Scream fans are elated with the recent announcement of the return of Hayden Panettiere reprising her role as Kirby Reed, who was a fan favorite from Scream 4. The last time fans had seen Kirby, she had just been stabbed in the stomach by Charlie, who allegedly tricked her into thinking that he was in danger. Kirby was a special kill for Charlie because he had a crush on her for years and went unacknowledged. Her death was one of the toughest blows the movie delivered, as she not only embodied a modern day Randy Meeks, but also touched the horror geek in us all.

Kirby’s fate had been undetermined, and it was assumed that she had been dead, despite the conspiracies that she would return to the fifth movie as one of the killers. However, Scream 2022 makes no mistake of mentioning the character as a survivor. It is unclear what role Kirby will play in Scream 6, but her return is one of the most anticipated. Here are some possible plot lines that the movie may explore for Kirby Reed in the 2023 release.

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The Scream franchise is often attributed with some of the best opening scenes in horror. In 1996, Wes Craven shocked audiences by killing Drew Barrymore in the first ten minutes of the movie, showing that nobody is safe. The sequel that was released a year later, took the same concept of the first movie’s opening scene, but brought it to a public place. The franchise had followed this tactic for the third movie, but it was the fourth that ultimately changed up the opening scene’s traditional stance. Scream 4 showed the opening scene of a Stab movie, and played on the ultra-meta theme of a movie within a movie. The fifth film went back to basics, and mimicked the first 1996 opening scene.

Kirby may be Scream 6’s first victim, and may be back in Woodsboro only for a short period of time. It wouldn’t be the first time that the franchise brought back a character for a short stint. In the third film, the wrongfully accused Cotton Weary meets his demise and falls victim to the hands of Ghostface. It wouldn’t be unlikely that the new killer, or killers want to revisit the past like so many others before them.

Killer Kirby

When Scream 2022 was first announced, per Nerdist, there was some speculation whether the potential killer for the film would be Scream 4’s Kirby Reed. She was left for dead, so it would make sense that she would want to seek revenge on her so-called friends. However, most of the storylines within the Scream franchise all lead back to the leading lady, Sidney Prescott, respectively portrayed by Neve Campbell. Although the rebirth of the iconic slasher focused on mainly new characters, it was hard not to get giddy when Campbell announced her return to Woodsboro. Yet, being that there were no notable survivors within the new cast members in the fourth film, it is slightly unlikely that Kirby would turn evil just to take vengeance on Sidney. Especially being that she barely interacted with her.

The Ring Leader

After the script leaked for Scream 2, writer Kevin Williamson was forced to rewrite the entire plot. This meant that the killers had to be altered so that the movie would survive. However, the black sheep of the franchise, Scream 3, reveals Sidney’s long-lost brother Roman as the killer, and in turn he reveals that he was the mastermind all along. Roman, played by Scott Foley, claims that he was the one who coached Billy and Stu. There is a possibility that Scream 6 would play the very same game with Kirby Reed. Scream 4’s reveal of Jill and Charlie being the killers offered a shocking commentary on the modern youth of the time. Jill, played by Emma Roberts, was so fame-hungry and tired of living in Sidney’s shadow. Charlie was essentially along for the ride, but was also being manipulated by Jill.

Being that Kirby and Jill were close friends, it would be an interesting reveal if it had been Kirby all the while working with Jill, and Charlie was just a clueless bystander. Regardless of the direction the writers decide, Kirby’s return is an exciting announcement for fans of the franchise.