Summary
- David Arquette will return in Scream 7, raising questions about Dewey’s fate after Scream 5.
- Scream 7 will feature legacy characters like Stu Macher, Gale Weathers, and Sidney Prescott.
- Fan service in Scream 7 may overshadow quality if too many characters are included solely for nostalgia.
The Scream franchise is one of the most popular in horror history, with six excellent movies that have helped to create some incredible moments. The anticipation for Scream 7’s release on February 27, 2026, is growing exponentially, and the cast announcements that keep taking place are only adding to that as it is giving people plenty to talk about while the production process takes place.
Even though not every character from past Scream movies will appear in this one, one surprising name has now been confirmed. A character who most people felt was impossible is set to return, but this new addition to the cast risks making Scream 7 messy.
Related
With Stu, Roman & Dewey Returning, Could These Beloved Legacy Characters Come Back For Scream 7 Too?
Stu Macher, Roman Bridger, and Dewey Riley are coming back to Scream 7 along with several other legacy characters, and maybe these ones could, too.
David Arquette Will Return In Scream 7
The latest confirmed Scream 7 cast member is David Arquette, who has played Dewey Riley in the past. It’s something that has surprised most people, considering Dewey was brutally killed in 2022’s Scream 5. It wasn’t a death that was left up in the air either, as it was shown very clearly that he didn’t survive, therefore the idea of him being alive in this particular movie is going to be impossible. That’s something that will open up the opportunity for some unique storytelling when it comes to this character and how they want Dewey to be shown.
There’s the chance that he appears in a throwback clip from the past where he would be alive, which could then link into whatever the current storyline will be. This would instantly impress older fans who have grown up with Arquette being part of the franchise, whether that’s in a small couple of clips or if it’s as part of a bigger role. However, Scream 7 could also have Dewey pop up in a dream/nightmare scenario for Sidney Prescott, which is a slightly more unique approach to take when bringing him back.
Scream 7 Is Featuring A Lot Of Legacy Characters
Dewey isn’t the only character from Scream’s past who is returning despite being presumed to be dead. That’s because Matthew Lillard will also be reprising his previous role of Stu Macher. He was part of the original Scream and was one of the Ghostfaces, which provided a fantastic surprise that the franchise has since become notorious for delivering. Audiences believe that Stu was killed in the first movie, given that his character has never returned, but that remains in the air now. Either way, he’s confirmed to be part of this movie, and that’s something that people debate about regularly.
They’re not the only legacy characters who will be appearing, though. Courtney Cox will once again be back as Gale Weathers, who has been the staple of the Scream franchise. Meanwhile, the original final girl of the horror world will also return as Neve Campbell returns for Scream 7. She has been the franchise’s leading lady, Sidney Prescott, for most of the movies, but she wasn’t part of Scream 6, which left people wondering if she would ever return. However, Prescott is now going to be back, and that should ensure that Scream 7 ends up being heavily linked to the stories of the past, which is likely why so many former characters are also set to return. This could all be brought together in an entertaining way, but there’s also the chance that it will go off the rails.
Scream 7 Is Providing Fan Service, But Will It Be At The Expense Of Quality?
Having all of these legacy characters returning for Scream is going to provide a lot of fan service for people who have enjoyed the franchise from the start, dating back to 1996. This movie is going to leap out at audiences from the screen when the trailer drops because there will be so many familiar faces and characters, with Arquette playing a big part in that. However, there’s a chance that it might end up being rather messy by having too many characters involved at one time. Fitting in multiple people from the past who have been in and out of various movies will be tough to make work in a cohesive manner that feels like it is being done to serve a purpose other than just providing nostalgia.
Bringing back many former characters will certainly make fans smile, but they need to move the Scream narrative forward. Having cameos just for the sake of it can be a negative situation that may potentially harm the quality of the movie itself. Scream 7 will also feature many new characters that will freshen up the franchise, which means there will be a lot of people involved in this film at one time. Being able to link the stories from the past while also creating something fresh and entertaining is going to be the challenge when it comes to Scream 7, but the casting of Arquette has certainly got people worried.
Scream 7
- Release Date
-
February 27, 2026
- Director
-
Kevin Williamson
-
Neve Campbell
Sidney Prescott
-
Courteney Cox
Gale Weathers
-
Mason Gooding
Chad Meeks-Martin
-
Jasmin Savoy Brown
Mindy Meeks-Martin
