Scream 7's Filming Delay Could Be A Good Thing For The Franchise

Fans are eagerly anticipating Scream 7, but it looks like they'll have to wait a while longer for the movie to hit theaters. Neve Campbell recently revealed that filming on the upcoming sequel has been pushed back to December 2024, after initially being set to go into production in September. However, this doesn't have to be a bad thing. Scream 7's delay gives the creative team time to make sure the film is the best it can be, especially after the difficulties surrounding the project up to this point.

Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega's exits from Scream 7 were considered an absolute disaster for the franchise. However, when Neve Campbell and Kevin WIlliamson signed on, many fans saw it as a step in the right direction. The focus on the legacy of the franchise has been a key selling point for loyal fans when it comes to the next film in the series. Courteney Cox and Patrick Dempsey are rumored to be returning in the upcoming sequel, and the delays to production aren't likely to harm the prospects of Scream 7.

Scream 7's Filming Delay Could Be Good

Fans waited 11 long years for another Scream movie after Wes Craven's Scream 4 in 2011 appeared to bring an end to the franchise by bombing at the box office. However, the renaissance of the slasher sub-genre a decade later led to the franchise's revival with Scream (2022). It was a huge success, and was followed up by Scream 6 in 2023. Scream 7 received the go-ahead after the sixth entry became the biggest box office success in the franchise since the 1996 original.

Scream 7 was set to go into production right away, but controversy hit the franchise when Spyglass Media fired Melissa Barrera for supposed pro-Palestine Instagram posts. Not long afterward, Jenna Ortega also left the project due to reported scheduling conflicts. It's been over a year since Scream 6 was released, and filming on Scream 7 hasn't even begun yet. Neve Campbell revealed in a recent interview with IndieWire that there have been further delays in the production of the sequel:

At first glance, these delays could be considered a negative for Scream 7, with the potential to harm the project before it releases. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. There is no rush for Scream 7 to release. Fans have waited a long time for new films before, and they'll wait again. Campbell alludes to possible changes being needed to make sure Scream 7 is the best it can be, and that could bode well for the future of the franchise.

If Scream 7 is poorly received by critics and bombs at the box office, fans could have to wait many years for another entry in the horror franchise. It could be a repeat of what happened with the failure of Scream 4, after Kevin Williamson's initial plans were for it to be the first part of a new trilogy. If Guy Busick's Scream 7 script isn't up to scratch, Kevin Williamson could work on it before the sequel heads into production. Most fans would rather wait for a good movie rather than get a rushed, sub-par film.

A Later Release Justifies A Time Jump

There are plenty of rumors going around about the plot for Scream 7, ranging from a Cult of Ghostface killers, to a significant focus on Sidney's family. However, one of the main topics of discussion has been the possibility of a time jump of five years in Scream 7. This would bring Sidney's daughters into their teenage years, allowing them to play an active role in the narrative and taking up the mantle from their mother.

However, most fans don't want a time jump. With that in mind, the filming delays for Scream 7 could actually help this rumored aspect of the movie. It is unlikely Scream 7 will be released in theaters before summer 2025, since filming will only be getting underway in December 2024. Scream isn't really a summer franchise, so it's more likely the upcoming sequel will be released in Fall 2025, or possibly early 2026.

If Scream 7 is released in the early months of 2026, it would be almost three years since the release of Scream 6, which came out in March 2023. If this is the case, the time jump in Scream 7 would actually only be two years from real time. This could make it more bearable for fans of the franchise who aren't used to time jumps, as all previous Scream sequels take place in the actual time passed in real life.