Fans of the iconic horror franchise may be eager to discover the extent of alterations made to the original <em>Scream 7</em> screenplay compared to what audiences will experience when the film premieres in theaters next February. According to the film’s writer, Guy Busick, the transformation has been quite significant. Busick, who has previously crafted the narratives for both the fifth and sixth installments, recently engaged in a discussion with ComicBook, where he disclosed the initial vision for the eagerly awaited film — a vision that seemingly did not factor in the return of Neve Campbell’s beloved character, Sidney Prescott.

Busick elaborated that after the departures of key cast members Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega (more on that in a moment), the creative team found themselves needing to completely reinvent the project. “We had to start from scratch,” Busick explained, stating, “We weren’t able to use what we had in the previous iteration for this one.” As the mind behind the scripts for Abigail and Final Destination Bloodlines, Busick shared his thoughts, highlighting the excitement surrounding the original concept:

“We were thrilled with the ideas we had for that movie. Our intention was to create one more ‘Core Four’ film. We understand that the fans adore those characters, and we have a deep affection for them ourselves. We brought those characters to life, and I would love to envision, in some alternate reality, a continuation of their story. However, we couldn’t carry over any elements from the previous narrative. It felt like we had to face the circumstances presented by the universe. We always envisioned a Sidney-centric film, so we thought, ‘Let’s explore why now and what makes this film unique?’”

The Journey to a Sidney-Centric Narrative in ‘Scream 7’

The past few years have been quite tumultuous for Scream enthusiasts. Following the passing of legendary director Wes Craven in 2015, it appeared that 2011’s Scream 4 would serve as a definitive conclusion to the franchise that first captivated audiences in 1996. However, in 2022, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett resurrected Ghostface’s menacing presence and began production on the fifth installment. The overwhelming success of this film led to the swift approval of a sixth installment, and subsequently, a seventh was greenlit.

Nevertheless, the momentum encountered significant challenges when Barrera, a prominent star of Scream and Scream VI, was dismissed by Spyglass Media due to her vocal support for pro-Palestinian causes on social media. Following this, her co-star and on-screen sister, Ortega, also exited, which left the future of the franchise hanging in the balance. Eventually, the seventh film found its footing once again with the return of the original scream queen, Neve Campbell, alongside Kevin Williamson, the franchise’s creator, stepping in as director. In addition to Campbell’s comeback, familiar faces from past installments, including Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley, are set to reprise their iconic roles, leaving fans both excited and bewildered in recent months.

The highly anticipated Scream 7, which is centered around the character of Sidney Prescott, is scheduled to hit cinemas on February 27, 2026.

Source: ComicBook