Back in January, fans of the Scream franchise were rather shocked when it was announced that Community actor Joel McHale had joined the project.
Of course, it wasn’t the actor’s casting that shocked fans, but rather the fact he’d be playing the husband of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott.
Previously, it had been taken as accepted series lore that Sidney had wed Scream 3’s Detective Mark Kincaid. Portrayed by Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey, fans appreciated the chemistry he shared with Campbell. Following several mentions in 2022’s Scream and it’s 2023 sequel, fans hoped Dempsey would officially reprise the role in the upcoming seventh entry.
Things looked promising in October 2024, with Dempsey confirming he had been approached, but was yet to see a script.
However, that was the last we heard of the matter, until McHale’s casting as new character Mark Evans.
Rumours flew that Dempsey, a sizeable name on the small-screen, had requested too much money for a return. However, the actor remained silent on his Scream 7 absence for some time.
Now, Dempsey has set the record straight as to why Mark Kincaid won’t be returning. Speaking recently, the actor had the following to say:
“It just didn’t work out. We were dealing with the fires and everything that was going on and the schedule didn’t work out, unfortunately.”
So, once again, it seems scheduling issues have dashed fans hopes.
However, McHale has been embraced warmly by the Scream fandom, with many eager to meet Sidney Prescott’s husband of many years.
Despite Dempsey’s absence, Scream 7 has secured a plethora of returning stars, including Campbell, Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Scott Foley, and Matthew Lillard.
The returnees join an equally impressive roster of Scream newcomers. In addition to McHale, the cast includes Isabel May, Mckenna Grace, Anna Camp, Ethan Embry, and Asa Germann, among others.
Scream 7 will soon wrap filming under the guidance of director Kevin Williamson. The sequel is set to hit theatres on February 27th 2026.
