Patrick Dempsey confirms “Scream 7” talks for Kincaid return: 'There has been a conversation'
The actor appeared as Mark Kincaid, the current husband of Sidney Prescott, only once, in 2000's "Scream 3."
Scream 7 could end up being a family affair for Sidney Prescott.
Appearing on the Today show Thursday, Patrick Dempsey confirmed he's had talks to reprise the role of Mark Kincaid for the first time since the actor's debut as the character in 2000's Scream 3.
"I'm waiting on the script," Dempsey told the couch of morning talk-show hosts. "There has been a conversation about it. I haven't seen anything yet, so we'll see what happens." He added, comically, "It's always good to have a job."
Related: Scream 7 with Neve Campbell carves out release date: 'It's gonna be a killer 2026'
In the third movie, Dempsey appeared as Kincaid, the Los Angeles detective investigating the murders of Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) and the actors associated with Stab 3, the latest slasher movie adaptation of the Woodsboro massacre. It was later confirmed that Kincaid married Scream queen Sidney (Neve Campbell) off camera. He remained Sidney's husband over the course of 2022's Scream and 2023's Scream VI, which made reference to the character. But Dempsey hasn't delivered a new performance as Kincaid since Scream 3.
Campbell is officially set to return for Scream 7, which is directed by Kevin Williamson, the screenwriter of Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 4. Other franchise veteran, Courteney Cox, is also in talks for another comeback as reporter Gale Weathers, but she told Variety in September, “I’m not officially signed on,” noting how the team is "rewriting all the time," and "it’s not like I don’t know what’s going on.”
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Dempsey's potential presence, however, gives us a slightly better idea of where the franchise is heading after pivoting the focus away from Sam and Tara Carpenter. Production company Spyglass Media Group fired Melissa Barrera, the de facto new face of Scream as Sam, in 2023 for expressing her support for the Palestinian cause and criticizing Israeli actions in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Meanwhile, Jenna Ortega, who plays Sam's sister Tara, dropped out of the next sequel, citing scheduling conflicts.
Related: Sidney's back! Scream 7 to star Neve Campbell and be directed by Kevin Williamson
Guy Busick is currently writing Scream 7, which Paramount set for release in theaters on Feb. 27, 2026. Watch Dempsey's interview on Today in the video above. (He speaks about Scream 7 around the 4-minute mark.)
The next question is, if Kincaid comes back, will we get to meet the children of Sidney Prescott?