The Scream franchise came back to life with a legacy sequel in 2022, followed by a second installment the next year. It was clear there were plans in store for the Carpenter women, particularly big sister Sam (Melissa Barrera), and now we know what would’ve played out on the big screen.

Skeet Ulrich, one of the original Ghostfaces who’s now in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, told Entertainment Weekly he was first approached with a “three-picture arc” for Sam to be haunted with visions of his character (and her biological father) Billy Loomis. Through his repeat appearances, Sam would’ve wound up a Ghostface herself, something the two films hinted at by having her kill one of the Ghostfaces in each film. Scream 6 ends with her looking at the Ghostface mask before dropping it in the street to go join her friends, which you could read as her leaving her dark past behind or preparing to truly embrace it in a follow up.

But these plans fell apart due to “certain things,” which is Ulrich’s polite way of saying Barrera was fired by franchise owner Spyglass in 2023 after coming out in support of Palestinians in the early days of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Ortega subsequently dropped out afterwards, ditto Christopher Landon, who took over directing duties after Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin left to shoot Abigail.

Scream 7 is directed by Kevin Williamson (who wrote the first and fourth films), with the Carpenter sisters MIA and Neve Campbell back as Sidney Prescott. That film, which includes fellow franchise alums Courtney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmine Savoy Brown, and Matthew Lillard, is due out on February 27, 2026. Ulrich reiterated to EW that he won’t be back for this film, and in fact knows “nothing” about it.

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