So far, Scream 5 has managed to coax back two icons of the horror franchise in David Arquette and Courteney Cox. Of course, the next big one they need to get to sign along the dotted line is Neve Campbell, as a new Scream movie wouldn’t be complete without Sidney Prescott. However, there’s a fourth star that fans are desperately hoping returns for the new film, too: Hayden Panettiere, who made a big impression as Kirby in Scream 4.
And it’s not just the fans who want her back, either. Arquette, who’ll be playing Woodsboro Sheriff Dewey Riley for the fifth time in the next Scream, has revealed that he’s on board the #JusticeForKirby train as well. While speaking to Hollywood Life, the actor said he would love to work with the Heroes actress again and hopes to get the chance.
“I love Hayden. I think she’s a tremendous person and actress, and I’d love to see her back,” Arquette told the site.
Usually, there’s no hope that a character from a previous Scream movie, outside of Sidney, Dewey and Gale Weathers, could return as they all end up well and truly dead. In Kirby’s case, though, it’s not so clear cut.
The horror-savvy teen was last seen stabbed in the stomach and left to die by Ghostface killer Charlie (Rory Culkin). Scream 4 leaves us to assume that, yes, she did perish off-screen. However, on previous occasions in the series, we’ve fallen for this trick and characters have later been revealed to still be alive. So, Kirby could easily come back in Scream 5 if there’s room for her.
Panattiere would no doubt be up for the chance to return, too, as it seems like she’s still close to her character. Last December, the actress got her hair cut in a style matching the cropped look she sported as Kirby. That reignited fan calls to see her return in the Scream franchise, and they’ve never really stopped since. But we’ll just have to wait and see what surprises directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin have up their sleeves.