Skeet Ulrich Spills On 'Scream' Reboot's Original Endgame: The Dark Past Sam Carpenter Would Have Embraced
When the Scream franchise rebooted in 2022, it seemed clear that the film was laying the groundwork for a legacy sequel. And now we know what would have happened if those plans had come to fruition. According to Entertainment Weekly, original Ghostface Skeet Ulrich revealed that Sam Carpenter's storyline was always intended to take a dark turn.
In an exclusive interview with EW, Ulrich shared that he was initially approached with a three-picture arc for Sam to be haunted by visions of his character Billy Loomis and her biological father. Through these appearances, Sam would have gradually become embroiled in the Ghostface's world, ultimately ending up as a Ghostface herself. This sinister trajectory is hinted at throughout both Scream 5 and 6, with Sam even killing one of the Ghostfaces in each film.
However, those plans were derailed due to circumstances beyond Ulrich's control. Melissa Barrera, who plays Sam, was let go from the franchise by Spyglass in 2023 after publicly supporting Palestinians during the Israel-Gaza conflict. Neve Campbell's sister Maya Hawke also dropped out of Scream 6 following Barrera's departure. Meanwhile, Christopher Landon, who took over directing duties for Scream 6, has since distanced himself from the franchise.
As a result, it seems that Sam's storyline was altered significantly. While Scream 6 left her looking at the Ghostface mask before abandoning it on the street, some fans interpreted this as a departure from her dark past rather than a bold step into embracing it. The original endgame, however, would have seen Sam fully embracing her connection to the Ghostfaces and the traumatic events of her childhood.
Scream 7, directed by Kevin Williamson, promises to return the franchise's signature blend of horror and self-aware humor. With the Carpenter sisters MIA and Neve Campbell back in starring roles, alongside Courtney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmine Savoy Brown, and Matthew Lillard, fans are eagerly anticipating the film's release on February 27, 2026. However, for Skeet Ulrich, the experience was a "closed book" – he confirmed that he won't be returning to the franchise and knows nothing about Scream 7.
When the Scream franchise rebooted in 2022, it seemed clear that the film was laying the groundwork for a legacy sequel. And now we know what would have happened if those plans had come to fruition. According to Entertainment Weekly, original Ghostface Skeet Ulrich revealed that Sam Carpenter's storyline was always intended to take a dark turn.
In an exclusive interview with EW, Ulrich shared that he was initially approached with a three-picture arc for Sam to be haunted by visions of his character Billy Loomis and her biological father. Through these appearances, Sam would have gradually become embroiled in the Ghostface's world, ultimately ending up as a Ghostface herself. This sinister trajectory is hinted at throughout both Scream 5 and 6, with Sam even killing one of the Ghostfaces in each film.
However, those plans were derailed due to circumstances beyond Ulrich's control. Melissa Barrera, who plays Sam, was let go from the franchise by Spyglass in 2023 after publicly supporting Palestinians during the Israel-Gaza conflict. Neve Campbell's sister Maya Hawke also dropped out of Scream 6 following Barrera's departure. Meanwhile, Christopher Landon, who took over directing duties for Scream 6, has since distanced himself from the franchise.
As a result, it seems that Sam's storyline was altered significantly. While Scream 6 left her looking at the Ghostface mask before abandoning it on the street, some fans interpreted this as a departure from her dark past rather than a bold step into embracing it. The original endgame, however, would have seen Sam fully embracing her connection to the Ghostfaces and the traumatic events of her childhood.
Scream 7, directed by Kevin Williamson, promises to return the franchise's signature blend of horror and self-aware humor. With the Carpenter sisters MIA and Neve Campbell back in starring roles, alongside Courtney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmine Savoy Brown, and Matthew Lillard, fans are eagerly anticipating the film's release on February 27, 2026. However, for Skeet Ulrich, the experience was a "closed book" – he confirmed that he won't be returning to the franchise and knows nothing about Scream 7.
. like, to be haunted by visions of her past and become a Ghostface herself? that's some messed up stuff right there... but at the same time, can you blame her for wanting to confront those demons head on? it's like, we all gotta face our dark pasts at some point, right? and what's even crazier is how much it would've been influenced by Melissa Barrera's departure from the franchise. like, the whole trajectory of the story just gets flipped on its head because one person spoke out against Israel 
. anyway, Scream 7 is coming... but for me, that's a whole new can of worms. what's gonna happen next? are we gonna see Sam finally at peace or just more chaos? so much to think about...
#ScreamReboot #GhostfaceSam #DarkPast - it sounds like a major game changer! 
having her become a ghostface herself would've been, like, totally eerie and captivating. but now that it didn't happen, I'm curious to see how they'll make it work w/ the new direction 
It's wild how things can take a turn like that and change the direction of an entire franchise 
That ending would have been so dark and twisted, but in a good way? 
It's like, what happened to that plan 
Can't wait to see how they'll pull off this new story without Melissa Barrera or Sam Carpenter in the picture 
. but hey, now we get to see Scream 7 and hopefully they'll be able to tie up some loose ends? 
fingers crossed that scream 7 will deliver on its promise of horror and humor 
I think its weird how Sam's storyline got altered like that after Melissa Barrera got let go from the franchise 
I personally think its more interesting when movies have an original plan and then it gets messed with, like what if Sam had become the ghostface? it sounds dark and twisted in the best way possible 
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it was dark & twisted 
sam carpenter woulda become a ghostface herself 
but now that melissa barrera is out, it's like they just dropped the ball 
and we're left with an alternate ending 
it's all so confusing 
anyway, can't wait for scream 7 
Still, Scream 7 is gonna be lit, for sure! 
That sounds like some crazy stuff, and I'm not sure if it's a bold move or just plain unsettling. Either way, it's definitely not what we got from Scream 6. I mean, leaving Sam with that mask on the street was kinda confusing - was she embracing her connection to Ghostface or just abandoning it? 
Anyway, I'm still hyped for Scream 7, but I'm also a little bummed that Skeet Ulrich won't be back. He's like the OG Ghostface, you know? 
it makes sense why neve campbell and maya hawke dropped out too 
I'm still not convinced that she was just casually glancing at a mask on the street after all she went through. It felt so out of character. And don't even get me started on how Melissa Barrera got let go from the franchise... what a shame, she would've been perfect for that role! 