Several new cast announcements have been made for the highly anticipated Scream 7. However, there's one actress, in particular, we've been eagerly waiting to hear will return. That actress is Hayden Panettiere, who played the role of Kirby Reed in Scream 4, Scream (2022) and Scream VI. While her involvement in the next installment remains unconfirmed, the good news is that this beloved Scream actress has just been revealed as the star of an exciting new project.
She will be starring in an upcoming psychological thriller titled Sleepwalker. Besides the Scream franchise, Panettiere is known for having roles in other movies, such as Bring It On: All or Nothing, I Love You, Beth Cooper and Amber Alert. You might've also watched her on the TV shows One Life to Live, Ally McBeal, Heroes and Nashville.
In Sleepwalker, Panettiere takes on the lead role of a grieving mother named Sarah. Sarah is struggling to cope with the devastating loss of her daughter in a car accident that also left her abusive husband in a coma. As her sleepwalking episodes become increasingly intense, she begins experiencing eerie visions of her husband lurking within their home. These visions are so intense and disturbing that she struggles to tell what is real and what is not. No other actors besides Panettiere have signed on to the film.
Verdi Productions and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions are behind this thriller that just recently wrapped filming in Rhode Island. Producers on the project include Chad A. Verdi, Jennifer Davisson, Phillip Watson, Michelle Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., and Paul Luba. In addition, Taylor DiGilio, Sera Verdi, and Anthony Gudas are executive producing the film.
Brandon Auman, who is known for writing for TV shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Legend of Vox Machina, wrote the screenplay as well as directed Sleepwalker. It's based on his 2024 short film of the same name. Additionally, Auman makes his feature directorial debut with this movie.
Unfortunately, this is all we know about Sleepwalker at the moment. As more details emerge, we'll be sure to return and share everything we found. So, stay tuned to 1428 Elm for now!