'Scream 5' Is Officially Bringing Back Neve Campbell

It's finally official: Neve Campbell is coming back for Scream 5. Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott in the other four films, is set to join returning cast members David Arquette and Courteney Cox, along with new additions Jack Quaid, Melissa Barrera, and Jenna Ortega. Plot details aren't known yet, but Radio Silence – the group that brought us Ready or Not – are directing.

Sidney Prescott just can't catch a break. The Woodsboro resident who found herself targeted four times by killers in Ghostface masks will once again be put in danger, with Neve Campbell returning to the role she made famous. "After spending time speaking with Radio Silence, they have shown such love, respect and admiration for Wes Craven and all that he's created in the Scream franchise. I am beyond excited to step back into the role of Sidney Prescott and return to Woodsboro," Campbell said. 

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, of the filmmaking group Radio Silence, added: "We're pinching ourselves! It's hard to express how much the character Sidney Prescott shaped our love of movies and to have the chance to work with Neve is truly a dream come true. It just wouldn't be a 'Scream' movie without Neve and we're so excited and honored to join her in Woodsboro."

James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) and Guy Busick (Ready or Not) are handling the script, while Scream creator Kevin Williamson and the third member of the Radio Silence trio, Chad Villella, are executive producing with Project X Entertainment's Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein, and William Sherak serving as producers. While story details are being kept secret, it's safe to say the film will involve a killer (or killers) wearing a Ghostface mask, quizzing people on their love of scary movies before murdering them. 

Released in 1996 and directed by Wes Craven, Scream became a smash-hit and revitalized the somewhat stagnant horror genre of the '90s. Unfortunately, it also spawned a lot of imitators that were kind of terrible. The film would go on to span for three more sequels, all of which were directed by Craven. Craven's final film before his death in 2015 was 2011's Scream 4, a movie that I will defend over and over again, because it's really quite good and deserves more attention.

I loved Ready or Not, so I'm very excited to see what the Radio Silence team brings to Scream. I only have on request: please don't bring Sydney back just to kill her off. That would just be cheap. Scream 5 (which probably won't be called Scream 5) is set to open January 14, 2022. Meanwhile, as far as casting goes, Deadline adds that Dylan Minnette and Mason Gooding have joined the project as well.