Movies - Scream 7: Meet the Cast Bringing Ghostface Back to the Roots

By Mulder, 25 february 2026

With Kevin Williamson stepping behind the camera for the first time in the franchise’s three-decade history, Scream 7 marks both a symbolic homecoming and a creative reset for one of horror’s most influential sagas. Serving as a direct sequel to Scream VI (2023), the film re-centers the narrative on Sidney Prescott, once again portrayed by Neve Campbell, while introducing a new generation of characters orbiting around her family. The decision to bring back Williamson, the writer who, alongside Wes Craven, redefined the slasher genre in 1996, is more than nostalgic fan service; it reflects a deliberate course correction after a turbulent development period that saw directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett depart due to scheduling conflicts, followed by Christopher Landon briefly boarding and then exiting amid a broader creative retooling. That reconfiguration followed the widely reported departures of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, events that reshaped the film’s direction and ultimately paved the way for Campbell’s highly anticipated return.

What emerges on screen is a cast list that feels like a carefully balanced blend of legacy and reinvention. Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott (now Sidney Evans) is no longer simply the archetypal final girl, but a mother, wife, and survivor attempting to maintain a fragile sense of normalcy in Pine Grove. Opposite her, Joel McHale plays Mark Evans, Sidney’s husband and Pine Grove’s Chief of Police, a character described by Williamson as someone who brings levity into Sidney’s life while harboring the ambiguity that Scream fans instinctively distrust. The dynamic between Campbell and McHale reportedly leans into that tension: domestic warmth layered with the constant suspicion that defines the series’ DNA. Meanwhile, franchise mainstay Courteney Cox returns as Gale Weathers, the once-salacious reporter whose evolution into a more grounded, emotionally complex presence mirrors the saga’s own maturation. Production notes highlight Williamson’s insistence that Gale remain sharp-edged and fearless preserving the friction and sisterhood between Gale and Sidney that has anchored the films since the ‘90s.

The emotional core of Scream 7 is unmistakably the mother-daughter relationship between Sidney and Tatum Evans, played by Isabel May, whose casting followed Williamson’s admiration for her breakout performance in 1883. Named after Sidney’s best friend from the original film, Tatum is positioned as both narrative catalyst and thematic mirror, embodying the franchise’s long-standing obsession with legacy, trauma, and generational echo. Williamson’s anecdotes from set paint May as deeply engaged with character construction, from curating Tatum’s musical tastes to shaping the personality conveyed through bedroom décor and wardrobe choices. That attention to detail extends visually: costume designer Leigh Leverett recreated Sidney’s iconic Scream 2 leather jacket as a “vintage inheritance” for Tatum, producing multiple copies to survive the physical demands of the shoot. Makeup department head Amber Crowe further reinforced the generational contrast, keeping Sidney’s look timeless and understated while giving Tatum subtle ‘90s callbacks, including the distinctive Rouge Noir nail color.

Returning survivors Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, portrayed by Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding, provide continuity with the reboot era initiated in 2022. No longer simply genre-savvy college students, the twins now function as interns under Gale Weathers, a progression that cleverly integrates them into the investigative spine of the story while preserving their meta-commentary role. Williamson’s remarks describe both actors as “a joy to be with,” while Gooding has praised Williamson’s “precise and fearless” grasp of narrative tension. Brown’s presence remains particularly significant within the franchise’s evolving representation landscape, as Mindy continues to stand as the series’ first openly queer character, bridging Scream’s heritage of self-aware genre critique with contemporary cultural context.

The newcomers expand the suspect pool in classic Scream fashion. Anna Camp appears as Jessica Bowden, Sidney’s neighbor and confidante, while Asa Germann plays Lucas Bowden, a true-crime-obsessed teen whose introversion and intensity fit seamlessly into the franchise’s tradition of ambiguous archetypes. Celeste O’Connor joins as Chloe Parker, described in production anecdotes as bringing improvisational variations that enriched multiple scenes in the editing room. Sam Rechner portrays Ben Brown, Tatum’s boyfriend, a character deliberately written with duality — projecting both volatility and vulnerability. Additional cast members include Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Ethan Embry, Mark Consuelos, and Tim Simons, each woven into a narrative structure designed, as Williamson emphasizes, so that “everyone is a suspect.”

Hovering over all of them is Ghostface, once again voiced by Roger L. Jackson, whose performance remains one of horror’s most recognizable auditory signatures. Production materials underline Williamson’s fascination with Ghostface’s humanity and promise a portrayal leaning into brutality, psychological manipulation, and elaborately staged chase sequences. Stunt coordinator Jennifer Badger, a veteran of the earliest films, collaborated closely with Williamson, who famously rehearsed sequences himself, physically stepping into scenes before bringing actors onto the set. The result, according to crew insights, is a series of visceral confrontations blending old-school practical effects with modern digital enhancements under special effects makeup designer Matt Silva.

Clocking in at 1 hour and 54 minutes and rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, and language, Scream 7 premiered on February 25, 2026, at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles before its theatrical rollout. Notably, the film becomes the first entry in the series to receive an IMAX release, signaling Paramount’s confidence in the installment’s event-status potential. Early box office tracking reported by Deadline Hollywood suggested an opening trajectory in the mid-$30 million range, later revised upward toward $40 million by premiere week figures that position the film competitively within franchise history.

Beyond the bloodshed and mystery, however, Scream 7 appears deeply invested in something more reflective: a meditation on endurance, legacy, and emotional horror. Kevin Williamson, returning not just as writer but as director, frames the film as a tribute to Wes Craven’s philosophy that fear only resonates when anchored in character and emotion. That ethos permeates the casting, the design choices, and the narrative emphasis on Sidney Prescott’s evolution from survivor to protector. After thirty years, countless sequels, and multiple creative handovers, the franchise once again circles back to its beating heart reminding audiences why, in the world of Scream, nostalgia and terror remain inseparable.

itw Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott-Evans)

itw Isabel May (Tatum Evans)

itw Joel McHale (Mark Evans)

itw Anna Camp (Jessica Bowden)

itw Asa Germann (Lucas Bowden)

itw Celeste OConnor (Chloe Parker)

itw Jasmin Savoy Brown (Mindy Meeks-Martin)

itw Mason Gooding (Chad Meeks-Martin)

itw McKenna Grace (Hannah Thurman)

itw Sam Rechner (Ben Brown)

Synopsis:
When a new Ghostface killer appears in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her worst fears come true when her daughter (Isabel May) becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must confront the horrors of her past to end the carnage once and for all.

Scream 7
Réalisé par Kevin Williamson
Scénario de Guy Busick et Kevin Williamson
Histoire de James Vanderbilt et Guy Busick
Basé sur les personnages de Kevin Williamson
Produit par William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein
Avec Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, Mckenna Grace, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Asa Germann, Celeste O'Connor, Sam Rechner, Ethan Embry, Tim Simons, Mark Consuelos
Musique de Marco Beltrami
Sociétés de production : Spyglass Media Group, Project X Entertainment, Outerbanks Entertainment
Distribué par Paramount Pictures
Date de sortie : 25 février 2026 (France), 27 février 2026 (États-Unis)
Running time : 114 minutes