Neve Campbell reflects on 30 years of Scream and why that first movie became a genre classic: "I think there was a lull in horror films"

Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott in Scream — (Image credit: Dimension Films)

As the first Scream movie approaches its 30th birthday, original star Neve Campbell reflects on the past three decades of Ghostface's antics and says the franchise is still going strong because it offers something different to the horror genre.

"Well, back in 96 I think there was a lull in horror films. There weren't a lot being made. I think people were getting bored of them. I think they were all sort of living the same tone," said Campbell to GamesRadar+. "And scream came along, and Kevin wrote this brilliant new, sort of groundbreaking script that had this meta aspect looking at the genre itself."

Scream hit screens in 1996 and immediately blew audiences away with its meta approach and the clever mix of comedy with the classic whodunnit mystery. The characters were self-aware and often referenced horror tropes and the genre itself in order to try to solve the killings, as if they knew they were in a horror movie. This was a total breath of fresh air at a time when the genre was getting a little stagnant.

So how has the franchise survived this long? According to Campbell, it's because the saga has stuck with its tried and tested recipe, keeping up with its meta tone. "I think we've tried, over the years, over each film, to sort of have our films or our scripts tap into the zeitgeist of the moment, so that whoever's living in that time or wants to see the film at that time will feel that there's some part of their life being portrayed," added Campbell.

Scream 7 star Neve Campbell recalls how the first Scream movie was a breath of fresh air for the horror genre at the time #Scream7 pic.twitter.com/wMZIYYrSvaFebruary 22, 2026

However, despite the whole meta aspect being what put the franchise on the map, fans were shocked to hear that original writer turned Scream 7 director Kevin Williamson said that the upcoming sequel "doesn't really have that meta goal." When we asked Campbell about Williamson's comments, the star said, "Not as meta, but there's certainly aspects in there."

Scream 7 welcomes back Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, who faces Ghostface once again. But this time, she has to protect her daughter, too. The movie also sees Courteney Cox and Matthew Lillard return, and adds Isabel May as Sidney's daughter.

Scream 7 hits theatres in the US on February 27 and in the UK on February 26. For more, check out our ranking of the best Scream movies, and keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.