Scream 7 Adds Joel McHale to Its Cast
Actor Joel McHale has been added to the already impressive cast of Scream 7, taking on the role of Mark Evans, the husband of Neve Campbell’s iconic character, Sidney Prescott.
McHale took to Instagram to confirm the news with the official Deadline article.
“Amongst all the pain and suffering that has happened in Los Angeles over the last week, here’s an announcement of a movie I’m going to be in. I’m just thrilled to be a part of the Scream franchise and thrilled Deadline used a headshot of mine from eight years ago,” he wrote.
His casting surprises long-time fans of the franchise, who had a different Mark in mind. In the 2022 installment, a phone call between Sidney and Dewy (David Arquette) reveals Sidney is married with three kids and a husband named Mark.
Viewers assumed that the “Mark” in question was detective Mark Kincaid, portrayed by Patrick Dempsey, who appeared in Scream 3. At the end of the film, he asks Sidney out, but he hasn’t been seen since. This latest casting news has thrown that theory (and Dempsey’s chances of returning) out the window. We won, but at what cost?
How does everyone feel about Joel Mchale playing Sidney’s husband in #Scream7 instead of Patrick Dempsey? All we knew was her husbands’ name was Mark. Didn’t have to be Mark Kincaid. That being said, would have loved to see an OG #Scream character come back. #ScreamVII #Scream3 pic.twitter.com/TZinhcYMyx— ShimBo84 (@ShimBo84) January 16, 2025
Isabel May (Alex & Katie), Prescott’s daughter, is another addition to the Prescott family.
Other newcomers to the cast include Celeste O’Connor (Madame Web), Asa Germann (Gen V), Sam Rechner (The Fablemans), Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), and Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect).
Further details about Scream 7, including its plot, have been kept under tight wraps. All that’s known is that director and writer Kevin Williamson intends to put the focus back on Sidney Prescott.
The loss of its two biggest stars, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega has undoubtedly affected the film’s timeline and plot.
Barrera was fired from Scream 7 due to social media posts supporting Palestine regarding the Israel-Hamas war. Ortega’s departure followed shortly after, citing scheduling conflicts with season 2 of the Netflix series Wednesday.
Prescott is not the only returning character. Courtney Cox is also set to return as journalist Gale Weathers, and Mason Gooding will be as Chad Meeks-Martin. Hours after McHale’s announcement, Yellowjackets star Jasmin Savoy Brown confirmed her appearance as his sister Mindy.
Scream 7 is set to be released on February 27, 2026, by Paramount Pictures.
