All the tea about Scream 7 including cast, release date – plus, will there be any gay characters?
Ghostface will be back to cause more bloody mayhem in Scream 7. (Paramount Pictures)
Seven is a lucky number for some, but it’s unlikely to be for the characters of Scream 7 when the hit horror franchise returns for another outing of slasher-filled antics.
As of October 2, the seventh Scream movie finally has a release date (Feb 2026), but it’ll be a long wait, and there are whispers about the potential of a canonically gay character in the upcoming film.
Following on from the success of 2021’s ‘requel’ Scream and 2022’s Scream VI, the gang are set to return to be scared all over again in the franchise’s seventh installation.
While some of the finer details remain strictly under wraps, viewers already have a picture of what might be to come from the next iteration of Ghostface.
After successfully rebooting the franchise, Scream (2022) and Scream 6 directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett will not be returning for the next instalment, even though each showed public interest in continuing on.
Christopher Landon was set to be the Scream 7 director, having already proved his horror-comedy credentials with the films Freaky and Happy Death Day, however he backed out in December 2023.
Landon said in a somber statement that “it was a dream job that turned into a nightmare.”
Had he stayed, he would have become the first out gay director in the franchise’s nearly 30-year history.
He’s been replaced as director by Scream creator Kevin Williamson. Scream VI‘s Guy Busick is a screenwriter on the project.
As we wait until 2026 for the next slasher instalment of the queer coded-Scream franchise, here is everything we know so far about the film’s plot, release date, cast and potential gay characters.
Who is in the cast of Scream 7?
Currently, it has been confirmed that Neve Campbell will be returning to the Scream franchise as Sidney, leading this instalment.
Courteney Cox has also stated that she was in talks to return as Gale Weathers. However, in an interview with Variety, she confirmed that no deal had been officially worked out.
Scream and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera will not be returning after production company Spyglass Media Group fired her for standing with Palestine and criticising Israel.
Therefore, it seems that will be the end of her character Sam’s storyline.
The day after Barrera’s firing, it was announced that Jenna Ortega was exiting the franchise due to scheduling issues with Wednesday. We’ll update this article as more casting information is confirmed.
What will happen in Scream 7 and who will Ghostface be?
With a new Scream film on the horizon, what do we know so far about the bloody plot?
Scream 7 will centre on Scream Queen Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who was absent from Scream VI (due to a pay dispute) when the new Final Girls were targeted by a fresh Ghostface killer.
Now, with Sidney’s return, the reboot timeline may become muddied.
At this point, plot points are all rumours but there’s the suggestion that Ghostface may target Sidney’s family.
Other theories include that Stu (Matthew Lillard), from the original Scream, may not have died and could potentially return for the forthcoming movie.
When will Scream 7 be released?
The release date for Scream 7 was announced by Williamson and Campbell on Tuesday (1 October).
In a shared Instagram post, the pair posted an image of a knife stabbed into a calendar date for Friday 27 February 2026.
“It’s gonna be a killer 2026,” the caption reads.
So it’s official: Scream 7 is opening on February 27, 2026. That’s… quite far in the future.
It is currently the only major release scheduled for that date, so mark it on your calendar.
Will Scream 7 have a gay character?
As we wait for Scream 7’s release, we’re left asking if the franchise will deliver a queer character in the upcoming film.
For years, Scream’s audience has called for, and theorised, about a gay character. On Reddit. the question was floated with a range of theories and comments posted in response.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” one user wrote.
Another posted: “You don’t count the cop whose final words were a gay joke? ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’”
“Probably. Kevin Williamson is at the helm and it’s not the 90’s anymore, so I don’t see why he wouldn’t,” reads another hopeful comment.
This isn’t unsubstantiated, in 2021, Williamson said: “Subconsciously, I think the Scream movies are coded in gay survival.”
“It just happened!” Williamson joked. “It’s a gay universe, I guess.”
After Barrera’s firing, Ortega’s exit, and director Christopher Landon also dropping out, isn’t it the time for Scream to shake things up with a gay character? We certainly think so.
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