Neve Campbell’s Huge Scream 7 Salary Reportedly Revealed After Pay Dispute

2 weeks ago 8

Published Feb 25, 2026, 12:38 PM EST

Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay.

Neve Campbell has reportedly scared herself up a big payday for Scream 7.

After helping to launch the iconic slasher franchise in the mid-90s, Campbell is set to reprise her role as Sidney Prescott for the upcoming seventh film, which hails from director Kevin Williamson. Campbell returning to lead the Scream 7 cast follows an absence from 2023's Scream 6 over a very public dispute regarding her pay.

Now, Campbell's Scream 7 salary has seemingly been revealed, with Variety reporting that the star was able to secure a deal close to $7 million. This makes her the highest-paid actor in the film by a significant margin, with costar Courteney Cox reportedly taking home a salary of $2 million.

The report also claims that Scream 7's budget comes in at a hefty $45 million, an increase from Scream 6's $35 million budget. The report ends with the suggestion that plans are already in place for Scream 8, speaking to the importance of this franchise to Paramount and Spyglass.

Ghostface holding a knife in front of a fiery background in Scream 7 promotional art

Campbell's salary is evidently part of the reason behind the film's budget increase, but inflation and the movie's year-long delay are also major factors. The delay followed several high-profile talent exits in late 2023, raising questions about the project's future.

Introduced in the 2022 legacy sequel and returning for the 2023 follow-up, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega were originally expected to lead the seventh film. Barrera was fired from Scream 7 in November 2023, however, after tweets regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, and Ortega departed the project not long after, citing scheduling conflicts with Wednesday season 2.

Planned director Christopher Landon then also exited Scream 7, leaving the project without two stars and a director. With the sequel in limbo, original Scream (1996) screenwriter Williamson was brought on board to rewrite the script for a reported sum of $500,000.

"I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this franchise," Campbell previously told People about the pay dispute. After the departure of two stars and a director, though, Campbell was evidently in a more powerful position from which to negotiate, explaining her significant payday.

With Campbell back, Williamson, who also wrote the second, third, and fourth films in the slasher franchise, was brought on board as director for the first time. Trailers have teased that Williamson is shepherding a nostalgia-filled return for Ghostface.

In addition to Campbell and Cox, Scream 7 is bringing back other stars from the franchise's past, including Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, and Scott Foley. Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding will return as Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, respectively, with newcomers including Joel McHale, Isabel May, Mckenna Grace, and Michelle Randolph.

The seventh film picks up the story with Sidney having built a life for herself in a new town with her husband and daughter. When a lethal new Ghostface killer emerges, Sidney must face her darkest fears when her daughter becomes the killer's target.

It remains to be seen whether Campbell's return will entice audiences to theaters for Scream 7, but the 2023 film was a big hit, grossing $166 million. Many questions remain about the upcoming film and the franchise's future, but Paramount and Spyglass are evidently betting big on Ghostface.