Scream 7 Is Destined To Doom Another Franchise Favorite

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Summary

  • Scream 7, directed by Kevin Williamson, is back on track, sparking hopes for a successful return to the horror franchise.
  • Fans are worried about the fate of core original characters Sidney and Gale, as only two have survived multiple encounters with Ghostface.
  • With Courteney Cox reportedly returning as Gale in Scream 7, her character’s future is uncertain, raising concerns about a potential shock death.

As a long-time fan of the Scream franchise, I must say that the journey of Gale Weathers has been nothing short of thrilling. From her humble beginnings as a green reporter to becoming one of Woodsboro’s most resilient survivors, Courtney Cox’s portrayal of Gale has always left me on the edge of my seat.

The long-awaited “Scream 7” is set to resume filming, bringing the chilling saga back to life. After traversing a considerable distance since its modest 1996 inception under Wes Craven’s guidance, this Paramount horror series has fans excited, especially with renowned “Scream” screenwriter Kevin Williamson taking on directing duties for this installment. This move has sparked expectations that “Scream 7” will be another box office and critical success.

Although the numerous murders throughout the six-film series of Scream have led to a diminishing number of characters who’ve managed to survive multiple encounters with Ghostface, only two of the main original characters remain alive. Given that Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott and Courteney Cox’s Gale Riley are rumored to return for another installment, fans are understandably concerned about their chances of surviving Scream 7 unscathed.

Scream 7 Could Be Bad News for Gale Weathers

After many rumors, it appears that Courteney Cox has been confirmed to reprise her role as Gale Weathers in Scream 7. With the exit of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega from the series, Paramount is beefing up its cast by bringing back some veteran actors. Alongside Roger L. Jackson, who voices Ghostface, Cox will be the only actor to appear in all seven Scream films. This could mean that her character might meet a sudden and surprising end, or perhaps even kick off the story with an attention-grabbing opening scene.

Sidney is now happily married to Mark Kincaid (Patrick Dempsey), and a casual reference in Scream 6 implies she left town. When the character says, “She deserves her happy ending,” it suggests something significant would be needed for Sidney to return to the storyline. If Mark were to die, it could bring Sidney back together with Gale. However, Gale’s death could also prompt Sidney’s reappearance. Here’s hoping that Gale doesn’t meet an early demath at Ghostface’s hands and instead gets a meaningful journey before falling victim to the killer.

Although Gale is widely beloved by fans, there seems to be a hint that her story might conclude. It’s effortless to overlook the fact that Scream 6 marked the first time she received one of those signature Ghostface calls and it appeared for a moment that she might meet her demise. However, contrary to expectations, Gale managed to pull through Scream 6 and carry on living, much like Dewey (David Arquette) did in the initial Scream and Scream 2. The Scream series has consistently demonstrated that no character is invulnerable, with many still recovering from Dewey’s death in the 2022 version of Scream.

It’s evident that Williamson isn’t hesitant about eliminating main characters, as he decided to kill off Dewey in 1996’s “Scream”. This has left fans understandably concerned that Gale might meet a similar fate this time. Dewey was given a poignant storyline in the fifth film, and with his isolated situation and multiple encounters with Ghostface, he had more than enough reasons to be targeted. Gale seems to be at risk of finding herself in a similar predicament, considering her romantic interest was killed off in “Scream 6”. If Gale were only returning for “Scream 7”, there might have been some protection for her character, but since Ghostface taunted her in the last film, her safety is questionable.

It was always all about poor sweet Sidney sucking up all the oxygen. Where does that lead you?

Killing Sidney would be altogether more shocking, but doesn’t make sense considering there isn’t currently a final girl and there was such furor that Campbell didn’t appear in Scream 6 due to crumbling contract negotiations. Although no one thought Drew Barrymore’s Casey Becker would be the first kill, it set an important precedent for the entire series. Mason Gooding’s Chad is another potential opening kill, while Hayden Panettiere’s expected return as Kirby Reed would also be a shocker. Still, all of these would pale in comparison to the jaw-dropping murder of Gale.

While there’s no denying that killing Dewey got the shock factor it was going for, it remains a divisive plot twist that fans are still debating. There’s an argument that Scream 7 needs to make Gale Weathers great again after her reduced role in Scream 6, but it would be a shame to bring her back to her quippy best, only to kill her off. If (and it’s a big if) Gale survives Scream 7, she could have an even bigger role in the mythical Scream 8. But just like with Dewey, there’s a sense that she could be running out of time.

The Future of the Scream Franchise

As a die-hard horror movie enthusiast, I’ve got to admit that the saga of Scream has had more than its fair share of ups and downs. Unlike the Alien franchise, which has successfully redefined itself through crossovers and prequels, Scream has largely stuck to its original narrative path. Despite the belief that Wes Craven’s troubled Scream 3 would be the final chapter in 2000, he surprised us all with a comeback for the highly anticipated Scream 4 in 2011. Regrettably, Scream 4 didn’t live up to the box office expectations it was promised, once more sending the series into an extended pause. Following Wes Craven’s passing in 2015, some speculated that it was time for Scream to rest in peace.

It’s fortunate that Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directed the fifth movie in the Scream series, which was released in 2022 and introduced the term ‘requel’. This film returned to Woodsboro and reestablished its foundations. Despite the appearances of Campbell, Cox, and Arquette, the story primarily revolved around Barrera’s character Sam, who took on the role of the ‘new’ Sidney. This was further emphasized by Campbell not returning for Scream 6, while Sam’s link to the past as the daughter of Billy Loomis (played by Skeet Ulrich) made her an ideal replacement for Sidney.

Discussions are ongoing about where the Scream series will head next and if Scream 8 is in the works. The production of Scream 7 has been challenging due to the departures of Barrera and Ortega, and there’s speculation about the direction the series can take without the Core Four leading this new generation. Characters like Sidney and Gale could provide a solid foundation, but fresh faces are needed too. Critics pointed out that Scream 4 focused too much on the original cast at the expense of its new characters. The future of the franchise hinges on what Scream 7 sets up for potential continuation.

Although no official announcement has been made about Scream 8 yet, there are already requests to shoot both Scream 8 and Scream 7 simultaneously in order to compensate for the delayed release of the next installment, which is expected to hit theaters in February 2026. Fans will have to wait until then to discover if characters like Gale, Sidney, or any other potential returnees will meet their demise on screen. Much like the Scream franchise itself, there’s a possibility that Gale might be given another chance in Scream 7. However, should another original character be written out, at least they had a long and memorable run.

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2024-12-22 02:08