Courteney Cox paid less than Neve Campbell in Scream 7

In Scream 7, Neve Campbell returns to take on Ghostface—and she is being well compensated for it. The film arrives in theatres today, Friday, February 27, 2026.

Variety reports that the 52-year-old actress secured a deal worth $7 million to reprise her iconic role as Sidney Prescott. This figure is particularly noteworthy, as it is $5 million more than what her longtime co-star, Courteney Cox, is receiving for the same film. The $2 million payday for Cox, 61, who has portrayed sardonic journalist Gale Weathers in every installment since the 1996 original, underscores just how central Sidney Prescott remains to the franchise’s identity and box office appeal.

Campbell previously sat out 2023’s Scream VI following a publicized pay dispute, making her return one of the most anticipated horror storylines of the year. Reports indicate that it cost approximately $500,000 to rewrite the script to bring Sidney back into the fold. Consequently, the film’s total budget has risen to $45 million, a step up from the $35 million spent on the previous entry.

Fans have responded enthusiastically to the news. On a post shared by Campbell, one follower commented, “I’m so excited to see Sidney as the focus again. You deserve all of the great things! February 27th can’t get here fast enough.”

Earlier this month, Courteney Cox couldn’t contain her laughter when Jimmy Fallon donned a wig replicating her infamous baby bangs from Scream 3 during her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The 61-year-old actress was on the show to discuss the upcoming Scream 7 when the conversation turned to her much-memed “microbangs” from the 2000 horror classic. Cox immediately clarified, “The bangs were my choice. It’s not the way they came out.”

“I only had one set of bangs and they were…” she added, prompting Fallon to finish her sentence: “Microbangs.”

Fallon then jokingly put on a wig styled with the same tiny bangs. Cox burst into hysterical laughter at the sight. “You’re so cute, [but this is] the worst you’ve ever looked,” she said, gesturing to her own photo from the film. “This is skit-worthy, but do not ever wear those out. They look as bad as this.”