Jenna Ortega Calls It ‘Unfortunate’ That Neve Campbell Isn’t In ‘Scream VI’

Sidney Prescott and Ghostface are the Laurie Strode and Michael Myers of the Scream-verse. One’s the protagonist; the other’s the slashing villain who’s constantly threatening her life. But just as Jamie Lee Curtis isn’t in every Halloween, Scream VI is the first film in the franchise without Neve Campbell.

2022’s Scream and Scream VI star Jenna Ortega discussed Campbell’s absence in an interview with Elle. “It was really unfortunate,” the Wednesday actress said, “especially because Neve is the coolest, sweetest, most talented lady. The franchise wouldn’t be what it is without her.”

Campbell made the tough choice to not return for Scream VI over a salary dispute. “The offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise. It’s been a very difficult decision to move on,” she told Variety. Campbell continued 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.”

She added, “In my soul, I just couldn’t do that.”

Scream VI, which doesn’t have Campbell but does star Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox, and Samara Weaving, opens on March 10.