Shortly after Barrera’s axing, her on-screen sister Jenna Ortega, whose profile has skyrocketed since she and Barrera joined the “Scream” team, announced she wouldn’t return for “Scream 7.” She cited scheduling conflicts with her hit Netflix series “Wednesday.”
Amid the turmoil, the film’s original director, Christopher Landon, left the project because he was getting death threats over Barrera’s firing, though he didn’t make the decision to boot her.
With the sixth film, Paramount execs were concerned about making a “Scream” movie without Campbell, who didn’t return over salary dispute. However, the studio’s say in the matter was limited because Spyglass had the final ruling on creative decisions. Fears were quelled when “Scream VI” earned $161 million at the global box office.
Paramount and Spyglass knew they needed a killer marketing hook. Spyglass chief Gary Barber is one of Hollywood’s toughest dealmakers, but this time around, Campbell had more leverage.
Campbell was able to secure nearly $7 million deal, a hefty raise and major salary for the horror genre.
Courteney Cox, who has appeared in every “Scream” film since the original in 1996, was awarded a $2 million payday.
“Neve Campbell is to ‘Scream’ what Jamie Lee Curtis is for the ‘Halloween’ franchise,” says Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango. “She’s a big draw, especially for older generations who grew up with the original films.”
Paramount and Spyglass are banking on nostalgia, and the enduring popularity of horror, to propel the slasher series to new box office heights.
Production costs on “Scream 7” began to balloon as the film was delayed a year. The seventh chapter carries a $45 million budget, up from the sixth film’s $35 million price tag.
Plans are already in place for the killer’s lethal return in an eighth film.
