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Scream 3, which opened last weekend, brings the Woods-boro murders full circle, but not before more heads roll and countless buckets of blood flow.
The Toronto-born Campbell played Sidney Prescott, the hapless prey of the series of masked killers who have haunted the trilogy.
She has mixed feelings about saying goodbye to a character that has dominated her career for four years.
"I'm sad because I had such fun making these movies and because of all the friends I've made through them," Campbell says.
"But it's also a relief. I want to move on in my career and Sidney was holding me back.
"There wasn't too much more I could do with that character."
Both Kevin Williamson, who created the Scream franchise, and Wes Craven, who directed all three instalments, insist there is no chance Scream will mutate into a Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street or Halloween with their seemingly endless parade of sequels.
"Kevin and Wes feel we would become what we were making fun of in Scream if we let the series continue just because these movies have made so much money," says Campbell.
She had a busy time last spring filming Scream 3, her Party of Five TV series and the black comedy Drowning Mona, which opens March 3.
Party of Five has been cancelled after this season.
"I was literally filming all three things simultaneously," says Campbell.
"I was contractually committed to Scream 3 and Party of Five, but I really wanted to do Drowning Mona, especially when I learned Jamie Lee Curtis would be one of my co-stars.
"When the original Scream became such a hit, there were all these stories about how I had usurped Jamie Lee's crown as the scream queen of slasher movies," Campbell recalls.
"The first day we met on set, she came storming over to me gritting her teeth. She stared me down and demanded I give her back her crown.
"She's an incredible person and because she has such fond memories about her Halloween movies, it gave me a better outlook on what Scream has done for me."
In 1998, Curtis revived her Halloween character for Halloween H20.
"Maybe when I'm 50, I'll do a Scream comeback movie," says Campbell. "I think Sidney would have to be in an asylum.
"She breaks out ... and then becomes a killer herself.
"If Miramax likes the idea, they can call me up in 20 years -- but definitely not before then."