The Scream fandom erupted with excitement last night when Spyglass and Paramount announced that Hayden Panettiere is making her highly-anticipated comeback, reprising her role as fan-favorite Kirby Reed in Scream 6.

This announcement resolves an eleven-year-old creative difference between director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson. Craven had previously teased on Twitter and during the Scream 4 audio commentary that Kirby might have survived, while Williamson had firmly stated she was “six feet under.”

The debate was finally settled during a fan Q&A on January 13th when director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin explained the Kirby easter egg in Scream 5, confirming her survival. He also shared an apology to Williamson for the contradicting decision, to which Williamson humorously replied:

“Let’s do it.”

This moment signifies a true passing of the torch, reaffirming Williamson’s confidence in the talented team that now manages his legacy—a sentiment that fans widely validated with the success of the most recent installment.

A Thoughtful Comeback

Panettiere, who has been on a career hiatus since 2018, actually honored Wes Craven with a voice cameo in Scream 5. However, Kirby’s full return required careful planning, as director Tyler Gillett explained:

“It would have felt weird to bring her back and just do something small, and that would actually distract you. If you had a scene that wasn’t a satisfying Kirby scene, then you’d spend the rest of the movie going, ‘F**k, when is she going to come back!? When am I going to get the thing that I expect to have from this character?’ And so it made more sense to just provide a little nod to her on that YouTube page.”

Unfinished Business

Kirby’s survival raises a critical question for Scream 6: How did she escape death, and can she do it again? The next installment begins shooting on June 6th in Montreal, and with a new Ghostface likely targeting “unfinished business,” Kirby is in for a fight.

With James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick penning the script, fans can rest assured that Kirby’s return will be as satisfying as it is thrilling.

Are you excited for Kirby Reed’s comeback?