Matthew Lillard Enthusiastically Defends Neve Campbell's Scream 6 Exit
Neve Campbell's Scream co-star Matthew Lillard has defended her decision not to return for Scream 6. Campbell has been the star of the series since the original 1996 film, playing the troubled 'final girl' Sidney Prescott as she and her friends are constantly hunted by a variety of serial killers wearing the Ghostface mask. Although the franchise went dormant in 2011 with Scream 4, Campbell returned for the recent legacy sequel (also titled Scream), which released in January 2022.
Scream 2022 was a substantial hit, raking in $140 million worldwide during a period in which a worldwide COVID-19 variant surge was making a dent in box office profits. Although Campbell had previously stated she would be willing to return as Sidney Prescott should another sequel be green-lit, once Scream 6 went into production it was announced that the actor would not be participating. Campbell stated that her exit from the Scream saga was because the salary offer she received to return «did not equate to the value [she had] brought to the franchise,» explaining that moving on from Sidney Prescott was a difficult decision.
Related: How Scream 6 Leaving Woodsboro Sets Up An Original Character's Return
During a conversation with Midnite Movie Club on Twitter Spaces, Lillard, who played the wacky Stu Macher in the original Scream, expressed his enthusiastic support for Campbell's decision. Campbell's former co-star praised the actor for being the lead of one of the most successful horror franchises in history, questioning why a woman would be expected to take a low salary offer, especially following an entry that was a "smash hit." To make his point, Lillard compared Campbell to Tom Cruise, saying:
«Think about it. Did Tom Cruise take less money
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