It's a great time to be a horror fan like me, as the genre has been thriving for a number of years now. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters with new installments, including Wes Craven's beloved Scream. A seventh movie is on the way, and while I could handle the upcoming horror movie's casting shakeups, I've got to say that Patrick Dempsey not being back as Mark Kincaid just sucks.
What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but casting news is coming out regularly, usually involving (dead) legacy characters. While Patrick Dempsey admitted he was in talks to finally reprise his role, news of Joel McHale playing Sidney's husband (also named Mark) put the kibosh on that. And in the process, a years-long fan theory that Kincaid and Sidney got married ended. As a hardcore fan I think this is just a huge bummer.
This isn't a shot at McHale; he's a strong actor who has shone in horror projects like Assassination Nation. But it feels purposeful that "Mark" was name-dropped as Sidney's husband in the 2022 Scream, especially since Patrick Dempsey's character was still alive in-universe. Add in the fact that the Grey's Anatomy alum was in talks to return, and the fact that now we're just getting a new character with the same name feels like a let down.
Despite Patrick Dempsey returning to the horror genre with Thanksgiving (streaming with a Netflix subscription) and Dexter: Original Sin, it seemed like the perfect time for him to finally appear in Scream for the first time since the third movie. We'll just have to wait for a reason why this didn't work out.
Truly, it seems like Scream 7 director Kevin Williamson is focused on bringing back unexpected legacy characters for the slasher. Over the past weeks there have been reports about Matthew Lillard, Scott Foley, and even David Arquette returning to the franchise, despite their characters dying. Moviegoers are curious about how these appearances will factor into the story, and unfortunately the Patrick Dempsey-related FOMO is likely going to stick around for the long haul.
As previously mentioned, I'm sure Joel McHale will be excellent in Scream 7. He's definitely got the charm and acting chops to pull of playing Sidney's long unseen husband in the forthcoming sequel. We'll just have to wait and see if he manages to survive coming face to face with Ghostface for the first time. After all, people close to Neve Campbell's final girl tend to meet the pointy end of a knife.
Scream 7 doesn't currently have a release date, but it's expected to arrive in 2026 rather than part of the 2025 movie release list. While we wait for news, the last two movies are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.
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