Mason Gooding to Return for ‘Scream 7’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Mason Gooding will be back for more “Scream.”

Sources tell me that the actor will reprise his role Chad Meeks-Martin for the seventh installment of the horror franchise. Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays Chad’s sister Mindy, has not officially signed on yet.

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News of Gooding’s return comes after the film weathered production delays, creative overhauls and cast shakeups. Back in March, Gooding addressed the hiccups. “If it could make money, I guarantee, they’re making it,” he told me at the time. “It’s all about keeping up with what feels like is the best movie for the fans. ‘Scream’ doesn’t exist without the people who enjoy is as much as they do. … If people want it, they will certainly try their best to see it happen.”

Neve Campbell announced she was returning for “Scream 7” after she skipped the sixth film due to a salary dispute. Along with Campbell’s return, the film will mark Kevin Williamson’s first time directing a “Scream” movie. Williamson wrote the script for the first “Scream” in 1996. He came on board as director for the latest installment after Christopher Landon exited the project.

Courteney Cox has circled a return for “Scream 7,” but has still not officially signed to play Gale Weathers again yet. New cast members will include Isabel May as the daughter of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott as well as McKenna Grace, Sam Rechner and Asa Germann.

Gooding stars opposite Olivia Holt in the upcoming horror film “Heart Eyes” for Screen Gems and Spyglass, in theaters Feb. 7. He can currently be seen in Kyle Mooney’s disaster comedy Y2K.”

Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, who starred in the first two movies of the “Scream” reboot, are not returning for the seventh movie. Barrera was fired from “Scream 7” last year over social media posts about Israel. Shortly after, it was reported that Ortega was no longer available due to her shooting schedule for Netflix’s “Wednesday.”

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“Scream 7” is slated to release in theaters on Feb. 27, 2026. Paramount Pictures will distribute the film, which Spyglass Media is producing.

Scream is a long-running horror franchise, which previously generated four feature films including, “Scream” (1996), “Scream 2” (1997), “Scream 3” (2000) and “Scream 4” (2011), directed by the late Wes Craven.  The franchise relaunched with the fifth installment, “Scream,” in 2022.  The latest outing, “Scream VI,” released theatrically worldwide in March 2023, currently holds the franchise record for highest domestic box office gross (more than $108 million), previously held by the original “Scream,” and has taken in more than $169 million worldwide. Collectively, the “Scream” franchise has earned more than $ 900 million in worldwide box office receipts.

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