Summary
TheScreamfranchise was dealt a huge blow with the departure of Melissa Barrera, leaving plans forScream 7to be totally reworked. It was announced Jenna Ortega had also left the upcoming sequel, and incoming director, Christopher Landon followed out the door soon after that. James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick are currently reworking the script, and franchise veteran, Skeet Ulrich has recently opened up in an interview about what the creative team originally pitched for Sam’s arc.
Turns out, from the start, there was a plan for Sam’s story to be told over three movies.Scream (2022)andScream 6were massive successes for Paramount, which led Spyglass to get the go ahead to makeScream 7, and the opportunity for Sam Carpenter’s story to come full circle. Sadly, fans won’t get the opportunity to see what direction the troubled protagonist’s story would’ve taken.
What was supposed to happen to Sam in Scream 7?
Sam Carpenterwas introduced inScream (2022)as the new protagonist in the legendary horror franchise, as Sidney Prescott took a back seat and successfully passed the torch to Sam and a new generation of Ghostface survivors. Sam was joined by her sister, Tara, and her friends, Chad and Mindy, and they collectively became known as the Core 4 when they all returned inScream 6.Sam wasn’t the typical final girl as she had connections with a certain serial killer, which was uncovered in her first appearance in the franchise. She was the daughter of the original Ghostface killer, Billy Loomis. Skeet Ulrich played the teenage killer in the originalScream, and returned inScream 2022andScream 6in Sam’s nightmare visions. Ulrich recently opened up about the plan for Sam’s arc in aninterview with Screen Rant:
Exactly that. I was hoping for exactly that, and that’s sort of the idea that was pitched to me a couple years ago. That it was a three-movie arc, with that in mind. Now, I never saw any of the drafts of seven or anything that… And I don’t know, I mean, it’s possible that it didn’t include any of that as well. But yeah, that was my hope is that if it was going to mean anything, that it directly impacted the plot.
Sadly, these exciting plans for Sam won’t ever come to fruition, after she was fired fromScream 7for her pro-Palestine sentiments on Instagram. There were hints of the darkness that lied within Sam’s character, with her links to Billy Loomis being somethingScream 7could’ve explored even further.
It’s likely this could also spell the end of Skeet Ulrich’s involvement in the franchise, as his return in the previous two sequels was very much linked to Sam’s story. The visions he appeared in received a mixed response from fans and critics, but it was great to see Ulrich inhabit the character for the first time since the original movie.
What direction could Scream 7 go in now?
Scream 7is facing an uncertain future with Sam and Tara’s story coming to an abrupt end, with the departure of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. However, there are plenty of characters who could return in the upcoming sequel to save it from disaster. Neve Campbell sat outScream 6due to a pay dispute with Spyglass, but she hasn’t ruled out reprising her role as the ultimate final girl, Sidney Prescott inScream 7. There have also been rumors that Patrick Dempsey could return as Sidney’s husband, Mark Kincaid, who was last seen inScream 3.
Courteney Cox has playedGale Weathersin every Scream movie to date, so it is likely she could also return for another stand-off with Ghostface. The Scream franchise wouldn’t be the same without the legendary news reporter, and many fans would be delighted to get a Gale-focused story inScream 7.
One of the highlights ofScream 6was the return of fan favorite Kirby Reed, portrayed by Hayden Panetiere. Before her return in the latest sequel, she was last seen inScream 4, as Charlie Walker stabbed her multiple times in the stomach and left her for dead. This led to speculation over whether she lived or died. It was confirmed in an Easter egg inScream (2022)that she did survive, and there’s a possibilityScream 7could be about Kirby.
There has also been a debate between fans that has raged on for years over whether Billy Loomis' accomplice,Stu Macher, died from his injuries inScream, with many suggesting he actually survived. It remains a possibility that Matthew Lillard could return to the role that launched his career inScream 7, and this would delight many fans.
Scream 7has many different directions it could go in, and as much as Sam’s story being brought to an abrupt halt was devastating, the franchise has recovered from major setbacks in the past, and it will do so again. There is set to be an announcement in the near future aboutwho will direct Scream 7and this could pave the way for more details about the progress of the highly anticipated upcoming sequel. Spyglass are keen to commence filming as soon as possible with a 2025 release date being touted.
Scream
The Scream movie and TV franchise began with the release of the first film in 1996. Directed by horror master Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, the deconstruction of slasher movies was an instant cultural, critical, and financial hit. Neve Campbell, who plays ongoing final girl Sidney Prescott, has become a horror icon in her own right, along with Ghostface, the only horror villain whose identity is always changing. Nearly three decades later, the Scream franchise shows no signs of slowing down.
