Scream 7 sets theatrical date and it's still a very long ways away

Ghostface will return to terrorize Sidney Prescott; that much is clear, but unfortunately for diehard Scream fans, it's going to be a long wait for the seventh film in the franchise.

Star Neve Campbell shared the official Scream 7 release date via Instagram on October 1, and it's not until February 2026, meaning we've well over a year to wait until seeing the film. And that's if it doesn't get delayed again.

Production hasn't yet started on the seventh entry into the long-running slasher series, and so far, the only people attached are star Neve Campbell, director Kevin Williamson, and writers Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt. Courteney Cox is expected to return as Gale Weathers, but we previously reported that Cox had not officially signed on just yet.

Scream 7 has been plagued by drama since its inception. First, production company Spyglass Media Group fired Scream and Scream 6 star Melissa Barrera due to her comments regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. Many disagreed with the company's decision, resulting in fans expressing a desire to boycott the franchise moving forward.

Not long after Spyglass dropped Barrera, her co-star Jenna Ortega also revealed she would not be returning due to scheduling conflicts with Wednesday season 2, though some believe she may have exited the project in solidarity with Barrera.

The previous two Scream movies have focused heavily on the Carpenter sisters, played by Ortega and Barrera, so the seventh film will reportedly redirect back to the original final girl, Sidney. Campbell was in the fifth film but chose not to return for Scream 6 over a salary dispute. She and Spyglass negotiated a new deal, resulting in Campbell agreeing to return for the seventh film.

Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon was previously attached to direct Scream 7 but exited the project in December 2023, calling the entire gig “a dream job that turned into a nightmare" via Variety. Williamson—who wrote the scripts for the original Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 4—will direct for the first time since his 1999 film Teaching Mrs. Tingle.

It's not only behind-the-scenes struggles plaguing the development of Scream 7. The film was also one of dozens of projects held up by the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.

So far, Scream 7 has no competition during its weekend of release, which is set for Friday, February 27, 2026. Melissa Barrera's next movie Your Monster premieres in theaters on October 25.