‘Scream 7’ Is Bringing Back 3 Dead Characters: Here’s How They Could Return

When Scream 7 slashes its way into theaters on Feb. 27, 2026, it will bring back some of the franchise’s biggest stars. Along with Neve Campbell returning as Sidney Prescott, the upcoming movie will also bring back Matthew Lillard, Scott Foley, and David Arquette.

All three actors portrayed characters who died in previous films, leaving many fans wondering how exactly Scream 7 will bring them back into the fold.

Both Lillard and Foley’s characters have a shared history in the Scream franchise: both were Ghostface killers who met grisly ends. Opposite Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis, Lillard’s Stu Macher terrorized the town of Woodsboro in Wes Craven’s original slasher in 1996. His character died by the end of the film.

Foley, meanwhile, portrayed Roman Bridgers, the Ghostface killer in 2000’s Scream 3 who was revealed to be Sidney’s half-brother. Roman also died by the end of the film.

Arquette, meanwhile, was a Scream legacy character up until Scream (2022). Having portrayed Dewey Riley, who at one point was Gale Weathers’ (Courteney Cox’s) love interest, Arquette stepped away from the franchise after the fifth installment, in which his character was killed by Ghostface.

With all three characters seemingly dead but their respective actors confirmed to be returning for Scream 7, fans have been buzzing about how the film will achieve its plan. Plot details for the movie are being kept under wraps, so there’s currently no confirmation as to how they will return. Keep scrolling to see a few of our theories for Lillard, Foley, and Arquette’s anticipated returns.

Flashbacks

It’s possible, and maybe even most plausible, that the departed characters will return by way of flashbacks. With Scream 7 seemingly shifting focus back to Sidney and her family, and with all three returning characters having deep connections to her, it’s possible the film will feature flashbacks of the various Ghostface killings and the returning characters’ interactions with each other and Sidney.

Hallucinations

Scream 7 may choose to take a cue from Scream (2022), which brought back Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis via hallucinations. In the film, Billy’s daughter, Sam Carpenter, experiences hallucinations of her late father as she becomes the latest target of the Ghostface killings.

Bringing the roster of deceased characters, most of whom are prior Ghostface killers, back as hallucinations could offer a unique look at how the surviving characters are coping the trauma of the Ghostface murders, perhaps most importantly Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers, who is undoubtedly still grappling with the death of Dewey.

AI or Deepfakes

A theory gaining popularity in the Scream fandom is that the upcoming installment will make use of AI and deepfakes to taunt the remaining survivors, particularly Sidney. Fans suggest that under this theory, the actual Ghostface killer in the seventh installment will use the most recent technological advancements to copy the voice and likeness of deceased characters.

Scream has long taken a meta approach to comment on cultural and social developments, including the rapid rise of technology and the hold it has on us. This was perhaps most prevalent in Scream 4. Released in 2011, a time during which gaining fame was easier than ever thanks to social media, the Ghostface kills were livestreamed. Meanwhile, Scream 3 implemented the use of advanced voice changers.

They Never Died/Scream 7 Could Retcon the Franchise

This is arguably the least popular means of bringing the characters back. While other franchises in the horror genre have retconned certain aspects of various storylines, perhaps most notably Laurie Strode being Michael Myers’ sister in the Halloween franchise, Scream has largely been praised for its consistent, easy-to-follow story, which does not involve numerous different timelines and orders to watch.

Stu Macher Twin Theory

A long-standing theory among Scream fans is that Stu Macher had an identical twin who was not mentioned in the original film but could potentially be another Ghostface killer in the upcoming installment.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight in March just prior to the news that Lillard would return to the franchise, Kevin Williamson teased his possible return and the twin theory.

“I mean, I would say never but I have always been wrong when I do,” he said, adding, “There’s always that twin brother theory.”

While this wouldn’t explain the return of characters like Roman and Dewey, it would be an interesting way to bring Lillard back into the mix.