'Scream 7': Courteney Cox to reprise role as Gale Weathers
Courteney Cox will reprise her role as Gale Weathers in the upcoming Scream 7, her seventh outing in the iconic horror franchise. The news was confirmed by Variety on Thursday. Previously, in an interview with the outlet, Cox had said she was unsure about her involvement, "I'm not officially signed on. I'm not, but there will be a Scream 7." But now, she has officially joined the cast of the film—which is set to be released on February 27, 2026.
Cox's excitement for Kevin Williamson's directorial debut
Cox has been excited about the film being Kevin Williamson's directorial debut. Williamson, who wrote the script for the original Scream in 1996, is a choice that Cox believes "can't get better than." She said, "It's going to be fun." Although she was upset over David Arquette's character Dewey being killed off in Scream 5, she is still hopeful filmmakers might find a way to resurrect him.
'Scream 7' cast and production challenges
The confirmation of Cox's return comes after it was announced that Mason Gooding will return as Chad Meeks-Martin. Newcomer Isabel May will play the daughter of Neve Campbell's character, Sidney Prescott. Scream 7 has been through a lot of bumps in the road, including delays, creative changes, and cast reshuffling. Notably, Melissa Barrera was fired over controversial social media comments about the Israel-Hamas war and Jenna Ortega exited due to scheduling conflicts with Netflix's Wednesday.
'Scream' franchise's box office success and Cox's recent work
The Scream franchise has been a major box office hit, with the latest installment, Scream VI, breaking a new domestic (US) record by grossing over $108 million. The franchise has grossed over $900 million in worldwide box office earnings. Outside of Scream, the popular F.R.I.E.N.D.S star, known for her role as Monica Geller, recently starred opposite Greg Kinnear in Starz's Shining Vale for two seasons.
