Scream: first 'scream' reviews praise Neve Campbell

Christopher Campbell wrote on February 26, 2026 that the new scream heads to theaters this weekend as the franchise’s 30th anniversary approaches. The first reviews online are mixed: many praise Neve Campbell’s return while others call the installment familiar and uneven.

Mixed early reviews and reactions

Early critical response is split. Kristy Puchko wrote, "The Scream franchise just got fun again… Scream 7 is a return to form. " Peter Gray observed, "Scream 7 proves sturdier than expected… enough to justify its existence. " Pete Hammond added, "It may have taken 30 years for Williamson to finally get to steer his own ship, but with Scream 7, it proves well worth the wait. Fans will approve. "

Anthony O’Connor called it, "far more engaging than any seventh film in a horror franchise has any right to be… a solid entry in a franchise that felt like it was beginning to lose its way. " Grant Watson offered a cooler take: "It is an entertaining movie, but it isn’t unmissable. " William Bibbiani wrote, "If you skip Scream 7, you’re not missing the best film in the franchise, " and later noted, "It’s one heck of an apology to Neve Campbell. Almost every scene is about how important Sidney Prescott is. "

Neve Campbell returns, family threatened

Neve Campbell returns in Scream 7, which is co-written and directed by Kevin Williamson, the original film’s scribe. The new Ghostface killer terrorizes her family, and several reviewers singled out Campbell’s performance and "some fresh kills" as reasons the film is worth seeing even for longtime fans. Others described the series as "stale" and "limping along in pursuit of relevance. "

Firing, backlash and departures

The film’s path back to theaters was tumultuous. In late 2023, Melissa Barrera — the star of the 2022 reboot and 2023’s Scream VI — was fired from the seventh installment by Spyglass over social media messages the production company deemed antisemitic. After war broke out in Gaza that year, Barrera reshared a post accusing Israel of "genocide and ethnic cleansing" and reshared a magazine article alleging the Israeli government was distorting "the Holocaust to boost the Israeli arms industry. "

Shortly after Barrera’s axing, Jenna Ortega — Barrera’s on-screen sister whose profile rose sharply after joining the franchise — announced she wouldn’t return for Scream 7, citing scheduling conflicts with her hit series Wednesday. The original director, Christopher Landon, left the project because he was getting death threats over Barrera’s firing, even though he did not make the decision to remove her.

Scream creative crossroads and returns

At a creative crossroads, producers turned to franchise veteran Kevin Williamson to take over directing duties. Williamson and Guy Busick, a writer on the prior two installments, co-wrote the screenplay. The script required a serious retooling after the exits of Ortega and Barrera, whose characters had been the protagonists of Scream VI in lieu of Sidney Prescott, Neve Campbell’s resilient heroine. Sources peg the cost of the rewrite at roughly $500, 000, which observers say isn’t a major expenditure for a franchise of this size.

Box office estimates and paydays

Industry tracking put Scream 7 on pace for a North American debut of $45 million to $50 million, estimates that would deliver a series-best kickoff. The return of Ghostface is framed as primed to "make a box office killing. " The sixth film’s success helped calm earlier concerns: Scream VI earned $161 million at the global box office, the biggest haul since the first two installments.

With Jenna Ortega off the sequel, studios and producers sought a marketing hook. Spyglass chief Gary Barber is described as one of Hollywood’s toughest dealmakers, but Neve Campbell had more leverage this time and secured a nearly $7 million deal — a hefty raise and a major salary for the horror genre. Courteney Cox, who has appeared in every Scream film since the original 1996 slasher, was awarded a $2 million payday. Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory, said, "Neve Campbell is to 'Scream' what Jamie Lee Curtis is for the 'Halloween' franchise. She’s a big draw, especially for older ge" — a remark that appears in the available coverage as a truncated quotation.

The earliest reviews frame Scream 7 as both a potential comeback and a film that will leave some fans wanting more. Praise centers on Campbell’s return and specific set pieces, while criticism centers on familiarity and tonal unevenness as the franchise marks its 30th anniversary and returns to theaters.