Scream 7 Reportedly Targeting Neve Campbell, Patrick Dempsey

Scream 7 has been in the headlines more this week than at any other point of its development cycle. Yesterday brought word that series star Melissa Barrera had been fired by Spyglass, following recent statements about the conflict between Israel and Palestine which the production company considered antisemitic in nature. Less than a day later it was confirmed that Jenna Ortega, who played Barrera's on-screen sister and has become a household name thanks to Netflix's Wednesday, would also not be returning for the next sequel. With the new Scream movies without their two biggest stars in the front, something new is being considered for the sequel, with a trip back to the well seemingly in the cards.

According to a report from Variety, Scream 7 is essentially starting with a brand new draft of its screenplay which will be replacing its lead protagonists. Though Barrera and Ortega only had a two-picture deal for the series, completing it with Scream VI, producers were planning for them to anchor the new movie. Now that neither of them will appear though, the trade reports that Scream's producers are looking for franchise staples to return. 

The trade notes that both Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, original stars that have appeared in nearly every movie, could be targets and are on a "wish list" to appear in the new movie. Campbell notably did not appear in Scream VI following a salary dispute. As the outlet reveals, the producers of the series are "keen to see her reclaim her iconic character."

Another character reportedly on the wish list to star in Scream 7 is none other than Patrick Dempsey. Just voted the Sexiest Man Alive, and having just starred in the Scream-like slasher Thanksgiving, Dempsey first appeared in 2000's Scream 3 as Detective Mark Kincaid. Though he only had the one appearance in the Scream series it has since been established that Dempsey's Kincaid and Campbell's Sydney Prescott are married and have a family together.

Despite appearances in the first five movies of the series, Neve Campbell opted not to return for Scream VI after a dispute over her salary forced her to walk away from the sequel. The actress was previously very open about the fact that she wouldn't be returning despite becoming the face of the franchise. At a convention earlier this month Campbell actually addressed the movie for the first time publicly after finally watching it.

"I watched it until two weeks ago. It took me a minute, I don't know why," Campbell said during a spotlight panel at Monster-Mania Con this month. "I actually thought they did a really good job. I think the cast are really powerful, wonderful actors...I don't wish these movies ill will. I wanted the movie to be good. It's not like I'm sitting in my house going, 'I hope it sucks, I hope it doesn't do well.' I care about all the people involved. There's someone at the top who only thinks about money and that's their prerogative."

According to Variety's report on these major Scream 7 rewrites, it's possible that set pieces and twists that were written for the movie will still make it into the draft, but the lead characters are where new decisions will need to be made. Scribes James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick will be working on the new draft of the script, but none of the three stars reportedly on the Scream 7 "wish list" have been in any kind of negotiations for a return. No official release date has been set for Scream 7, but Happy Death Day's Christopher Landon has been hired to direct the project.