Scream 6 Writers Reveal How Sidney's Absence Affected the Script (Exclusive)

By Charlie Ridgely

The sixth film in the Scream franchise arrived in theaters earlier this year, and brought with a couple of major firsts for Wes Craven's iconic slasher series. Scream VI is the first of the franchise to take place in New York City. It's also the first not to include Neve Campbell. As series lead Sidney Prescott, Campbell has been a cornerstone for Scream, but she opted not to take part in Scream VI because she didn't feel her offer matched what she brought to the series over the years. So, before production began, the Scream creative team had to work around Sidney's absence.

Fortunately, there weren't a ton of changes to be made once Campbell decided not to come back. ComicBook.com recently spoke with the writing team of James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, as well as producer William Sherak. The trio explained that the Scream VI script had to be slightly adjusted to remove Sidney, but that the character's absence didn't cause any real change to the story. It was always a journey for Sam and Tara.

"We found, very early on, that this was always the story we wanted to tell," said Vanderbilt. "We always were going to tell the story about Sam and Tara, and we were dialing in and figuring out who the characters were around that. The movie you saw has very much always been the movie it was."

Sherak chimed in to add that Sidney Prescott will always be able to be worked into a Scream movie, since the character is so deeply woven into the fabric of the franchise's DNA. 

"Yes, and I think a Scream movie can always have Sidney Prescott in it," he explained. "When that information came to us, you don't look at it the way you're thinking. It's much more, 'This is the story we were telling.' Sidney can fit into any Scream movie, she's Sidney Prescott. And that just wasn't in the cards we were able to play with. So we got to tell this amazing story and the guys crafted it brilliantly. But if Sidney Prescott's in a Scream movie, Sidney Prescott fits that Scream movie. We have that luxury. We have the luxury of a character you can always make work in this franchise."

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Hopefully, if there is a Scream VII on the horizon, we'll be able to see Neve Campbell reprise her beloved heroine once again.

Scream VI is out now on Digital HD and streaming on Paramount+ and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on July 11th.

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