Patrick Dempsey Explains Why He Won’t Be In Scream 7

Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott is returning for Scream 7, but the character will have a different family situation than many of the franchise’s fans expected. It was revealed in the fifth Scream that Sidney had married a man named Mark, and it was widely assumed (and low-key confirmed by the directors) that her husband was Mark Kincaid, the police officer she met and fell in love with during Scream 3. The upcoming seventh installment of the franchise will paint a different picture.

Scream 7 cast Community alum Joel McHale to play Sidney’s husband, who is also named Mark, but isn’t Mark Kincaid. With Sidney married to a different Mark, Patrick Dempsey won’t be reprising his role in Scream 7. This is one of those unfortunate situations where the timing for a reunion just didn’t work out.

While speaking to Variety, Dempsey was asked why he wasn’t going to be in Scream 7, after previously saying there had been a “conversation” about his return. According to the actor, scheduling and the timing of the tragic fires in and around Los Angeles made it difficult for him to join the cast for the new film.

“It just didn’t work out and we were dealing with the fires and everything that was going on and the schedule didn’t work out, unfortunately,” Dempsey explained.

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With Dempsey not returning, eyes will turn towards the new Mark played by McHale. We at least know that this character isn’t a recasting situation, and is instead a completely different person.

Despite Dempsey’s popular character missing the new film, Scream 7 will see multiple unexpected franchise returns. Scott Foley, who played the Ghostface killer in Scream 3, is going to be involved in Scream 7. Matthew Lillard is also set to return, having been absent from the Scream series since the very first movie in 1996. His Stu Macher was one of the two original Ghostface killers, and he seemingly died at the end of Scream. Based on Lillard’s return announcement, it seems as though Stu might have actually survived.

Courteney Cox will also return for Scream 7, continuing her run as the only star to appear in all seven installments of the franchise. “New era” Scream stars Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding will be coming back for their third consecutive film.

McHale is one of several franchise newcomers to join the cast of Scream 7, making his debut alongside Isabelle May, Mckenna Grace, Mark Consuelos, Anna Camp, and Ethan Embry.

Scream 7 is currently in production and is set to hit theaters everywhere on February 27, 2026. The film is being directed by Kevin Williamson, the original franchise screenwriter.