The ‘Wild Things’ actress, 48, announced she did not think the wage offer for her appearance in the sixth instalment of the long-running slasher series equated to the value she had brought to the movies.
NEVE Campbell is quitting the “Scream” film franchise.
Campbell has played the terrorised main protagonist of the “Scream” series, Sidney Prescott, in all five of the films since 1996, and most recently reprised the role in the reboot released this year.
The film made $140 million at the box office against a $24m budget, with the last five films in the franchise pulling in ticket sales of $744.5m.
The “Wild Things” actress, 48, said she did not think the wage offer for her appearance in the sixth instalment of the slasher series equated to the value she had brought to the movies.
She also referred to difficulties in establishing herself “as a woman” in the film industry and “Scream” series.
Watch video:
Campbell said on Monday: “Sadly I won’t be making the next ‘Scream’ film. As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to ‘Scream’.
“I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.
“It’s been a very difficult decision to move on. To all my ‘Scream’ fans, I love you. You’ve always been so incredibly supportive to me. I’m forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years.”
The actress previously told “Entertainment Tonight” she was unsure about returning for the sixth film.
She added: “I don’t know if I am,” before saying “I can’t get into it”.
Her comments followed the death of creator Wes Craven from brain tumour in 2016, four weeks before his 76th birthday.
The director’s “Scream” original about mask-wearing knife killer “Ghostface” was credited with resurrecting the slasher genre and grossed $173m in the US on a $15m budget.
It has been reported Campbell was paid a total of $9m for the first three films – $1.5m for the first, $3.5m for the second, and $4m for the third.
It is not clear how much she made from the fourth and fifth instalments but it is common in Hollywood to have “back-end deals”.
They see main stars lower their salary fees in exchange for a percentage of box office receipts, especially in the case of lucrative franchises.
Her exit comes as Dermot Mulroney, 58, was named as the latest actor to join the cast of the sixth “Scream” film, with “The Hollywood Reporter” saying the “My Best Friend’s Wedding” star will play a cop.
The most recent reboot of the movie brought back Campbell with original stars including “Friends” actress Courteney Cox, 57, who plays TV reporter Gale Weathers, and the actress’s real-life ex-husband David Arquette, 50, who reprised his role as gormless police officer Deputy Dwight ‘Dewey’ Riley.
Production for the sixth film is expected to begin this summer and Cox is still attached to the project.
Newcomers from the latest reboot are also set to return, including Melissa Barrera, 31, Jasmin Savoy Brown, 28, and 19-year-old Jenna Ortega.
Cox told “Entertainment Tonight” she feels the plot of the upcoming film is top quality, adding: “I don’t know about contracts and where things are, but I’ll tell you in the script – it’s a really good one.”
