Scream 6‘s biggest death fake out establishes a difficult challenge for returning characters in the next Scream installment, Scream 7. Although Gale Weathers has faced death several times in previous Scream movies, her encounter with Ghostface in Scream 6 is the most dramatic yet. After Sam and Tara realize that the killer is in Gale’s apartment, Gale receives her first-ever phone call from Ghostface. After some brief fighting, Ghostface hides, allowing Gale to acquire a gun, only for the killer to eventually stab her in the gut.

Sam, Tara, and the paramedics arrive, scaring the killer away, but by then, Gale is in bad shape. The scene is highly emotional because it seems that Scream 6 will add Gale to the list of deaths. However, Gale survives—a surprise because the franchise has already proven they are unafraid of killing legacy characters, as seen with Dewey’s death in Scream (2022). Despite Gale’s fate in Scream 6, her survival creates a significant challenge for Scream 7‘s story.

Scream 7 Can’t Give Gale A High-Stakes Emotional Death After Scream 6’s Fake Out

The Next Scream Movie Has A Gale Challenge

Gale’s near-death experience in Scream 6 is easily one of the best faceoffs against Ghostface in the franchise. When Ghostface unexpectedly stabs Gale in the gut, it seems like the franchise will kill another legacy character. However, in a shocking twist, Gale survives her encounter with Ghostface, as confirmed in Scream 6’s ending, after leading the audience to believe that the character may have died. Interestingly, Gale’s fate isn’t the only death fake out in Scream 6, considering Chad and Mindy’s shocking survivals following severe life-threatening injuries.

While it’s a relief that she will live to see another day, Gale’s survival also establishes some challenges for Scream 7. Now that Gale has survived her heated encounter with Ghostface, the upcoming Scream installment cannot kill her. If Scream 7 kills Gale, it will not have the same emotional impact that her near-death experience provides in Scream 6. Going down that path again risks repeating another survival trick, lessening the stakes with each potential death. Therefore, Scream 7 must have different plans for Gale Weathers.

Sidney’s Return In Scream 7 Makes It Even Less Likely That Gale Weathers Will Be Killed Off

Gale Has Appeared In Every Scream Movie

Now that there are six Scream movies altogether, one aspect connects each film: the survival of Gale Weathers. Dewey dies in Scream 5, and Sidney does not appear in Scream 6. That makes Gale the only original character to appear in all six movies. Now, Gale holds the franchise together, making it unlikely that the next installment will kill her. Of course, Ghostface also appears in all the films, but each Scream movie features a different Ghostface. Though Sidney Prescott is still central to the franchise, Gale is the clue that connects the original movies to the recent sequels.

Not only is Gale most likely to survive Scream 7, but Sidney’s absence in Scream 6 actually makes her vulnerable in the upcoming installment. While killing Sidney is different from Dewey, movie franchises have killed main characters before, even if it is uncommon. Only time will tell how Scream 7 will tackle Gale’s and Sidney’s respective storylines, but one thing is clear—Gale could be more likely to survive than Sidney in the upcoming Scream movie.