Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from It’s A Wonderful Knife.Joel McHale’s upcoming role in Scream 7 was perfectly set up by his work in 2023’s forgotten gem, It’s A Wonderful Knife. McHale has had an eclectic career over the years, from turns in cult-favorite sitcom Community to guest-starring turns in more dramatic fare like The Bear and The X-Files. Regardless, McHale’s big screen return as part of the cast for Scream 7‘s story will be one of his higher profile roles. There he’ll play Mark Evans, the husband of Scream‘s original protagonist, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell).

Word of Joel McHale’s casting as Sidney’s husband in Scream 7 came as a surprise to longtime fans of the Scream franchise. After the tease in Scream 5, many ᴀssumed that she had married Patrick Dempsey’s Mark Kincaid after he and Sidney were seemingly together at the end of the divisive Scream 3. For many, Mark Kincaid’s absence causes a new Ghostface challenge but, equally, McHale’s introduction offers a wealth of new possibilities. That fact was more than proven by his dual roles in 2023’s lesser-known slasher, It’s A Wonderful Knife.

It’s A Wonderful Knife Allowed Joel McHale To Play Both The Family Man and The Psycho Killer

Joel McHale Got To Show His Range In Dual Roles

Like the 1946 classic it riffs on, It’s a Wonderful Knife plays out against the backdrop of two realities. One in which Winnie (Jane Widdop) exists and foils a masked killer and one in which she doesn’t and didn’t. In the former, McHale plays her loving and devoted father. McHale plays the role with seemingly effortless warmth, which could translate well to his role as a family man in Scream 7. As Mark, his interactions with Sidney and their daughter could fill the strong familial void left by Sam and Tara’s Scream 7 absence.

On the other side of the coin, It’s A Wonderful Knife equally offered a drastically different McHale. In the reality where his daughter never existed, McHale’s family man also loses his son. Broken by grief, he ultimately takes on the mantle of The Angel and goes on a masked killing spree. Among his victims was his own wife. The dark and manic edge with which McHale plays this side of the role offers a stunning contrast with what came before and is reminiscent of original and terrifying Ghostface killer Stu. It also speaks to McHale’s often-untapped range as an actor.

Along with the Scream franchise’s Ghostface kill count, countless fans also adore the mystery that comes with the masked slasher genre. With Randy’s belief that “everybody’s a suspect,” some have already started looking at McHale’s Mark as a potential Ghostface. That would certainly be a twist and a half. Having married and had children with Sidney, Mark being a Ghostface would put even Billy Loomis to shame with how long a game he’d been playing. With It’s A Wonderful Knife, however, McHale has proven he can turn on a dime. Meanwhile, Scream 7 director Kevin Williamson could likely make it work.

What Joel McHale’s It’s A Wonderful Knife Means For Scream 7

Joel McHale’s Mark Could Be The New Dewey

Little is known about Mark Evans in Scream 7, which means the possibilities are endless. He could merely be somebody who meets their end at Ghostface’s hands during the movie’s runtime. That aforementioned warmth and immediate likability that McHale brought to his role in It’s A Wonderful Knife means it would be an emotional moment for Sidney, her daughter, and the audience. It would certainly up the stakes and could be one way that Scream 7 could top the Ghostface ladder kill, going for human drama alongside brutal spectacle, and making it extremely personal for Sidney and her offspring.

All of that – being Ghostface or killed off – would run the risk of being a tad predictable, however. Equally, it would be a waste of Joel McHale’s talents and ability to be a Scream franchise mainstay. This is why the other possibility is that McHale’s Mark could be the new Dewey. The ability to play romantic partner with a caring heart but also with a tougher edge, as demonstrated in It’s A Wonderful Knife, would be a perfect fit for the Dewey-shaped hole going into things. Whatever the case, McHale will no doubt be a Scream 7 highlight.