Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is one of the definitive final girls in horror movie history. After starring in the first five Scream films, she was noticeably absent from the sixth. Here's why.

A Sidney-less Scream VI

Scream VI, Josh Segarra, Ghostface

To be fair, the fifth Scream was meant to introduce a new group of kids. Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown headlined the new-age group. The fifth film, which was helmed by Radio Silence's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet, also brought back the OG trio.

That's right — Campbell returned alongside Courtney Cox and David Arquette's Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley, respectively. This was the Force Awakens of the Scream series, and seemed to hand the baton off.

Spoiler alert: Dewey dies, but Sidney survives. Gale is brought back into the fold in Scream VI, but Sidney is not. The film still references Campbell's iconic character, though she's never seen.

Article Continues Below
More Entertainment News
The past two episodes of Peacock "Love Island USA" might be the best television ever created, with Huda at the center of it all.
‘Love Island’ Recap: It’s time for Olandria to move forward from TaylorRandall Barnes ·
Damson Idris and Brad Pitt in the new Formula 1 movie F1.
F1 review: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris go full Brett Farve-Aaron Rodgers in thrilling movieAndrew Korpan ·
Olandria Carthen, an HBCU alumna from Tuskegee University, has joined the cast of Peacock's 'Love Island' Season 7.
‘Love Island’ Recap: Why my HBCU sister Olandria has me confusedRandall Barnes ·
WWE legend Dave Bautista, who will star in a rom-com movie.
WWE legend Dave Bautista finally gets rom-com wishAndrew Korpan ·
Singer Bob Dylan, who performed signature song The Times They Are A-Changin' on the 2025 Outlaw Fest tour.
Signature Bob Dylan song played for first time in 15 years at Outlaw FestAndrew Korpan ·
WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes in between company's logo and Netflix, who announced the release date of the documentary series Unreal.
Netflix announces release date of groundbreaking WWE: Unreal seriesAndrew Korpan ·

The reason for Campbell's absence comes down to a contractual dispute. “I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this franchise, and have brought to this franchise, for 25 years,” Campbell told People.

“And as a woman in this business, I think it's really important for us to be valued and to fight to be valued,” Campbell continued. “I honestly don't believe that if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man.

“And in my soul, I just couldn't do that,” she added. “I couldn't walk on set feeling that — feeling undervalued and feeling the unfairness, or lack of fairness, around that.”

The show still went on, even without Campbell. Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown held down the fort in Scream VI. The door's always open for her to return, especially since Sidney Prescott is alive and well. Since then, Campbell has starred in The Lincoln Lawyer for Netflix and Twisted Metal for Peacock.

A seventh Scream film is in the works, with the young group returning. Will Courtney Cox and (more importantly) Neve Campbell return?