Courteney Cox confirms her return for ‘Scream 7’ after major cast shake-ups

Courteney Cox is officially returning to the Scream franchise for its highly anticipated seventh instalment, despite a wave of major cast shake-ups.

With stars of the sixth instalment, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, exiting due to controversy and scheduling conflicts, the casting lineup has shifted dramatically. Only Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding are expected to return, leaving Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers as the iconic slasher’s longest-standing character.

“I’m the longest-running Scream queen, so I guess I can’t stop now,” Cox said at the Inc. 5000 Conference in Palm Desert, confirming her involvement in Scream VII.

The status of Hayden Panettiere’s character, who made a comeback in Scream VI, remains uncertain.

The franchise is also seeing changes behind the scenes. With Christopher Landon no longer directing, Kevin Williamson, the original screenwriter, will now take the helm for the seventh film, which is slated for release in 2026.

Similarly, back in March, Neve Campbell also confirmed her return as Sydney Prescott for Scream VII after sitting out the previous instalment due to salary disputes.