“Scream” Part 7: Release Date, Cast, Plot, and All You Need to Know

Things are already getting hotter as Ghostface arrives again! After Scream VI smashed box office records in March, fans were yearning for more. Fast forward a few months, and boom—Scream VII is officially on the way. It’s no shocker, though. This franchise keeps outdoing itself!

Ghostface in Scream VI (Credits: Paramount Pictures)

But not everything is smooth sailing for the next installment. There have been some unforeseen cast changes, stunning comebacks, and even behind-the-scenes strife. The big news is that Neve Campbell is back as Sidney Prescott—the queen of screams herself! And if that’s not pleasing enough, Kevin Williamson, the genius behind the 1996 classic, is taking the director’s chair.

Of course, with big changes come bigger questions. What’s the story? Who’s making the cut? And how will Scream VII up the ante for this legendary slasher saga? Don’t stress—we’ve got the scoop. Let’s slash into the details!

What’s the plot of Scream VII? Here’s what we know so far

Neve Campbell in 2022’s Scream (Credits: Paramount Pictures)

Honestly, it’s a bit of a mystery right now. The official plot is being kept tightly under wraps. But here’s what we do know: the script is written by Guy Busick, with a story developed by Busick and James Vanderbilt. These two worked on both Scream (2022) and Scream VI, so expect the same spectacular surprises and unexpected developments.

What’s exciting is the return of Sidney Prescott as the main character. With Melissa Barrera’s exit from the franchise, her character Sam Carpenter’s story is officially wrapped. At this point, the focus shifts back to Sidney, the original final girl. Fans have already started discussing what this could mean for the franchise.

There’s a also popular fan theory going around: could Stu Macher, played by Matthew Lillard, come back? If you remember, Stu was one of the first Ghostface killers in Scream (1996). Many fans think he might not have really died, and Scream VI hinted at this idea. If Stu comes back, it would be a big surprise for the series.

Another major uncertainty is how Scream VII will handle its signature meta-commentary. Each Scream film has played with horror movie tropes in clever ways. The first covered slasher rules, the second tackled sequels, the third explored trilogies, and so on. The sixth movie struggled a bit to define its “rules,” so it’ll be interesting to see how the seventh film ups the ante.

Who’s in the cast of Scream VII?

Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Devyn Nekoda, and Melissa Barrera in Scream VI (Credits: Paramount Pictures)

The big headline is that Neve Campbell is back as Sidney Prescott. That’s right, the scream queen is making her grand return after skipping Scream VI, and fans couldn’t be more pumped! The actress posted her excitement for the return on Instagram, writing:

Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!!. It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the ‘Scream’ movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

Mason Gooding, who played Chad Meeks-Martin, is also confirmed to return. His co-star, Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays Mindy Meeks-Martin, is rumored to join as well. Fingers crossed we get more of the Meeks-Martin sibling duo!

There are also some fresh faces joining the squad. Isabel May is set to play Sidney Prescott’s daughter, a new character who could revamp the scene. Celeste O’Connor, McKenna Grace, Asa Germann, and Sam Rechner have also signed on for undisclosed roles.

But not all the news is happy. Melissa Barrera, who starred as Sam Carpenter in Scream (2022) and Scream VI, is out. Her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war led to her removal from the film. Spyglass, the studio that produced Scream VII, said in a statement (per The Hollywood Reporter):

Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.

This decision has ignited much discourse across the web, but it’s clear that her character’s story is done. Jenna Ortega, another fan favorite, is also not returning. She played Tara Carpenter, Sam’s younger sister, in the last two films. Her departure is reportedly due to her packed schedule. Between filming Wednesday season two and Beetlejuice 2, Ortega just couldn’t fit Scream VII into her calendar.

And what about Courtney Cox? According to Variety, the legendary Gale Weathers is finally making her return in the seventh installment of Scream! In September 2024, Cox told the outlet that the script is constantly being updated, so her role is still on the fence. But now, it’s officially confirmed—Gale’s back!

When is Scream VII releasing? Here’s the official date

Ghostface in Scream VI (Credits: Paramount Pictures)

Save the date: Scream VII goes into theaters on February 27, 2026. Neve Campbell and director Kevin Williamson shared the declaration on Instagram in October 2024, in a post that has since gone viral.

The actress stated alongside a photo of a knife slashing a calendar that bears the movie’s release date (with lots of blood drippings for good effect), “It’s gonna be a killer 2026. #Scream7.”

Filming was expected to begin in December 2024, giving the actors and crew plenty of time to bring their A-game. Despite the character changes and creative makeover, everything appears to be picking ahead smoothly.

The February release date allows supporters nearly two years to get ecstatic. With so much time to prepare, we can be confident that Scream VII will deliver.