Summary
- Fans ecstatic with Courteney Cox and Mason Gooding’s return in Scream 7, hinting at Chad’s fate
- Speculation mounts about Chad’s role in Scream 7, hoping he avoids fate worse than Ghostface
- Gooding appreciates Scream franchise, sought to honor late Randy Meeks in role
Has a horror sequel gotten as much attention as Scream 7? It’s been a big few weeks for the upcoming slasher sequel as fans have learned that Courteney Cox is playing Gale Weathers again and there are several other young actors attached, including Isabel May as Sidney Prescott’s (Neve Campbell) daughter. Fans also cheered when they learned that Mason Gooding is coming back.
Gooding appeared as Randy Meeks’s (Jamie Kennedy) nephew Chad Meeks-Martin in Scream (2022) and Scream 6. Chad is kind, funny, and just trying to live a normal young adult life. Of course, his plans are ruined by Ghostface time and time again. Although it’s unclear if Chad’s sister Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) is also returning, it’s good news that one member of the Core Four is back. After hearing that Gooding is returning, fans have some ideas about what could happen to Chad in Scream 7.
Related
I Worry Scream 7 Might Be A Repeat Of Scream 4’s Failure
Scream 7 could repeat some of the issues with Scream 4, and I have some ideas for how it can avoid the same fate.
What Scream 7 Fans Think About Chad’s Return
In a Reddit thread, fans have shared that they think Chad will die or be Ghostface. Some fans wonder if Chad could die in the opening sequence. Redditor @Glass_Promise_2222 thinks that this could be a repeat of the beginning of Scream 3 and wrote, “Cotton style killing?” Redditor @VivaLaCon88 agrees:
“He’s for sure the opening, similar to how cotton was in scream three. I can’t see him being tied to Sydney storyline at all so I’m sure he’s the catalyst that puts everybody on edge.”
Fans have wondered if legacy character could be an opening scene Ghostface victim, and some even think it could be Sidney. Perhaps the opening could feature Chad at college or living in a new city, depending on how much time has passed since the sixth movie. He’s having fun and thinks he has moved on from this terrifying stalking and killing spree, but then he sees the familiar black and white mask and black cape. Now he knows he can never truly get away from this iconic villain. It would be sad if Chad died, especially since he survived a gruesome attack in Scream 6.
If that doesn’t happen, could Chad be the only Ghostface, or one of several killers? One Redditor believes this is possible and wrote:
“Opening kill to close that chapter. Turns out it’s a fakeout and he’s one of the killers. Motive? Who knows but could be a meta commentary on cancel culture.”
On the one hand, it would be a huge twist if Chad was Ghostface. Maybe he had an evil plan all along and fooled his sister. Or maybe he has a new reason for wanting to get revenge on Sidney and the other characters. On the other hand, it would be disappointing to see Chad come back only to be a victim or villain.
Fans debate if Chad should be part of the movie since Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) aren’t coming back. Since the franchise has lost so many characters, it would be a shame not to see Chad and Mindy at least one more time. It’s also possible that Chad will appear in Scream 7 briefly and have a legacy character cameo. Audiences will love seeing him no matter how big or small a part he plays.
What Has Mason Gooding Said About Playing Chad In Scream?
Mason Gooding was a Scream fan before being cast in the high-grossing fifth movie. As he explained in an interview with Wonderland Magazine, he wrote an essay about the horror franchise when he studied at NYU. After meeting with Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, he sent them his essay. Then he waited two weeks, his agents phoned him, and the rest was horror movie history.
Gooding told the publication why he likes these particular slasher films so much:
“The medium has such a visceral and pure ability to elicit such strong emotions from an audience. But what I love specifically about Scream is that it loves its audience. And though horrific things happen to its characters on-screen, it’s done in a way that is set up honestly and pays off so that you feel excited and empowered by the end.”
In an interview with Bloody Disgusting, Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown talked about honoring Chad and Mindy’s late uncle Randy Meeks. Gooding said, “you try in your performance to do as best as you can to pay respects.”
More
This Is What I Want To See From Scream 7’s Newest Teenage Characters
Scream 7 has cast several young actors, and I have thoughts on these new characters in the upcoming slasher sequel.