Scream 3 actor Scott Foley recalls first learning that he would be playing Ghostface ahead of his return in Scream 7. The third installment in the Scream franchise hails from director Wes Craven and sees Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends travel to Hollywood to visit the set of Stab 3, a movie based on the Woodsboro murders. Foley plays Stab 3 director Roman Bridger in the film, who is later revealed to be Ghostface and Sidney’s half-brother. It was recently confirmed that Foley, despite his character’s death, will be appearing in the upcoming Scream 7.

Ahead of his return in Kevin Williamson’s Scream 7, which releases next year, Foley speaks with People about his role in Scream 3 in celebration of the movie’s 25th anniversary. The actor recalls he had “gone through a long audition process” to get the role of Roman, a character who he was not initially aware would be Ghostface. Foley reveals that he didn’t actually learn he would be playing Ghostface until over a week into shooting. Check out his recollection below:

“This was a H๏τ movie back [in the day]. It was the WB days, and I was so excited to get this role. I will tell you, and I will never forget the moment, having already been cast … and it was maybe my second week on the film, and I was talking with Marianne Maddalena, who was [director] Wes Craven’s producing partner at the time, and they were all sort of laughing, and I felt like there was an inside joke that I wasn’t a part of.

“Someone said something and then Marianne said, ‘You know what we’re talking about, right?’ And I sort of smiled and I said, ‘I have no idea what anybody’s talking about.’ And she said, ‘You’re the killer.’ I will never forget, Wes Craven had his New York Times crossword in his hand, folded up, and looked at me over the top of his glᴀsses when Marianne said it, just to gauge my reaction.

“And I was so … I don’t know if I was happy or taken aback, but it was such a specific moment for me. And I think partially because having that sort of information as an actor can help you, and I understand why they kept it from me initially. But it was exciting, yeah. And to this day, to this day, I’m still [like], ‘Hey, you were the killer in Scream 3.’ I had no idea. It’s so cool.”

What Foley’s Return Means For Scream 7

Is Roman Really ᴅᴇᴀᴅ?

Scream 3 remains the lowest-rated entry of the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes, with Sidney’s trip to Hollywood ultimately failing to feel quite as inventive and clever as the first two movies. Still, Roman being Ghostface was a surprise, as was him being Sidney’s half-brother. The Scream 3 ending features Roman dying in a definitive manner, with Sidney stabbing him multiple times and Dewey (David Arquette) shooting him in the head.

Since Roman’s death in Scream 3 seemed fairly concrete, it’s unclear how Foley will factor into the Scream 7 cast of characters. The two recent installments do, however, suggest he could be returning as a figment of a character’s imagination, since Skeet Ulrich has reprised his role as the deceased Billy Loomis in this capacity. Who is seeing Roman, however, remains up in the air, and it hasn’t yet been confirmed that Foley will be playing the same character. Roman could, for example, have a twin brother.

Our Take On Foley’s Scream 3 Ghostface

Secrecy Is A Top Priority For The Scream Movies

A key part of the fun of any Scream movie is guessing who Ghostface will end up being. Foley’s comments make clear that this sense of surprise extends beyond the audience, however, and the actors involved may not even know who it is when cameras start to roll. Approaching the Ghostface reveal with this level of secrecy has evidently worked for the franchise, and the guessing game of who it might be starts when the first promotional materials are released, helping to drum up excitement.

Even though Scream 3 may not be among the best films in the franchise, it still features some surprising twists, and Foley was ultimately a mostly effective Ghostface. With his role as Roman clearly still remaining a career highlight, it certainly sounds like Foley will be approaching his Scream 7 role with a great deal of enthusiasm.

Source: People