“Those movies have been such a big part of my life and it means so much to me, and I was sad to miss the last one, to not be a part of it,” said Neve Campbell about her absence in ‘Scream VI‘. She made this statement to People Magazine in Los Angeles on May 30, during the opening of ‘Reefer Madness: The Musical,’ a play based on the 90s remake movie she starred in with her brother, Christian Campbell, and Scream 4‘s Kristen Bell.

Fans are always eager to learn about alternate script drafts. Below, I will detail how Sidney Prescott would have fit into the New York setting of ‘Scream VI‘. Last week, we were lucky to read an early draft of the sixth chapter’s script by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, under the name ‘Scream Again‘. [Originally, the title of ‘Scream 2‘. Gasp!]

Completed on February 11, 2022, before the pay dispute between Campbell and Spyglass, the script* depicts Sidney’s suburban life in Seattle and her role in the ensuing chaos.

*Due to copyright restrictions, the script was only available to review in person and was not available for copying or publishing in full. Thank you to our friend Brett for this fantastic scoop.

Sidney Prescott in ‘Scream VI’: A Breakdown

Sidney’s first appearance in ‘Scream VI’ would have occurred after Dr. Stone’s (Henry Czerny) murder, who in this version is watching ‘Stab 2’. We would have seen Tori Spelling reprising her role as “Movie Sidney” saying: “I can’t believe I have to go through all of this again!” It then cuts to Sidney dropping her three daughters (10, 8 and 4 years old) off at school. The oldest is named Hannah. Sid learns about Ghost Face in New York from a school mom and rushes home to pack.

Sidney’s husband, Mark Kincaid, now a sheriff, confronts her. It is easy to envision Patrick Dempsey‘s Mark asking, “You spent the last twenty-five years running away from this stuff, and now you want to run towards it?” Sidney replies, “I need to make sure it doesn’t end up on our doorstep because sooner or later, it always does.” Mark warns, “You keep running after this… Someday you’re not gonna come back.”

Hinted at since ‘Scream (2022)’, where only a baby stroller actually appeared, the “Kincaid-Prescotts” were initially scripted to appear in the fifth film as well, in short a kitchen scene when Dewey (David Arquette) first calls Sid.

Sidney arrives in New York after Anika’s (Devon Nekoda) death and accompanies the gang to the shrine (in this version, a storage warehouse), discovered by Kirby (Hayden Panettiere), not Gale (Courteney Cox). In an amusing bit, Sidney and Gale are equally baffled by Kirby’s FBI status. Billy Loomis’ (Skeet Ulrich) mask is on display here, luring Samantha (Melissa Barrera) toward it. Sid, not Tara (Jenna Ortega), asks what she is doing. In addition, the family conversation between Sam and Gale was initially a conversation between Sam and Sidney, with a focus on Sam’s abandonment issues.

The story then follows the group to the Central Park sequence, where Tara, Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), and Chad (Mason Gooding) try to find the killer among people in the park, while Sam talks with Ghostface. They only stop when Chad asks, “Isn’t this how Uncle Randy died?” This distraction leads to Ghostface being one step ahead of our heroes with Sam and Sid (not Tara) stealing Bailey’s (Dermot Mulroney) cop car to try and save Gale.

As Sam and Sid would never make it in time, Sam contemplates calling Danny (Josh Segarra). In this version of the story, Sam and Danny are flirtatious neighbors but do not have an established relationship prior to the events of the story. Sidney (not Bailey) asks, “Or he can finish her off. Is it possible he’s the killer?” Sam ends her call to Danny mid-dial, but Danny somehow shows up to save Gale anyway from a final, fatal stab in her apartment.

Paramedics take Gale into the ambulance. When asked by a paramedic if she is family, Sid reflects on their shared experiences, and indicates she is, and goes with Gale to the hospital, leaving Sam, Tara and the others to formulate their own plan. Mark calls, and Sid updates him on Gale’s condition. Devastated, she replies, “But everyone leaves these girls…” Sid promises to return to Seattle as soon as she knows Gale is okay, but later breaks this promise when Sam calls from the warehouse where the third act begins.

There, Kirby is stabbed by Ethan (Jack Champion) with Charlie’s (Rory Culkin) knife and ambiguously left for dead (again), as Kirby is not seen or referenced again after this point in the script.

