Summary
With Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), and Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) returning forScream 7, I’m not the onlyhorrorfanintrigued by all these exciting comebacks. I was perhaps most excited to find out thatDavid Arquette is reprising his role of Dewey Rileybecause I think Dewey’s naive, genuine personality is crucial to the franchise. I’m hopeful about the upcoming slasher sequel and have someideas for a potentialScream 8, too.
In a recent interview,David Arquette said hisScream 7return was meant to be “a surprise,“which was interesting to hear about. While I thinkbringing Dewey back is a good idea no matter what, I’m glad that audiences can expect this popular and caring character to pop up at some point inScream 7.
Why It’s Good Fans Know About David Arquette’s Scream 7 Role
In an interview withThe New York Post,David Arquette talked about appearing inScream 7and said:
“It was supposed to be a surprise. I don’t like spoilers.”
Arquette added:
“There’s not much I can talk about it, but I hope people enjoy it. I love playing the role of Dewey.”
Arquette continued that it was great to star in aScreammoviedirected by Kevin Williamson, who wroteScreamandScream 2.The actor said, “He created the whole world, so you know, we missed Wes [Craven]a lot, obviously, but to work with Kevin in a directing capacity was really thrilling.”
I think it’s great that fans know Arquette is reprising his role of Dewey Riley inScream 7. I think (and hope) thatthe upcoming sequel will have enough big moments and surprisesthat Dewey’s appearance doesn’t need to be one of them. I’m optimistic aboutthe huge cast ofScream 7and intrigued by what I hope will be several compelling characters who stand out from each other. I’m also hopeful that the new Ghostface will be different and that fans will be talking about the big reveal when they learn Ghostface’s identity for a long time. As much as I like Dewey, I’m not sure that a surprise appearance would have been the right call.
SinceScream 7’sFebruary 2026 release date is still so far away, fans need exciting news and updates. It would be easy for some to lose interest. But now, fans have plenty of time to reflect onfun and interesting theories about Dewey’s comeback.
As a hugeScreamfan, I would have been happy to see Dewey no matter what. I’m still convincedhe could come back via a flashback scene. If Dewey popped up out of nowhere and audiences learned he was still alive, I think that would be corny and distracting. It would be hard not to keep wondering how that was possible. But if Dewey shows up in a flashback, that would be a much more grounded storyline, and it would be much easier to accept.
What Did David Arquette Say About Dewey Riley’s Scream 5 Death?
It’s not easy for an actor to say goodbye to a character they have played for a long time, and that was the case when David Arquette learnedGhostface killed Dewey Riley inScream (2022). In an interview withVariety,Arquette talked about reading the script for the fifth movieand said:
“I read it. I put it down. I took a deep breath. It was sad. I mean, it’s something that I’ve been a part of for so long. So I had to process that.”
Arquette also called it “a big portion of my life coming to a close and a lot to process.”
Kevin Williamson shared that he had originallythought about killing Dewey off inScream, which would have been a shame. Fans grew attached to Dewey’s naive charm and enjoyed seeing how much he cared about Sidney Prescott over the years. His earnest personality was a great contrast to Gale Weathers’s tough attitude. Whether Dewey is alive again or appears as a ghost or audiences see him in a flashback, I can’t wait to see this beloved character again. I would have enjoyed seeing him inScream 6, but since that sadly didn’t happen, hisScream 7comeback is the next best thing.
