It’s official — Hayden Panettiere, 32, will return to fictional Woodsboro, California, for the Scream franchise! Hayden will reprise her role of Kirby Reed from the 2011 slasher flick Scream 4 in the upcoming sixth installment, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Her character memorably faced off against Ghostface, the anonymous slasher at the center Spyglass Media and Paramount Pictures’ wildly popular horror franchise, in Scream 4. While Kirby initially presented as the typical teen sidekick to Jill Roberts (played by Emma Roberts), she proved herself to be viciously committed to survival.
In the 2011 flick, the Heroes actress also appeared opposite original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell, as well as Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Lucy Hale, Rory Culkin, and Alison Brie. In the new installment, which is scheduled to begin shooting this summer, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding and Jenna Ortega, will also be returning. Series mainstay Neve, however, may not return as the iconic Sidney Prescott.
Little is currently known about the plot of the new movie, but producers said it “continues with the four survivors of the Ghostface killings as they leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter,” per THR. While details are scant at this point, another movie in the series was inevitable — Scream, the fifth installment with the duplicate title, has earned in excess of $81 million stateside and $140 million worldwide since it’s January debut. Hayden has spoken in the past about her involvement in the legendary series, calling it “exciting” and saying that she “couldn’t have imagined” being onscreen with stars like Neve.
“It’s a very cool movie and a fun thing to be a part of,” she said during the Scream 4‘s press day in 2011. “Who wouldn’t want to be in Scream? I was sitting on set thinking, ‘Aren’t I supposed to be watching this movie? I don’t think I’m supposed to be here.’ I never could have imagined myself on screen with Neve Campbell, screaming. It just didn’t make sense.”