Ghostface is set to return in Scream 7—and this time, he may be joined by several previously dead characters from the slasher franchise who are confirmed to come back to life.
Neve Campbell will take the lead in the new installment of the iconic slasher series following the departure of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega.
With the focus now shifting back to the original final girl, Sidney Prescott, and Dewey Riley (David Arquette), Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), and Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) are confirmed to return. Here’s how the supposedly dead characters could rejoin her in the story.
Scream 7 May Address Retcons
Scream 7 may feature a strong meta element, staying true to the franchise’s tradition of commenting on the movie industry.
The original film famously called out horror tropes, while Scream VI explored what it means to be part of a long-running franchise.
With that in mind, there’s a good chance the new installment will directly address retcons. If this happens, characters like Stu, Roman, and Dewey could plausibly return from the dead.
The Use of AI
Though the idea of Ghostface using AI may seem far-fetched, there’s still a possibility that the iconic killer could use deepfakes to revive certain characters.
The Scream franchise is known for satirizing the film industry. So, with the rise of AI becoming a major concern in Hollywood, Scream 7 could lean into this trend by bringing back killers like Stu and Roman in the form of deepfakes.
Just like the world today, Ghostface is evolving.
Flashback Scenes
If the dead characters remain dead in the franchise, the only way they could return in Scream 7 is through flashback scenes.
Dewey was killed in the 2022 Scream film, so bringing him back via flashbacks is plausible, especially since actor Arquette still looks the same.
However, Lillard and Foley have noticeably aged since their last appearances in the series, and using de-aging technology to make them look young could be visually distracting.
Still, despite that hurdle, seeing them in flashback scenes isn’t far from happening.
Dream Sequences
If flashback scenes won’t work, the safest way to undo a character’s death is by featuring them in dream sequences.
Sidney’s Ghostface nightmares could return once she and her family are threatened again, especially now that her husband and kids are confirmed to appear in Scream 7.
If that’s the case, past killers like Stu and Roman might appear in her dreams, while Dewey could be her guardian angel.
Dead Characters Aren’t Actually Dead
After it was revealed that Stu, Roman, and Dewey would return in Scream 7, fans began to question whether they were ever truly dead.
Dewey has been a fan favorite since the original film was released in 1996, but Ghostface killed him in the 2022 Scream.
Stu and Roman, on the other hand, were both revealed to be Ghostface killers and died tragically. Stu was stabbed multiple times and electrocuted when a TV was dropped on his head in the first film, while Roman was shot in the head by Dewey in Scream 3.
While their deaths seemed definitive, Scream 7 may reveal that all three survived. And although there’s a fan theory that Stu is still alive, reintroducing them all again may not be a good idea.
Then again, in a franchise like Scream, anything is possible.
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