horror movies, which is why they’ve remained popular. Others felt the franchise had run its course. One person wrote that with this being the seventh film, there’s nothing new to explore, suggesting they either stop making them or take Ghostface in a completely different direction, like sending him to space.

Some viewers have noticed that Scream 7 seems more focused on its own history than on the horror genre as a whole. Specifically, they’ve commented that the opening scene appears to be self-aware, taking place at the house where murders happened in previous films.

Another person proposed it might be more subtle, explaining that they believe it won’t be as obvious or heavy-handed as the previous two installments were.

One fan commented that audiences are craving a simple escape when they go to the theater, and feel like there’s been too much self-referential content lately.

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2026-02-13 15:20