Andrew Grevas
As first broke by Variety, Mason Gooding (Scream 2022 and Scream 6) will be joining the Neve Campbell lead Scream 7. Prior to this news, all signs pointed to the new stars from the two “re-quel” films not being present for the next installment.
Mason Gooding’s character Chad, the brother of Mindy and the love interest of Jenna Ortega’s Tara character, creates some interesting possibilities. Could Chad be used to explain why the rest of the “Core Four” aren’t present for Scream 7? Or is it a sign that perhaps appearances from Sam, Tara, or Mindy might not be 100% out of the realm of possibility?
Fans have been wondering how the franchise would handle the return of the old guard and exit of the new, with Kevin Williamson taking over director duties for the first time in Scream 7 and the Sidney Prescott character set to return after Campbell publicly turned down what she felt like was an insulting offer for Scream 6. The online fandom has become divided, with some fans happy that Williamson and Campbell are returning and others upset about the “Core Four” being written out in favor of the franchise’s original stars. Star of Scream 2022 and Scream 6 Melissa Barrera was fired for her public support of Palestine, which has divided the online fandom even more.
But now, with Mason Gooding set to return as Chad, perhaps some of that tension will be eased. What will Chad’s involvement look like in a Sidney lead story that’s rumored to be focused on her and her family? Scream 7 just got a lot more interesting and, hopefully, cooled the temperature of angry fans.
