Neve Campbell is revealing just how close she came to saying goodbye to Scream for good—and why she was prepared to walk away forever.
After battling Ghostface five times, the franchise’s original “final girl” stunned fans in 2022 when she declined to return for Scream VI. Now, she’s opening up about the real reason behind that bombshell decision. According to Campbell, the pay offer simply didn’t reflect her value—and accepting it would’ve been something she couldn’t live with.
“When I made that decision, I just couldn’t fathom walking onto set feeling undervalued,” she said during an appearance on CBS Mornings. “It didn’t sit right with me. I knew my worth to this franchise exceeded what was being offered. I had to stand my ground.” Campbell admitted that when she walked away, she genuinely believed that chapter of her life was closed for good.
The actress said it wasn’t an easy call. Hearing about the cast’s first day of shooting without her was, in her words, “a gut punch.” But deep down, she felt she made the right move. “I had to be okay with it,” she explained, adding that speaking out wasn’t about making a statement—it was simply about honoring her own value.
Now, in a dramatic twist, Campbell is set to return as Sidney Prescott in Scream 7, hitting theaters February 27. After publicly declaring that the previous offer didn’t match what she brought to the franchise, her comeback signals a major shift behind the scenes—and a powerful reminder that sometimes walking away is the only way forward.
