Scream franchise star David Arquette reveals that his return as Dewey Riley in Scream 7
was supposed to be kept secret. After the success of the sixth installment in 2023, Ghostface is set to return in a new film from original movie writer Kevin Williamson, with a release set for February 2026. Though Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega won’t be returning, the Scream 7 cast features an array of returning stars and newcomers, including Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Joel McHale, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Isabel May, Michelle Randolph, Scott Foley, and Matthew Lillard, among others.
During a recent interview with Moviefone, Arquette reveals that his Scream 7 return wasn’t intended to be public knowledge. The actor doesn’t reveal the extent of Dewey’s role in the film or how the character returns after his apparent death in Scream (2022), but he does express his excitement to be back in the franchise and shares his admiration for the fans. Check out Arquette’s comment below:
I’m surprised it got out because it was a spoiler report, and it was supposed to be a surprise. But knowing that Kevin Williamson was going to direct it, I was really thrilled for him, and that Neve (Campbell) was back. That was such an amazing thing. So, I was excited to play Dewey again. I love playing that role. I love the relationship with the fans. They have such a love for the franchise, so (I hope) people enjoy it.
What David Arquette’s Return Means For Scream 7
The Next Movie Is Bringing Several Figures Back From The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ
It should be noted that Arquette’s casting in Scream 7 was never officially announced. ᴅᴇᴀᴅline reported the news back in March, with neither Paramount Pictures nor Spyglᴀss confirming anything. Arquette’s latest comment does confirm that Dewey will indeed appear. There remain a number of questions, however, about how the character shows up in the upcoming sequel after his bloody death in 2022’s Scream.
Dewey is one of several seemingly ᴅᴇᴀᴅ characters who will be showing up in the movie. Lillard’s Stu Macher memorably died in the 1996 original Scream, while Foley’s Roman Bridger died in Scream 3, with both characters having been revealed to be Ghostfaces in their respective installments. Foley has since revealed that he has a “small part” in Scream 7 while seemingly confirming that Roman died in the third film, suggesting he could be back as some kind of hallucination or vision. It’s possible that Dewey remains ᴅᴇᴀᴅ but returns in this capacity as well.
The two most recent Scream movies featured Skeet Ulrich returning as Billy Loomis in Sam’s (Barrera) visions.
Our Take On Dewey’s Scream 7 Return
It Comes With Some Key Challenges
Along with Campbell and Cox, Arquette was one of the three original Scream characters, making it a shock when he was stabbed to death in the 2022 legacy sequel. While it would be exciting to see Dewey back once more alongside Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers, it could be a stretch to explain how he survived his injuries and why it was kept secret. While the Scream movies do feature a certain degree of comedy and are meant to poke fun at the slasher genre, death has traditionally been quite permanent in the franchise, keeping the stakes high.
It might be best, then, if Dewey returns in a hallucination or flashback, but these come with their own problems if not integrated properly into the story. It remains to be seen what form Dewey’s return will take, but Arquette was evidently happy to reprise his role as the legacy character in Scream 7.
Source: Moviefone
