Highlights

• Scream 7 is set to begin filming in 2024, with a possible release in 2025, but production on the sequel has had similar problems to Scream 3.
• Neve Campbell is returning as Sidney Prescott, with Kevin Williamson directing Scream 7.
• Scream 7 must avoid script rewrites and a rushed production to escape Scream 3's flaws.

Scream 7 is gearing up to start filming sometime in 2024, with a potential release in 2025, and it'll be the third movie since the franchise was revived with Scream (2022). After the success of Scream 6, another entry was quickly greenlit, but the production on the upcoming sequel hasn't been straightforward, leading to comparisons with the problems faced leading up to Scream 3.

Radio Silence duo, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett passed on Scream 7 to work on Abigail, while Melissa Barrera was fired from the sequel, for her pro-Palestine Instagram posts, followed by Jenna Ortega leaving the project due to a pay dispute and scheduling conflicts. This led to the director, Christopher Landon, leaving the project as well. Kevin Williamson will now direct Scream 7, and the original final girl, Neve Campbell, will return as Sidney Prescott, bringing a bit of stability back to the project. If Scream 7 wants to avoid the same problems as Scream 3, it must avoid the same problems faced with that project.

What happened in the lead-up to Scream 3?

After the success of Scream and Scream 2, it was inevitable that a third movie would come to fruition, and the original scribe, Kevin Williamson, already had some ideas to complete the slasher trilogy, and he'd written a treatment for Scream 3. However, Williamson's career had taken off, and he was too busy to write the script, so Ehren Kruger was brought in to write Scream 3.

To add to Scream 3's problems, Neve Campbell also had a busy schedule, which led to a reduced role in the second sequel. Production was further hit due to the tragic Columbine Massacre, leading to forced changes to the original story, which was focused on a cult of Ghostface killers in High School.

Miramax also decided Scream 3 needed to adopt a lighter tone due to the Columbine tragedy, and the gore and scares were dialed down in favor of humor. The production was also hindered by constant script changes, which massively affected Scream 3, and the movie ended up feeling very rushed, with a mediocre killer reveal, and plot points that simply didn't work. Kruger's writing style also didn't fit the Scream universe, and Kevin Williamson's skills were greatly missed.

What has happened in the lead up to Scream 7?

Similar to Scream 3, production on Scream 7 has been hit by a number of issues before filming has even started. Spyglass were keen to press on with production on Scream 7, and weren't willing to wait for Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett to finish making Abigail, in order to be available to return to complete their trilogy. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, they said:

We got exited. We’ll be sad that there’s not going to be an end to the Sam Carpenter story, but in our minds, we designed Scream VI so that the story feels complete.

Christopher Landon was then brought on board as the new director of Scream 7, but after Barrera and Ortega's exits, he left the upcoming sequel as well. Scream (2022) and Scream 6 co-writer, Guy Busick was then charged with rewriting the script for Scream 7, with the Carpenter sister's story now being totally scrapped.

In a boost for the sequel, Neve Campbell announced on her Instagram page in March 2024, that she would be returning to her iconic role of Sidney Prescott in Scream 7, and also revealed the exciting news that Kevin Williamson would be directing the upcoming sequel.

I’ve dreamt for many years of how amazing it would be to make one of these movies with Kevin Williamson at the helm. And now it’s happening, Kevin Williamson is going to direct Scream 7! This was his baby and it’s his brilliant mind that dreamt up this world.

What does Scream 7 need to do to avoid the same mistakes Scream 3 made?

What does Scream 7 need to do to avoid the same problems in Scream 3?

Scream 7 appears to be back on track, but it still faces an uphill struggle to avoid the problems faced by Scream 3. The changes to the script are a big concern, after it had to be rewritten after Barrera and Ortega's exits, with Scream 7 originally set to be the completion of the Carpenter sisters arc.

The changes to the script were one of the biggest problems Scream 3 faced during production. However, this time around, Scream 7 has Kevin Williamson joining the project rather than departing, which wasn't the case with Scream 3. Despite not penning the script for the latest entry, Williamson being on board as director means he will have the final say on the script, and there's a possibility he could add quality to it. This can only be a positive for the prospects of Scream 7.

Scream 7 needs to avoid rushing production on the upcoming sequel, as this severely affected Scream 3, leading to a very tonally uneven movie.