Scream 7may have lost the Carpenter sisters, but Patrick Dempsey has teased his potential return asScream 3’s Mark Kincaid. Originally joining the long-running horror franchise in 2000’sScreamthreequel, Dempsey’s character was depicted as a Hollywood detective assigned to investigate the murders of thein-universeStab 3cast. Despite his character surviving the events ofScream 3, Dempsey has not returned for any of the subsequent sequels, despite his character eventually becoming Sidney Prescott’s husband and father to her three children.
During a recent appearance on theTodayshow,Dempsey confirmed that he has been approached to reprise his role inScream 7,though admitted he is still yet to see a finished script for the project. However, he did point out the potential irony in returning to play Neve Campbell’s husband, given that hisScream 3co-star previously played his sister onGrey’s Anatomy.When asked if he would return to the role, Dempsey cheekily replied,“It’s always good to have a job.”Check out his comments and the original video segment below:
I’m waiting on the script. There has been a conversation about it. I haven’t seen anything yet. So, we’ll see what happens, but Neve was actually on the show. Which is oddly enough, she played my sister onGrey’s Anatomyand we worked together almost 26 – 27 years ago. I think it was ’99.
What Patrick Dempsey’s Potential Return Means For Scream 7
Producers May Be Laying The Groundwork For A New Generation Of Leads
While the original plans forScream 7focused on continuing the story of Melissa Barrera’s and Jenna Ortega’s Carpenter sisters,the franchise was forced to rapidly overhaul its approachto the new sequel following Barrera’s firing. Shortly after Spyglass Media announced they had parted ways with their new franchise lead following social media posts Barrera had made relating to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Ortega revealed that she would also not be returning due to scheduling conflicts. Meanwhile, director Christopher Landon would also follow suit, suggesting his “dream job [had] turned into a nightmare.”
Scream 7’s Rumored Legacy Character Return Makes More Sense After Sam & Tara’s Exit (It’s Not Stu)
Another Scream 7 rumor teases the return of a legacy character in a big role, which makes more sense now that Sam and Tara are gone.
Faced with a complete creative overhaul, thenew approach forScream 7now appeared to be centered on luring Campbell back to the role as theScreamfranchise’s original final girl. Moreover, rumors that Dempsey was also being courted to return emphasizedthe important role that would be assumed by Sidney’s family. While Sidney and Mark’s relationship and children were previously referenced in the most recent movies, it would seem the plan was to now bring them directly into the spotlight.
Yet while some may suggest that bringing Campbell and Dempsey back is primarily motivated by leveraging their characters' nostalgic appeal,Scream 7producers may secretly be planning tointroduce their characters’ children as the franchise’s newest leads.Having now lost both Barrera and Ortega, if theScreamfranchisehopes to continue beyondScream 7,it will need to hand the torch off to a new generation once more.
Our Take On Sidney And Mark’s Children Taking Over The Scream Franchise
Could The Prescott-Kincaid Kids Be The Next Carpenter Sisters?
Few horror franchises have successfully handed over ownership to a younger generation of leads, and2022’sScreamwas unique in its ability to position Barrera and Ortega as viable replacementsfor Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette. Yet, despite having already accomplished the feat once,Scream 7may need to once again prove that other characters can shoulder the franchise’s future without Sidney’s continuing presence.
While Campbell and Dempsey may indeed find themselves back in the main roles forScream 7, all eyes will likely be on whomever is selected to play their children as their most likely successors. Whether they will be able to accomplish this with the same level of acclaim and widespread acceptance that the Carpenter sisters once commanded remains to be seen, thoughDempsey’s return could help provide a much stronger linkbetween the franchise’s past and its ongoing future.
Scream 7
Cast
Scream 7 is the latest entry in the longstanding horror franchise, continuing the legacy with new chilling events.