Sidney arrives at the last minute to drop the TV that killed Stu onto Ethan’s head, saying, “Second time I’ve done that, if you can believe it. Works every time.” When Tara asks Sidney how she found them, she raises her phone and indicates the “Find My Fam” app. When Sam tells Sidney she missed the killers’ monologue, Sidney replies humorously, “Oh thank God.” Sidney tells the Carpenter sisters they are her “chosen family.”

The final scene largely remains the same. Chad is miraculously found alive, and although Mindy also survives, she is offscreen at the hospital and not present at the end. Sam tosses Billy’s old mask into a wet gutter and follows Tara and Sidney into the light.

Major alternate plot points from ‘Scream VI’

Sidney’s presence was not the only major change in the original script for ‘Scream VI.’ In this version of the script, the aged Ghost Face masks do not factor into the story. There are no Easter eggs left at each crime scene for Bailey and Kirby to trace Ghost Face’s plan. In the warehouse shrine, the killers’ original masks are on display all together. Only there, when Samantha is drawn to her father’s mask, is it mentioned that the mask is “withered and cracked. Grey now instead of white.”

The cat-and-mouse bodega scene was actually the result of cutting an action-packed sequence that referenced one of the most unnerving scenes in ‘Scream 2‘ when Sid and Hallie (Elise Neal) are kidnapped and trapped in a cop car. After Sam and Tara run into the bodega, they escape out the back door and flag down a taxicab. Ghost Face attacks the sisters through the back window and also stabs the cab driver. The car is t-boned by a truck and they crash upside down in the middle of Manhattan. (This sounds like a very expensive sequence, which may explain the longer bodega sequence taking its place.)

Another intended cameo was Duane Martin‘s Joel Jones, returning as Gale’s producer. She asks him to investigate the rumors about Samantha being the killer on Reddit. He responds, “This is you, getting involved with murders again! We need to do what I did at Windsor and just peace the fuck out!” After calling Gale to supply her with the origin post about Samantha being the killer, Joel escapes from LaGuardia Airport, with a callback farewell: “Good luck surviving your movie, or whatever the fuck it’s about this time – Joel out!”

Unused ideas and lines from past movies were incorporated into ‘Scream (2022)‘ and ‘Scream VI.’ For example, in Gale’s chase scene, she says, “You’ve been in my life so fucking long. I made you. And you made me. You want to try and finish this,” adding a line scripted, but cut from ‘Scream 4‘: “Go ahead if you’ve got the guts.”

Kevin Williamson‘s major unused idea from the original ‘Scream 4‘ involved the killer, Jill (Emma Roberts), surviving. This concept was later used in his TV show ‘The Following.’ Liana Liberato‘s character Quinn would have been shot superficially in the head, not in the center. When she comes back for one last scare, she is tased by Tara and left unconscious. As Sam is about to finish her off, Tara makes a surprising request: “I want her to live. I want her to suffer. Please.”

This could have led to a ‘Silence of the Lambs‘-esque hook for ‘Scream 7‘.

The comeback

Neve Campbell is set to reprise her iconic role as Sidney Prescott in ‘Scream 7’.

“I’m really grateful that the studio heard me when I talked about pay discrepancy,” Campbell shared. “It feels nice to have put that out into the world and to have been listened to.”

Campbell’s departure from ‘Scream VI‘ stemmed from feeling undervalued during salary negotiations. She felt the offer did not reflect her contributions to the franchise. “I don’t believe that if I were a man, the number offered would be the same,” she remarked in a previous interview.

The approach for ‘Scream 7‘ was different, starting from a strong position that made Campbell feel respected and valued. This change in attitude allowed her to return to the franchise with renewed enthusiasm.

What to expect of ‘Scream VII’

Kevin Williamson, who penned the original ‘Scream‘, ‘Scream 2‘ and ‘Scream 4‘, is set to direct Guy Busick’s script of  ‘Scream 7.’ Campbell expressed her excitement, stating, “Kevin Williamson is going to do a phenomenal job. This is his baby, and he deserves it.”

Reflecting on her return, Campbell shared, “The fans’ support has been overwhelming, and it feels incredible to be back.” She emphasized the importance of fan connection, noting how their enthusiasm played a role in her decision to return. “Seeing the love and support from the fans made me realize how special this franchise is to so many people.”

Fans are eagerly awaiting more details about ‘Scream 7‘, including the cast lineup and plot specifics. While the full cast is yet to be confirmed, Campbell’s return has reignited enthusiasm for the franchise.